Here we go again

March 31, 2010

When the weather turns nice most of us think about our
lawns, spring cleaning, going to the park, or other such
activities. The criminal element just start strutting
their stuff.

I heard of at least 3 shooting calls and a stabbing in
Davenport and the shooting across the river. Since two of
the shootings resulted in death they overshadowed the
others. I have to wonder why we haven’t heard about the
incident at 6th and Taylor, the stabbing victim who ended
up at the Salvation Army, or the shots fired around the
2600 block of Harrison street.

The problem on Pershing has been brewing for some time and
I have been hearing about show downs between groups of young
men for a while. Before yesterday it hadn’t got serious so
something must have changed. Now another member of the
Howard family is dead a block away from the site where the
innocent young Howard girl was killed in a drive-by shooting
some time back.

I don’t know if it’s going to be one of those summers where
the violence goes through a dramatic raise or not. Let’s hope
this type of activity slows down. If not, and you live SoLo,
keep your eyes and ears open for potential problems.
Comments are always welcome.


A couple of things

March 30, 2010

When I first heard about Albert Snyder on the news this
morning I thought that I heard wrong. Mr. Snyder is the
father of Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder who was killed
in Iraq in 2006.

Mr. Snyder sued a group of anti-gay protesters who picketed
his sons funeral. He won, but the decision was overturned in
a higher court and now Mr. Snyder has to pay the legal fees
for the protesters appeal. He has to pay Fred Phelps $16,510. Mr.
Phelps is the leader of the Westboro Baptist Church which
conducted the protests.

I don’t mind protesting and think it a right of all Americans,
but I draw the line at funerals. If someone wants to protest
while visitation is being held, fine, but while the funeral is
going on it should not be allowed. For the high court to say
that the First Amendment rights of the protesters is more
important than the religious and privacy rights of the mourners
is insane. The story is here.

On a lighter note, Hawk and myself will be on the Jim Fisher
Show at 5 pm today to discuss the local Guardian Angels. We’d
like to thank him for always allowing us air time when we request
it. He has been a supporter of the Guardian Angels since day one
and we do appreciate it.
Comments are always welcome


Strange thoughts

March 29, 2010

It’s almost April and I have to wonder where this year has
gone. Most of the things I wanted to have done by now are
in various stages of not being done and time is marching on.
It just seems like the harder I try to get these little
projects done the farther behind I get.

After thinking about it I believe that this is proof that
there is a God, and he has a sense of humor. I can imagine
him sitting on his throne looking down at us and grinning
from ear to ear at our wonderment and saying Godlike things
such as ‘did he actually think that would work?’

This has giving me a new idea on how to go about these little
jobs that never seem to get done. If I really take my time,
think about them a little more, and go at a leisurely pace,
perhaps I’ll get more done. I’m just about ready to really
think about this issue but I don’t want to push my luck. Who
wants to be a slave to their surroundings?

I haven’t been on Locust street lately but hear construction
is ongoing with the boulevards. I don’t know how that will be
when finished, I’m sure it will look nice but if it is going
to go from four lanes to two I have my doubts. If you get
stuck at the east bound stoplight on Harrison during rush hour
you know traffic gets back up more than a block before the
light changes and vehicles get moving. We’ll just have to wait
and see how it goes after construction is done.
Comments are always welcome.


The tradition

March 28, 2010

Once every year or two, rain or shine, regardless of anything
else going on at the time, I get a haircut. Yesterday was that
day and I have to say that it feels a lot colder out without
hair. I even trimmed my mustache and shaved so that more than
half my face is now visible.

I went from hair long and bushy enough that if it was red I
could have passed for Ronald McDonald, to short enough to pass
for someone in the military. I will now, once again, get a
chance to see how the public deals with short haired people.
I am hoping babies no longer scream when I get close, and mothers
don’t pull their children closer as if to protect them.

And if that works out reasonably well I may even put on a
suit and tie, even if nobody I know dies. But don’t hold your
breath on the last one. If it gets interesting, I’ll let you know.
Comments are always welcome.


Branson auction

March 26, 2010

April is almost here and that can mean a lot of things, but
since we got a catalog in the mail it means the Branson
Auction is coming up. It will be held April 16 and 17, 2010
at the Branson Convention Center in Branson, Missouri. I
thought I’d list some cars that I find interesting in case
you have a wheelbarrow full of money laying around you want
to spend. In no particular order, here they are-

1935 Lincoln Model K Phaeton with custom body built by the
Lincoln Motor Car Company for use by President Franklin Delano
Roosevelt. The car was used in California by FDR and features
bumper mounted flags, Presidential seal, a smokers kit, wheel-
chair accommodations, folding side windows, rear foot rests,
jump seats, wide white wall tires, and a luggage rack.

(2) 1934 Rolls Royce Phantom IIs. One won the Silverado and
Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance, and the other has been in
a museum since 1977.

1936 Lancia Astura Bocca, one of six made in ’36. It is
documented the car was owned by Eric Clapton.

1937 Cord Supercharged 812 Phaeton originally owned by Tom
Mix. Mr. Mix overturned the car speeding through a construction
zone, the car sat in a scrap yard for two years, then was
purchased for the princely sum of $100 and restored.

1918 Apperson 8, also known as the “Jack Rabbit” for it’s
ability to blaze from zero to forty mph in forty seconds flat!

1900 Black Highwheeler powered by the original 2-cylinder air
cooled motor. It’s been in a museum for over 20 years and is
documented back to 1937.

1926 Oldsmobile that was locked away in a Detroit warehouse
in 1929 and found in the mid 1970’s with a broken drivers
side window, bloody seat, and shotgun blasts through the
drivers door. Research to date has failed to turn up the
history of the damage.

1929 Kissel White Eagle 8-95, one of 150 known to exist from
the original 35,000 made between 1908 to 1931.

1950 Ford Tudor Custom Deluxe with 35,000 actual miles.

1950 Mercury Montery with factory vinyl top.

1969 Shelby GT 500, one of only 170 cars fitted with a
428 cubic inch Cobra Jet Drag Pack engine.

1966 Dodge Coronet 500, one of 204 with the 426 Hemi/4 speed
combo.

There are plenty more but I don’t want to write a novel. To
see the cars, go to the website.
Comments are always welcome.


A good read

March 25, 2010

Back in January a Constitutional Law Instructor, Attorney, and
former Army officer wrote an article about the then unpassed
health care reform bill. A friend sent me an email that contained
the very article and it has been confirmed by Snopes that the
man did write it. I’ll post the article with a link to Snopes
at the end.

The Truth About the Health Care Bills – Michael Connelly, Ret. Constitutional Attorney
Well, I have done it! I have read the entire text of proposed House Bill 3200: The Affordable Health Care Choices Act of 2009. I studied it with particular emphasis from my area of expertise, constitutional law. I was frankly concerned that parts of the proposed law that were being discussed might be unconstitutional. What I found was far
worse than what I had heard or expected.

To begin with, much of what has been said about the law and its implications is in fact true, despite what the Democrats and the media are saying. The law does provide for rationing of health care, particularly where senior citizens and other classes of citizens are involved, free health care for illegal immigrants, free abortion services, and probably forced participation in abortions by members of the medical profession.

The Bill will also eventually force private insurance companies out of business, and put everyone into a government run system. All decisions about personal health care will ultimately be made by federal bureaucrats, and most of them will not be health care professionals. Hospital admissions, payments to physicians, and allocations of necessary medical devices will be strictly controlled by the government.

However, as scary as all of that is, it just scratches the surface. In fact, I have concluded that this legislation really has no intention of providing affordable health care choices. Instead it is a convenient cover for the most massive transfer of power to the Executive Branch of government that has ever occurred, or even been contemplated If
this law or a similar one is adopted, major portions of the Constitution of the United States will effectively have been destroyed.

The first thing to go will be the masterfully crafted balance of power between the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches of the U.S. Government. The Congress will be transferring to the Obama Administration authority in a number of different areas over the lives of the American people, and the businesses they own.

The irony is that the Congress doesn’t have any authority to legislate in most of those areas to begin with! I defy anyone to read the text of the U.S. Constitution and find any authority granted to the members of Congress to regulate health care.

This legislation also provides for access, by the appointees of the Obama administration, of all of your personal healthcare..a direct violation of the specific provisions of the 4th Amendment to the Constitution information, your personal financial information, and
the information of your employer, physician, and hospital. All of this is a protecting against unreasonable searches and seizures.. You can also forget about the right to privacy. That will have been legislated into oblivion regardless of what the 3rd and 4th Amendments may provide.

If you decide not to have healthcare insurance, or if you have private insurance that is not deemed acceptable to the Health Choices Administrator appointed by Obama, there will be a tax imposed on you. It is called a tax instead of a fine because of the intent to
avoid application of the due process clause of the 5th Amendment.

However, that doesn’t work because since there is nothing in the law that allows you to contest or appeal the imposition of the tax, it is definitely depriving someone of property without the due process of law.

So, there are three of those pesky amendments that the far left hate so much, out the original ten in the Bill of Rights, that are effectively nullified by this law It doesn’t stop there though.

The 9th Amendment that provides: The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people;

The 10th Amendment states: The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are preserved to the States respectively, or to the people. Under the provisions of this piece of Congressional handiwork neither the people nor the states are going to have any rights or powers at all in many areas that once were theirs to control.

I could write many more pages about this legislation, but I think you get the idea. This is not about health care; it is about seizing power and limiting rights. Article 6 of the Constitution requires the members of both houses of Congress to “be bound by oath or affirmation to support the Constitution.” If I was a member of Congress I would not be able to vote for this legislation or anything like it, without feeling I was violating that sacred oath or affirmation. If I voted for it anyway, I would hope the American people would hold me accountable.

For those who might doubt the nature of this threat, I suggest they consult the source, the US Constitution, and Bill of Rights. There you can see exactly what we are about to have taken from us.

Michael Connelly
Retired attorney,
Constitutional Law Instructor
Carrollton , Texas

It is confirmed by Snopes and has a short opposing position also.
Comments are always welcome.


Another opinion rant

March 25, 2010

This rant is my opinion of things in the news. That, by
itself, doesn’t make them right, wrong, or true. You don’t
have to agree with it, but here it is for your consideration.

Let me see if I’ve got this right. The Democrats passed a
bill that about three-quarters of America didn’t want, the
press ignored the opinion of this majority in their coverage
of events leading up to the passage of the bill, and now
lawmakers get irate phone calls from from the citizens
they work for and they feel threatened?

They wouldn’t listen before the vote, they wouldn’t face
the people before the vote, but now they listen. Perhaps
after the next election when said Senator is sitting at home,
unemployed,they will have to reflect on the incident. Grow up!
——————————————————

In the health care reform reconciliation is a provision
to make all restaruants put the calorie count of all foods
on all menus including the drive-thru. The thinking is it
will make us choose a healthier meal. Give me strength. If
I get a yearning for a double quarter pounder with cheese
and a big order of fries I’m not going to settle for skinless
chunk of chicken with a few slivers of lettuce wrapped in a
tortilla and a cup of yogurt.

How long have warnings been on cigarettes, and some of us
still smoke? How long has MADD, SADD, and drunk driving
commercials been on TV, and yet some of us are still drinking,
driving, or even flying airplanes? Can some sort of ‘fat tax’
be far behind after people keep ordering the fat filled fast
food?
——————————————————–

Some will say ‘at least we get to keep our current insurance
if we like it’. If one thinks about this provision though, it
is a double-edged sword. If we don’t have to take a government
insurance plan, then those in government don’t either. So Obama and
everyone who voted for this bill can keep their insurance without
looking to be elitists or hypocrites.

The stimulus hasn’t worked, the green jobs initiative is a flop,
the cash-for-clunkers was a joke, and now this. At least we’ll
be able to keep two of the inititials when we change from the USA
to the SSA (Socialist States of Obama.)
———————————————————

Now that the snow has melted our fine city is looking a little
shabby. At least the snow covered up the litter. Then news came
out that Davenport has a low graduation rate. Once again a spokes-
person for our school system said they are looking into it. Why
not load the school board on a bus, take them to the Pleasant
Valley schools, and assign them to take notes. Quit making
excuses and do what you’re being payed for. Teach our children.
Comments are always welcome.


Some good news

March 23, 2010

Once again this is a day late and I’m a dollar short. A press
release in yesterday’s RI Argus is one I’m proud to post. I
would give credit to the author, but none are mentioned. Here’s
the article-

$1,000 Grant aids Guardian Angels

The Quad Cities Guardian Angels Chapter in
Davenport has received a $1,000 grant from
the Leading Ladies Giving Circle to support
the Street Patrol program. The grant will
help the Guardian Angels buy equipment needed
to strengthen and expand their patrol reach.
Currently, 15 members are enrolled in the
Quad Cities Guardian Angel Chapter that con-
ducts street patrols on Friday and Saturday
evenings and other times deemed appropriate.
“The Guardian Angels came to our community
in 2006 and have provided many benefits to
our area,” said Jill Bjerke, Giving Circle
member. “Their work is volunteer-driven, and
our grant supports their efforts to help
protect and keep our community safe.”
The Leading Ladies Giving Circle, a program
of the Community Foundation of the Great
River Bend, attend regular meetings and
discuss the needs of the community.
——————————————

A heartfelt thank you to the Leading Ladies
Giving Circle for the generous donation and
to those who made it possible.
Comments are always welcome.


Health care thoughts

March 22, 2010

I have a few more words on the destruction of our health care
system as we know it. After this post I’ll take a break from
posting on the subject again. Once again this is my opinion of
what is wrong with this plan to take over health care in order
to fix it.

To paraphrase someone else; “Obama’s health care plan was written
by a committee that didn’t understand it, passed by a senate that
didn’t read it and will be exempt from it, signed by a president
who smokes, funded by a treasury head who didn’t pay his taxes,
overseen by an obese surgeon general, and financed by a country
that is broke and doesn’t want it.”

To all those who bought the bull this administration was selling,
I have some bad news. The cattle was purchased in Cuba and en route when, due to global climate change, the steamship hit an iceberg. When the ice hit the boiler it exploded and most of your roast
beef rained down on the poor residents of Cuba, while the rest fell
into the ocean to be consumed by hungry sharks. While the Cubans
ate quite well for a few days, Peta says the psychological damage
to the sharks may take years of therapy to correct. Your bill for
the damage to the ship, and the welfare of the sharks is in the
mail. The steamship was too old to be insured and since this bill
doesn’t cover steamships you are expected to pay for the replacement
of the steamship and the therapy for the sharks.
Comments are always welcome.


Takeover passed?

March 22, 2010

The health care takeover is one step closer to being a
reality against the wishes of a majority of the citizens.
While I didn’t expect it to pass I also have to admit
that I wasn’t surprised. I also wasn’t surprised that
the transparency we were promised was missing or the
fact the drive by media ignored those who protested or
spoke out against the bill.

One does have to wonder how long it will be before we
know exactly what is in the final bill. If the bill does
get signed into law it will be up to those who voted for
it to prove its worth. We, as citizens, will have to wait
and see how this bill actually does anything to help health
care.

My belief on the matter is this; it won’t help our shortage
of medical professionals, it certainly isn’t going to lower
our cost, the taxes are going to be ridiculous, and it won’t
do anything to lower the deficit.
Comments are always welcome