Author Alan
Korwinas drawn by Pulitzer-prize-winning cartoonist
Steve BensonPAGE NINE No.
106The Uninvited Ombudsman Report, Dec. 27, 2011
by
Alan
Korwin,
Bloomfield Press-- Tell your friends -- Permission to
circulate granted --
Meet me at the SHOT Show in
Las Vegas, Jan 17 to 20, 2011.I'm staying at the Imperial
Palace, where you can leave messages for me,1-800-351-7400, or leave a
note in the NSSF Press Office.STARTERSSECRET MEMO NOT FOR RELEASESarah:
Halloween is turning into an effective tool for public control,
a change we
had hoped for. Even better than we had dreamed.
Forget that it's a willing
celebration of evil and devil worship,
we have succeeded in making it the 2nd
biggest consumer holiday,
with more than six billion dollars now falling into
our hands.
It is yet another method for getting the masses to act in
lockstep,
to be "different" by being the same; it will have positive impacts
on
future plans. The inner circle commends those responsible.
Barry.
::::
"Now remember, the whole
idea is to move as much product as possible."See
explanatory "Note A" near the end of this report.
::::Worth repeating: Not a single
presidential candidate in any debate so far has mentioned guns. The Second
Amendment -- the number one issue for huge numbers of Americans, has been hidden
from view, avoided, virtually censored, never raised. Have you noticed, or has
the clamor about jobs and the economy blinded you so effectively? None of the
reporters ask where the candidates stand on gun rights. No one asks about Fast
and Furious, or brings it up. (One independent video channel, Western Free
Press, did get one fairly straight answer:
http://tinyurl.com/84udko5)
Here's
betting that if and when the subject finally comes up in prime time, the
wannabees mouth pablum, and the interviewers let them slide without cutting
deep. That's an easy prediction -- the lamestream perpetrators (accent on the
last two syllables) don't know enough about guns or gun policy to ask incisive
questions. OK, I'll suggest one, "So, if you stand in such vigorous support of
the Second Amendment, do you support marksmanship training in schools?" Read
about all the Qs they never ask --
http://www.gunlaws.com/the%20liberty%20poll.htm::::
NEW: GUN SAFETY RULES FOR SELF DEFENSE:1.
If you ever shoot in self defense you must prepare to defend yourself against
execution for murder.
2. When you drop the hammer plan to cash in your
life savings for your lawyer's retainer. Avoid this unless your life depends on
it.
3. Sometimes the innocent get decent treatment, sometimes they
don't.
4. It's always better to avoid a gunfight than to win
one.
5. If innocent life doesn't immediately depend on it, don't shoot.
And if it does, don't miss.
Want more?
After You Shoot: Your gun's
hot. The perp's not. Now what?
http://www.gunlaws.com/AYS.htm::::Calls for Eric Holder's
resignation have exploded. This report last month indicated 17 members of
Congress were calling for his ouster, over the gun smuggling and murders of his
Fast and Furious program. The latest reports show 91 members have either called
for his removal, or signed a no-confidence resolution introduced by Paul Gosar,
a first-term congressman from Arizona.
See the report below (item #1) on
what
actually happened at his most
recent appearance before Congress (not what the media told you, despite the
evidence you could have seen with your own eyes -- the public hearing -- which
serves as my source).
::::Every gun law Congress has put in
place, in one volume! Nothing else like it, many of the laws
guarantee your rights, and
"If you knew all your rights you might demand
them!"
Gun Laws of
AmericaWord-for-word AND in plain English.
http://www.gunlaws.com/gloa.htm::::Someone's
prediction for the New Year, food for thought so to speak:"The food shortages of 2012 may not be real, but the panics will
be."::::
What
can I do, I'm only one person?!
The pocket change trick -- Keep a few
copper-jacketed rounds in your pocket change (as long as having ammo is legal
where you live). It's the inoculation effect, and a conversation starter.
Cashiers see it when you reach for exact change, and either back away in fear,
or start a conversation. Either way, you help advance the normalization of gun
ownership in a gun-deprived environment.::::In defense of anonymous speech
As often happens during election season, the media has been up in arms
about “secret funds” being spent by independent groups on messages meant to
support or oppose candidates.
They should get a grip. The First Amendment
enshrines freedom of speech, not witch-hunts led by the political establishment
under the banner of “transparency.”
Our nation was founded on anonymous free
speech by independent groups. Under pseudonyms, the Founders deliberately hid
their identities as they engaged in coordinated advocacy, in 85 pamphlets, for the ratification of
the Constitution. The pamphlets were crucial to rebutting the arguments of those
who opposed the Constitution.
Without anonymity, the arguments advanced
by the Founders could have been evaded with ad
hominem attacks. Anonymity forced the opposition to grapple with ideas on
their merits. This resulted in a better debate, which the Founders won on the
strength of their ideas.
The marketplace of ideas is enhanced, not
diminished, by the freedom to engage in anonymous speech. Broadside government
attacks on anonymous speech threaten to suppress the marketplace of ideas, which
ultimately threatens the media as much as any independent
group.
--Nick Dranias, Director,
The Center for Constitutional Government at the Goldwater
Institute.::::
Two of the nation's top gun-rights advocates
explore
real-life gun confrontations, a tremendous learning
experience.
Lessons from Armed Americahttp://www.gunlaws.com/books19Newer.htmCo-author Walters is host of nationally syndicated Armed
American Radio,
Co-author Jackson is editor of Concealed Carry
Magazine.
How do you feel years later after a gun saved your
life? Read it and find out.
::::"There are people, and then
there are people with no business card."
----::::----
1-
Holder's Hubris StunsThe lamestream media told you:
The
lamestream media told you:
"WASHINGTON — Republican lawmakers told
Attorney General Eric Holder on Thursday to fire some Justice Department
subordinates over the flawed arms-trafficking investigation called Operation
Fast and Furious," according to Pete Yost, writing for the Associated Press,
about Holder's testimony to Congress in early December. [Democrats, by
implication and omission, see no problem here and have asked for no
action.)
"Why haven't you terminated the people involved?" asked Rep.
Darrell Issa, R-Calif., who chairs the House
Oversight and Government Reform Committee that is investigating the
arms-tracking operation.
"The operation's goal was to follow the gun
supply chain from small-time gun buyers at a number of Phoenix-area gun shops
and make cases against major weapons traffickers," AP writer Yost
claims.
The Uninvited Ombudsman notes however that:
The
Uninvited Ombudsman notes however that:
It is widely recognized that the
BATFE claims in Fast and Furious do not match the facts. There was a concerted
effort NOT "to follow the gun supply chain" which BATFE helped smuggle out of
the country. The conclusion, if facts matter, is that the smuggling operation
increased the number of U.S.-supplied firearms to drug cartels, which were then
found at crime scenes domestically and abroad. This manufactured increase was
then used publicly to advance an imaginary threat, to justify increased
government power, controls, and infringing on the Second Amendment.
The
congressional committee, after an initial flurry of remarks and verbal jousting,
stunningly refused to place Holder under oath, since he more than once said,
"I'm here to tell the truth," instead of taking an oath. That made my mouth hang
open. This helps insulate him from a potential charge of felony perjury before
Congress. He failed to testify under oath. The "news" media failed to report
this tiny insignificant fact.
What the "news" also failed to report was
only the most significant parts of the hearings. Holder, who repeatedly claims
he is not stonewalling, performed a "document dump" on Congress, delivering more
than 5,000 documents, most of them emails, and not a single one came from or was
sent by Mr. Holder, the main unindicted conspirator in the smuggling scheme and
the main target of the investigation. Actually no one has been indicted, thanks
to Holder's stonewalling.
That became obvious during questioning by Ben
Quayle, who happens to be my representative. After noting that many in Congress
seek Holder's resignation, Quayle asked, "Will you resign?" Holder said, "No."
Naming and asking if the underlings just below him would resign, Holder replied
"No." Naming the underlings under them with the same question, Holder said,
"No," the three shortest answers he gave in the whole charade. Time ran out for
Mr. Quayle, so the Chair of the committee asked the obvious last question, will
anyone be forced out, and Holder continued with his terse replies, saying, "No."
In the AG's opinion, as delivered to Congress, no one should be held accountable
for these gross violations of law and multiple murders. This is hard news, so
was unreported for reasons that remain unclear.
Nearly a year after it
began, Holder has refused to identify the person who authorized the operation, a
very simple task, though it might implicate him or his boss, the current
occupant of the White House.
A democrat at the hearing said that "2,000
automatic rifles" had walked. The AG said, "Yes, that's correct." No automatic
weapons were involved, since these were retail store purchases. Hey, it's such a
small point, what do you expect. A big thank you to Rep. Ted Poe of Texas for
asking some really hard-as-nails questions. The AG though ducked every
one.
Daryl Issa threatened the AG with Contempt of Congress for failure
to turn over documents. Contempt of Congress! This extremely serious development
was also not widely reported, though Mr. Sensenbrenner's vague allusion to an
impeachment of someone (unnamed) did make the "news." The AG's omitted
communiques in the document dump was perhaps dwarfed by the Justice Department's
flat refusal to release
anything after
Feb. 2, 2011, probably the most significant material. A Feb. 4 email which was a
blatant lie to Congress, now admitted, has been "withdrawn."
When Holder
had previously said his 4-state long-gun registration scheme is a "reasonable
requirement," none of the officials challenged him -- on the fact that it's
strictly illegal, he is specifically denied authority to do it by law, and in
fact such action has been specifically outlawed by Congress. Maybe they didn't
know. And he didn't know.
Holder and his department's preposterous
position that there is no statute against gun smuggling is a naked power grab
without support. Not one official challenged that statement. Making each
purchase is a separate federal felony, that's 2,000 right there; lying about the
nature of the purchase is a federal felony; delivering the guns to the real
buyer is a federal felony; smuggling the guns across state lines is a federal
felony; delivering the guns to foreign nationals without an export license is a
federal felony; using undeclared income to make the purchases is a federal
felony; handling illegal obtained cash is a federal felony; conspiring to do any
of this with anyone is a federal felony.
Holder has acknowledged that the
mess is a fiasco, inexcusable and a prohibited policy, and of course, people
have been murdered as a result. In his opinion, no one pays for it. Prediction:
That shall not stand.
Excellent book for women, back in print after years
of waiting,
completely revised second edition by this nationally famous
instructor.
Armed
and FemaleClick the image for details.
http://www.gunlaws.com/books15Women.htm
::::2-
Because Walters SaysArmed American Radio talk-show host and
author Mark Walters, in the latest issue of
Concealed
Carry Magazine, asks, "Have you ever heard the statement from someone, maybe
a friend, a relative, or someone in the news, 'I support the Second Amendment,
but...' ? Sure you have. Don't be fooled."
"No one who supports the right
of the people to keep and bear arms ever, and I do mean ever, puts the words
'but' or 'however' in the same sentence. And if you do hear those words together
in conversation, as a gun owner and freedom fighter you have a responsibility to
confront the speaker or writer and correct them. They need to be called out and
you need to be the one to do it. This is not a task to be taken lightly." Mark's
mild-mannered approach appeals to me.
I had scoped out the underlying
principle here waaaay back and have used it to this day:
A "but" statement
openly reveals a person's true intentions.You know it
instinctively: "I really like your boots, but the green is awful."
Now you
can know it consciously.
To see through any "but" statement:
Reverse
the first phrase, and change "but" to "and."
So the above line becomes "I
really
don't like your boots, and the
green is awful."
In poker this is called a "tell."
In real life, it's just
an advantage.
Next time you hear a "but" statement,
and inflection
always tells you it's coming, try it
--
reverse the first part, and change "but" to "and."
Works like a
charm.
Politicians reveal themselves in "but" statements all the
time.
Newscasters use "but" statements constantly to reveal their
biases.
They don't realize it.
Now, you do.
The books the Founding Fathers read -- and
wrote!
You hear about these all the time, here's your chance to own the
set.
Eleven books in all, or cherry pick the ones you want.
In print for
200 years, and the reason why is in the pages. Amazing stuff.
The Founders
Packagehttp://www.gunlaws.com/books18packages.htm
::::3-
Internet Taxation PromisedThe lamestream media told
you:
The lamestream media told you:
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9Q8TV3O1.htmConnecticut
officials are not giving up on requiring Internet sellers to collect state sales
taxes, despite signs from online retailer Amazon.com that it has no immediate
plans to abide by the state's new Internet tax law.
National Conference
of State Legislatures (NCSL) estimates that all states are losing $23 billion
each year ($152 million in Conn.), a figure that climbs annually as more people
shop on the Internet instead of their local stores, according to Neil Osten,
director of NCSL's Washington, D.C., office.
"All we have to do is get in
the door. Once we get in the door, there are some more opportunities that come,"
Dept. of Revenue Services Commissioner Kevin Sullivan said.
The
Uninvited Ombudsman notes however that:
The Uninvited Ombudsman notes however
that:
The Associated Press, working closely with the state governments
for a change, is campaigning to suck more money out of the economy and into
government hands, according to a recent report released by AP itself. Freedom
from such taxes has contributed to astronomic economic growth in the Internet
sales sector.
AP reporter Susan Haigh says, "states are losing $23
billion each year, a figure that climbs each year..." She fails to note that
otherwise, the working people who earned that money would be the ones losing it.
This way, we the people get to to keep the $23 billion of hard-earned cash,
instead of forking it over to ever more hungry government tax czars, and in this
case, to states where we don't even live. "If bureaucrats succeed in adding a
gigantic new tax on the only vibrant star in the economic universe, the
Internet, they will have again succeeded in making everyone poorer, in the name
of government growth."
This is how government kills jobs. Economists and
morons have long known that if taxes increase, people have less of their own
money to spend and are poorer, and that's not rocket science.
The phrase
"capture the sales tax revenue that goes uncollected" is how the states frame
it, and the reporter parrots. "Keep huge piles of our earned cash in the
economy, out of government hands, and let it work for us," is how increasingly
disgruntled taxpayers generally see the effort to seize the funds. Reporters
appear incapable of seeing this distinction and its huge bias.
Rewrite: "The public is saving $23 billion
annually, a figure that climbs each year, by shopping on the Internet, according
to information released by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL),
a lobbying group representing state governments. Government agents, with NCSL
backing, are now drawing up plans to take that money by creating a new tax,
claiming they are "losing" revenue without the new tax.
According to
leading bipartisan experts, increasing taxes at a time when government is
already too large and needs to shrink, is exactly the direction you do NOT want
to go, according to leading bipartisan experts."
::::4-
Hunters Reducing HungerThe lamestream media told
you:
The lamestream media told you:
Nothing. But it does frequently
refer to the benign life-saving wonderful efforts of environmentally sensitive
animal lovers in PETA. Read more about their wonderful exploits in item #6
later.
The Uninvited Ombudsman notes however that:
The
Uninvited Ombudsman notes however that:
"NEWTOWN, Conn. -- When you're
feasting on holiday meals and leftovers, here's a story to tell -- one that
would not be possible without the thoughtfulness and generosity of
hunters.
"A new study commissioned by the
National Shooting Sports Foundation and conducted
by Mile Creek Communications reveals that
last
year 11 million meals were provided to the less fortunate through donations of
venison by hunters. Nearly 2.8 million pounds of game meat made its way
to shelters, food banks and church kitchens and onto the plates of those in
need.
" 'Given our challenging economic times, hunters' donations of
venison have never been more important to so many people,' said Stephen L.
Sanetti, president and CEO of
NSSF, the trade association for the firearms, ammunition,
hunting and shooting sports industry. 'These contributions are just one way
hunting and hunters are important to our way of life in America. Learning about
these impressive figures makes me proud to be a hunter. I have donated game meat
during the past year, and I urge my fellow hunters to strongly consider sharing
their harvest.' "
" 'These figures are from confirmed sources, but annual
donations could easily be double this amount if direct donations from hunters to
friends and family are included,' said Jim Curcuruto, NSSF's director of
statistics and research."
Often overlooked by animal "rights" radicals is
the fact that laws typically make it illegal to let any edible portion of
harvested game go to waste. Urban dwellers are often unaware that meat does not
come from a foam tray covered in plastic wrap.
New 6th edition, better than ever.
Wall-to-wall
coverage on all aspects of staying safely armed.
Click the image for
details.
The
Concealed Handgun Manualhttp://www.gunlaws.com/persafe.htm
::::5-
The TrainMeAZ.com Campaign!Visit Arizona. See what real freedom feels like.
http://www.trainmeaz.com
Click the billboard and visit the
TrainMeAZ state training site.
1. The lawsuit against the city of
Phoenix, for censoring 50 of our advertisements at public bus stops (by claiming
they are non-public spaces, and our ads don't meet their speech guidelines) is
proceeding, but has thrown a wrench into our plans obviously. The suit is going
well, fast (as these things go, it's been a year now), and we are cautiously
optimistic about a positive outcome.
2. Although the majority of the
campaign is on hold while the lawsuit proceeds, trainers who bought ad listings
are getting some free "override" time, still posted without an additional fee.
The Contributing Sponsors are still standing firm in support of the campaign,
which will kick into high gear when the dust settles.
http://www.trainmeaz.com3. THE BIG NEWS is that, as
promised, we have developed a tourist map for air travelers who arrive at
Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport -- they get the billboard shown above smack dab in
the middle of the page! We're in good company with other advertisers including
Bass Pro Shops and Casino Arizona. Maps are on pads and available from every
staffed information kiosk in the airport (all nine), and at both info booths at
the car-rental facility. Rental companies are cutting expenses, so the TrainMeAZ
map is often the only map everyone uses.
My latest book continues to spark controversy
--
you've got guns, plenty of ammo, how do you protect yourself
After You
ShootClick the image to read about that.
http://www.gunlaws.com/AYS.htm
::::6-
Killer's Rights Defended? The lamestream media told
you:
The lamestream media told you:
"SAN DIEGO - A federal court is
being asked to grant constitutional rights to five killer whales that perform at
marine parks - an unprecedented and perhaps quixotic legal action that is
nonetheless likely to stoke an ongoing, intense debate at America's law schools
over expansion of animal rights," according to the Associated Press.
http://tinyurl.com/7zs66cr.People for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals, or PETA, is accusing the SeaWorld parks of keeping five
star-performer whales in conditions that violate the 13th Amendment ban on
slavery... PETA relishes engaging in the court of public opinion, as evidenced
by its provocative anti-fur and pro-vegan campaigns.
The plaintiffs are
the five orcas - Tilikum and Katina, based at SeaWorld in Orlando; and Corky,
Kasatka and Ulises at SeaWorld San Diego. Tilikum, a 6-ton male, made national
news in February 2010 when he grabbed a trainer at the close of a performance
and dragged her underwater until she drowned. PETA's five-member legal team
spent 18 months preparing the case.
The Uninvited Ombudsman notes
however that:
The Uninvited Ombudsman notes however that:
Any
questions remaining about the U.S. justice system's legitimacy, and willingness
to stray from the bounds of reasonable jurisprudence, were put to death today
with the acceptance of a slavery lawsuit defending animals -- that belongs
instead in an obscure philosophy journal, but I repeat myself.
In days
when the justice system would cling vigorously to real law, a case like this
would have been summarily dismissed, its perpetrator lawyers disbarred, and the
legal community in need of oxygen for laughing so hard. A simple question or two
from the bench would have served to sever the nonsense and ridicule the
monstrous assault on American courts.
"When did your clients retain you
for this action counselor?" "What are your clients' goals?" While those
questions expose the silliness, the followup would deserve punishment: "Are you
saying your clients don't even know you've decided to represent them, and have
not agreed to be party to this suit?" And of course, "Do we need an interpreter
for this case, and what language should that person speak?" The courts no longer
entertain such inquiry, no matter how bizarre a case they face. In common terms,
that's malfeasance, grounds for removal from office, with prejudice.
One
of the unwitting so-called plaintiffs committed murder but has not been charged.
The parties remained silent on whether the murder charge would apply, if the
whales are granted 13th Amendment anti-slavery human rights. The Founding
Fathers could not be reached to see if they expected wild animals to be covered
by the Bill of Rights or Constitution.
::::7-
Illegal Immigration PersistsThe lamestream media told
you:
The lamestream media told you:
According to the
AP:
"WASHINGTON — Arrests of illegal immigrants along the
U.S. border with Mexico are at the lowest level since the
Nixon administration, indicating that fewer people are attempting to cross the
border to live or work in the U.S. The development could change the debate on
illegal immigration from securing the border to handling the people who are
already here. It's the sixth straight year apprehensions have dropped. In the
fiscal year that ended Sept.30, the Border Patrol arrested 327,577 people trying
to cross the southern U.S. border.
"Arrests of people trying to sneak
across the border have been steadily declining since 2006 after an all-time high
of more than 1.6 million apprehensions in 2000." [If the all time high was in
2000 but numbers are declining since 2006, does that add up?]
The
Uninvited Ombudsman notes however that:
The Uninvited Ombudsman notes however
that:
1. For the umpteenth time: Decreased border arrests do not equate
to fewer border crossers, it simply means authorities are catching fewer
people.
2. Catching 327,000 people invading the U.S. is not a good thing,
as AP implies. No accounting of the people who snuck in was included in the
report because it is not known, could be much larger than the number of
captures, as it has been in the past, and is also not a good thing.
3.
The AP's suggestion in its second sentence that this, "could change the debate
on illegal immigration from securing the border to handling the people who are
already here," is blatant editorializing right where the news is supposed to go.
A third of a million invaders implies no such suggestion, except perhaps to the
AP, a now well-recognized frequent propaganda arm of government.
4. Peak
apprehensions of 1.6 million, several years ago (implying that at least an equal
number snuck in) does nothing to justify the nearly 1,000 people this year
caught trying to sneak in
every
day.
5. If indeed the lower captures are somehow related to a
reduced number of invaders, the most likely explanation has been unmentioned --
after sneaking more than 20 million illegals into the country, they're running
out of people to send. Who is "they"? Good question.
::::8-
Global Whining Unravels The lamestream media told you:
The
lamestream media told you:
"Associated Press --DURBAN, South Africa -- Brighten clouds with sea water?
Spray aerosols high in the stratosphere? Paint roofs white and plant
light-colored crops? How about positioning "sun shades" over the Earth?
"At a time of deep concern over global warming, a group of scientists,
philosophers and legal scholars examined whether human intervention could
artificially cool the Earth -- and what would happen if it did.
"A report released this month in London and discussed at the U.N. climate
conference in South Africa said that, in theory, reflecting a small amount of
sunlight back into space before it strikes the Earth's surface would have an
immediate and dramatic effect... but no one knows what the side effects would
be.
"Within a few years, global temperatures would return to levels of 250 years
ago, before the industrial revolution began dumping carbon dioxide into the air,
trapping heat and causing temperatures to rise."
http://tinyurl.com/7mg6aya
The Uninvited Ombudsman
notes however that:
The Uninvited Ombudsman notes however that:
Howard
Maccabee, Ph.D., M.D., writing for the Journal of American Physicians and
Surgeons, notes, "Allegations of harmful effects of climate warming on health
are based on increased deaths observed in heat waves, especially in European
cities. Year-round mortality data show, however, that
death rates during cold weather are
seven to nine times greater than during warm
weather.
"If the predictions of the climate modelers based on the
hypothesis of anthropogenic warming were true, rising temperatures in the 21st
century would
save millions of lives and
improve human health directly."
Download the article, with its charts and
graphs:
http://www.jpands.org/jpands1502.htm
A novel gets across ideas in a way no other medium
can
and they're fun -- breathtaking adventure and political analysis all in
one!
Get one, or get our whole set at a good discount.
http://www.gunlaws.com/books7novels.htm
::::
"The
case that saved the Second Amendment"I browsed through this again
recently and it's invigorating.
The arguments in support of our rights are
stupendous, and they're all here --
the Court's full decision with 400
call-out quotes, comments by scores of experts
on both the pro rights and
anti rights sides, and all 96 High Court gun cases summarized!
The Heller Case: Gun
Rights Affirmed!Get yours --
http://www.gunlaws.com/hc.htm
----::::----Please DO NOT
Donate To UsIf you want to donate to our efforts, just buy
our
goods from us;
http://www.gunlaws.com/books.htmBuy a batch and give them
to friends,
ask about cheap wholesale
pricing.
You get something, we get something, it's more
better.
Self-interest and capitalism --
The
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Completely free, totally cool --
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Plain-English
state gun-owner guides
-- know your laws, stay safe.
http://www.gunlaws.com/books.htm
Self
Defense
http://www.gunlaws.com/persafe.htm
Protecting Gun
Rights
http://www.gunlaws.com/books3.htm
Now carrying Page Nine!(Full-time or occasionally, this is a partial list)
CAN YOU LINK TO US?If you're like some folks who ask if
they can link to or forward my stuff, the answer is
YES! and I'm honored by such interest.
You can use the PageNine logo or any art from my site, with my thanks and
appreciation.
http://www.gunlaws.com/PageNineIndex.htmhttp://www.gunlaws.com
::::
9- Comments, Occupied Bias, Xmas Passed, CounterIntuitive
Man
================================
Comments help keep me going.
Alan.
================================
"There are two editions that go
into the Page 9 Hall of Fame. The report(s) on the DC v Heller case, and this
one! (
here, the "occupy" rally, #104) Your style of
subtle confrontation with these nitwits is spot on." -Garrett
H.
"Your summary of the 'occupy' rally made my day. Loved it." Tammy
S.
(Regarding media bias that shows in the typesetting of "occupy"
and The Tea Party): "That's too funny. I am now repeatedly noticing this in the
Yahoo! front page news. Norm."
Regarding the last Page Nine No.
105, from a frequent gadfly:
"Alan, Thanks for helping to drive mainstream
voters toward the Democratic candidates for 2012. I read a recent poll that
indicated mainstream Republicans approval of the Tea Party has dropped to 50%.
Unless I misread what you wrote below it looks like you're advocating a return
to racial segregation. It must be really tough on your readers having a negro
president who was elected by a majority of Americans. Just when they were
getting over black quarterbacks. If they enjoy being angry, they should be
thankful for this turn of events. I realize it's your job keeping them stirred
up. Keep up the good work. Bill"
[You're a piece of work Bill, and yes,
you did misread what I wrote. FWIW, your word "negro" s/b capitalized, but since
it's now considered racist and un-PC, it is only used by racists, and should not
be used at all. Technically the correct word would be
mulatto, but same problem with using real
words, per George Orwell.
[Regarding your math, Obama 2008 vote total =
66,862,039. Population = 305,000,000. Not "a majority of Americans" or even a
majority of voting-age Americans or even a majority of voters (roughly only 22%
of Americans elected the guy -- the "news" media didn't make that point, did
they?). Normal for our system, routine error on your part. You misrepresent
"informed" as "stirred up," leaving me surprised you didn't say "upitty." Did
you find anything inaccurate, or just enjoying blowing off steam. Alan.]
Read.
Learn. Grow.
::::
BIAS OCCUPIES THE "NEWS" MEDIA
The final shoe
drops in part 4 below... priceless.
PART ONE:
To: Sharon Cohen, Associated Press (and selected media friends)
Subject:
Crackdowns by police at camps raise concerns
Ms.
Cohen,
Wonderful article about the First Amendment rights at play in the
demonstrations at Wall Street and around the country. Fair, even handed, good
quotes from experts, explored the issue well.
Use of phrases like this
are problematic, however: "...on behalf of Occupy activists..."
Since
the AP prefers to refer to the "tea party" in its coverage (in quotes), for
consistency, and to avoid an appearance of favoritism or supporting one group
over another, the "occupy" movement should always appear in quotes as well, for
the slight disparaging effect the quotes bring.
Like the tea party, the
occupiers are not an official party, or a proper noun, or anything that would
justify capitalization in that use. The inconsistent use of capitals along with
the belittling quote marks conveys a bias you should vigorously seek to avoid,
but which the public has unfortunately come to expect.
The alternative
is to always refer to The Tea Party, but that would give this much larger,
longer-standing and law-abiding group an imprimatur of significance, which AP
has chosen instead to bestow upon the rowdy, unsanitary and arrest-prone
"occupy" people. The public has noticed the disparity in coverage, and it
contributes to the lack of confidence the media has been enduring
lately.
Just on grammatical grounds, a change, and even a public
acknowledgment of the change, is appropriate.
May I expect the courtesy
of a reply? Alan.
PART TWO:
"Mr. Korwin: Thanks for your note. Our Standards Center at our NY
headquarters will be sending you a note answering your question. Best, Sharon
Cohen, National Writer"
From: David Minthorn Associated Press
CC: AP
Standards , "Cohen, Sharon" ,
Subject: RE: Crackdowns by police at camps raise concerns
Dear Mr.
Korwin,
Your query about Sharon Cohen's story was relayed to me for a
response.
AP has been capitalizing Occupy so far to refer to various
local protests. The shorthand term comes out of the official name of a specific
demonstration, Occupy Wall Street. Many protests focus on local themes while
sharing the name, including Occupy Memphis, Occupy LA and other
groups.
This is consistent with how AP handled the Million-Man March and
Glenn Beck's “Restoring Honor” demonstration in Washington.
After two
months of protests, and police actions of recent days, it's uncertain whether
Occupy in its various manifestations will endure as a lasting movement. So we're
inclined to stick with the shorthand term for the time being.
AP's
lowercase spelling of tea party, the political movement, is in line with our
spellings of other political philosophies like conservatives and liberals. They
share ideas but aren't formed as national parties, like the Republicans and the
Democrats.
Where tea party groups are formally organized, AP capitalizes the
local name. One example from AP's coverage of the Memphis
situation:
Pope and fellow Occupy Memphis protester Tristan Tran had a
lively, sometimes strained and confrontational, but mostly civil discussion with
members of the Mid-South Tea Party at a municipal meeting hall outside
Memphis.
The AP Stylebook guidance:
tea party Populist movement
in the United States that opposes the Washington political establishment and
espouses conservative and libertarian philosophy, including reduced government
spending, lower taxes and reduction of the national debt and the federal budget
deficit. Adherents are tea partyers. Formally named groups in the movement are
capitalized: Tea Party Express.
Sincerely, David Minthorn, Deputy
Standards Editor, The Associated Press
PART THREE:Mr.
Minthorn's rambling excuse, illogic, rationalization, justifications and
supplications (carefully selected adjectives) ring hollow. Just like the ones
from the local state paper here in my home state, when they were also
asked:
Have you noticed that the media capitalizes the phrase "Occupy
Wall Street"
in every use, but places the "tea party" in lower case and quote
marks
all the time? Does this mean the "occupy" people are real
and the
"tea party" people are just a temporary distraction?
Or is it a subtle and
effective way to marginalize The Tea Party,
and promote the "occupy" people
as hard as possible?
Columnist replies:
"Good point,
though I don't suspect any conspiracy to marginalize one group while promoting
the other. More likely, it's just an inconsistency that hasn't been considered
or has been considered but the explanation hasn't been publicly disseminated.
I seem to recall that the tea party thing was an issue because there wasn't one
overarching organization (ie: The Tea Party) but rather, it was a series of
unconnected groups. I'll forward along your question to the head of our style
committee."
[That struck me as a rather baseless effort to rationalize
away the obvious -- 'unconnected groups'? What does that make the
occupiers?
[It gets more weird from the copy editor, who
"imagines" what it must be]:
"Hello, Alan,
"Thank you for your
question regarding the styles for "tea party" and Occupy Wall Street. It's a
good one. I can't speak for the entire industry, but you've probably noticed
similar styles in other publications, and I imagine their thought process was
similar to ours. It comes down to the word "party." Since the "tea party" is a
grass-roots movement, not an official political party, we lowercase it to make
that distinction clear. If the Occupy Wall Street movement instead chose the
moniker the "occupy party," we would handle it the same way -- lowercase, with
quote marks, to distinguish it from an official political party. Sincerely, Chad
Snow, news copy desk manager"
Well naturally I replied
(below, but that's the last I heard from him):
While what you "imagine"
may or may not be true Chad, the usage has the net effect of glorifying the
"occupy" people, while denigrating The Tea Party. Half the nation firmly
believes the media plays favorites and behaves this way all the time, and as you
know, the media's credibility is in disrepair. This sort of language exacerbates
the problem.
The Tea Party has assembled upwards of half a million people
on a single occasion, and many millions nationwide on given days, while the
"occupy" people are essentially a rag tag youthful bunch without clear goals and
social skills that leave some observers aghast. At the huge Tea Party gathering
in Washington D.C., not a single arrest occurred, while the "occupiers" have had
2,400 arrests in their very short existence, according to one accounting, and
have trashed, vandalized, graffitied, defecated, fought and cursed their way
into notoriety.
I say this only to demonstrate to you a different way of
writing their names, not to suggest that one group is a massive uprising that
changed the face of Congress without being a "party" as you point out, and that
the other, a darling of the left if the left-leaning bloggers (or language
usage) is any measure, receives, let's at least say, Different treatment by the
mainstream media, often accused of being well left-of-center in its coverage and
predilections.
Those predilections, sometimes called biases or spin, show
clearly, if you wish to look, in coverage of such subjects as: gun rights (my
specialty, where I would mildly characterize it as consistently outrageous),
religion (apparently a harmful pursuit of the intellectually challenged),
taxation (overwhelmingly from the statist perspective of government losing money
as perceived by tax recipients, rarely from the view of taxpayers keeping more
of their own money), abortion, global warming (now
climate change, to cover all bases and deflect
criticism), illegal immigration (
migrantion in media parlance), diversity and
multiculturalism (a firmly adopted media standard, but did you notice what
Angela Merkel said about it last year, or what a huge portion of the country
sees it as?), islamist jihadis waging war on Western civilization
(euphemistically deemed
terrorists) and
more.
You can find hundreds of individual events analyzed here:
http://www.gunlaws.com/PageNineIndex.htm, or better yet, media
so-called bias examined in egregious cases here:
http://www.gunlaws.com/NewsAccuracy.htmThe paper
doesn't have an ombudsman (or at least one that's visible) and your reading
public knows it. If you had one, it would attract readership, and have positive
impact on your credibility, and maybe even circulation. Try it?
Alan
Korwin, The Uninvited Ombudsman, 25-Year Member, SPJ
A
friendly reporter tries to get around it this way:
"The differing
treatment is a result of AP style, which is the guiding reference for most
English-language newspapers. My initial inclination is to think that you are
right -- the two should be consistent. But I'd like to withhold judgment until I
can learn why the gurus at AP came up with this. I'll ask our style team
tomorrow. In the meantime, here are some possibilities:
--
Liberal-pinko-Trilateralist-Free Masons in the media who control AP style want
to elevate the Wall Street gang above the tea party crowd because, in their
minds, it's just better. [Note: his sarcasm fails to hide the underlying truth
of this statement, if you overlook the preposterous conspiracy elements thrown
in for laughs. -Alan.]
-- There are hundreds of tea party
organizations, each of which has its title capitalized (i.e., Gilbert Tea Party,
Mohave County Tea Party, etc.). But there is only one Occupy Wall Street group.
(And one Occupy Seattle group, and one Occupy Phoenix group, etc.)
--
If the word "occupy" is lower case in front of "Wall Street," which is always
upper case, it looks weird and might create uncertain meaning for readers. For
instance, the following is awkward because it is not immediately clear whether
you are talking about the movement: "Police encircled the occupy Wall Street
crowd and ordered participants to leave." By contrast, there is no similar
uncertainty when the words "tea party" appear together.
"I don't
entirely buy any of the above explanations, but that's no surprise because I
find myself in disagreement with AP style quite often, mostly on issues having
nothing to do with politics.
"If I hear of an explanation that seems
valid, I'll pass it on."
Another local reporter, who has a
brain, made this remark:
"These libtards also capitalize Black when
referring to race while leaving white in lower case. They're simply so
libtarded, they see nothing wrong with what they do." -Linda
B.
An out of town reporter had this to say:
"I would
like to address another issue: unfortunately, your bias is clear when you refer
to the 'rowdy, unsanitary and arrest-prone 'occupy' people.' Certainly, some
unsavory elements camped out with the Occupy activists, but to label them the
way you have is narrow-minded." [It's narrow minded, or an inability to detect
sarcasm when used to make a point. Which of the adjectives inaccurately portrays
the main thread of the movement? -Alan]
PART FOUR -- THE GOOD PARTWhy would I
go through all this, and how many of you have followed me up to this point?
Here's the reward:
As early as Nov. 29, in a story by Geoff Mulvihill of
the Associated Press, and Gannett's #2 paper
The Arizona Republic began placing "occupy" in
quote marks, to match the treatment afforded The Tea Party. Capitalization is
being handled in a uniform way as well, removing the appearance of bias that
infused these stories earlier. No formal announcement was made. No
acknowledgment of The Uninvited Ombudsman's role was noted, and there may have
been none. The public likely has not perceived much of a difference. And The
Uninvited Ombudsman can take no direct credit or knowing satisfaction, but it do
feel good, don't it.
It's a small point, but proof of
principle.
::::
"Note
A" -- Too late for
ChristmasAnonymously received over the web --
Christmas
2011 -- Birth of a New Tradition
Edited
As the holidays approach, the
giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with
monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods -- produced at the expense of American
labor.
Who says a gift needs to fit in a shirt box, wrapped in
communist-Chinese-produced wrapping paper? How about gift certificates from your
local American hair salon or barber? Gym membership? It's appropriate for all
ages who are thinking about health. Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car
detailed? Small, American-owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell
you a book of gift certificates.
There are a bazillion owner-run
restaurants -- all offering gift certificates. And, if your intended isn't the
fancy-eatery sort, what about a half-dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast
joint. Folks, this isn't about big national chains -- this is about supporting
your hometown Americans with their financial lives on the line. How many people
couldn't use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle, done at a shop
run by the American working guy?
Want a heartfelt gift for Mom? Mom would
LOVE the services of a local cleaning person for a day. My computer could use a
tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy who is struggling to get his
repair business up and running. How about going out to see a play or ballet at
your hometown theater. Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local
bands.
You see, Christmas should not be about draining American pockets
so that communist China can build another glittering city. Christmas is about
caring about each other, encouraging Americans to keep plugging away to follow
their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our
communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn't imagine. THIS
is the new American Christmas tradition.
Is it?
End of "Note
A"
::::
CounterIntuitive Man Is Back!
And he says
--
I think my search engine is snowing me!
My last search found
“10,800,000 results in 0.07 seconds”!
There aren't 10 million answers to the
question I asked!
Finding that many that fast doesn't pass the sniff
test!
Most important, there's no way to check out the supposed
answers!
How can I look at even the nine-millionth answer -- I can't!
And
they know that. They know that.
I might get to the 36,000th, if I break my
hand mousing!
What else am I being snowed on?!----::::----Q: How do we make money?
A:
Answer
Alan Korwin
Bloomfield Press
"We publish the gun laws."
4848 E.
Cactus, #505-440
Scottsdale, AZ 85254
602-996-4020 Phone
602-494-0679
Fax
1-800-707-4020 Orders
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than he who did nothing
because he
could do only a little." --Edmund Burke
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