An Update On The Washington D.C. Handgun Ban Cases

There are two cases under consideration by the Supreme Court, District of Columbia v. Heller (07-290) and Parker v. District of Columbia (07-335). We can expect that on November 9 the court will determine whether or not they will grant review. That determination will be published on Tuesday November 13. If the court grants review the case or cases will be heard around February or March 2008. A decision one way or another could settle America’s gun control debate for the future. Either Americans have a right to keep and bear arms or they don’t. My Money is on freedom and liberty.

How America’s Bolsheviks wrecked home ownership.

The extreme Left Wing politicians who call themselves Democrats never met a tax they did not like. Nor did these tax and spend advocates like any income tax deductions. In the runaway tax train they created was the elimination of the ability of Americans to write loan interest off of their income tax. Interest on home loans was and is still deductible.

Americans began to borrow money in creative ways that tied personal, credit card and even car loans to their mortgages. The downside risk with these loans is the real possibility of forced foreclosure on borrower’s homes. Credit card debt and car loans were never tied to mortgages until the Bolsheviks made this change. Now debtors lose their homes when they default on the loans that really have nothing to do with their mortgages.

Losing a job, catastrophic illness or simple bad money management not only brings an end to home ownership, but also eliminates any future tax advantages conveyed to homeowners. This way the poor get poorer and we all know that the poor vote for Democrats!

Firearm Marketing And Gun Haters

There is a strange fact about firearms the experts just don’t understand. There has not been a single major advance since the cased cartridge and smokeless powder was invented. The state of the art handgun is the venerable Colt. 1911 .45 ACP. It’s a century old now! The same is true for rifles and machineguns. The long dead designers John Browning and Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim small arms have never been surpassed in effectiveness. The promised Buck Rodgers Ray Guns have never come along to replace the simplest of handguns.

Modern times have brought slightly improved ergonomics and cosmetic changes. Ammunition has been repackaged with names like Black Talon, Silver Tip and sold with lots of “magic bullet” hype. Today there are laser sights, night sights and various optical sights and none have allowed an poorly trained or undisciplined shooter to be more dangerous. Quality optical sights are also a century old.
Our gun hating advocates and their politicians react to every marketing gimmick and scam firearm and ammunition companies have produced. They cite the exaggerated claims of the makers in an effort to bring more bans. The marketing folks know that as the gun haters scream about the products sales always ride the campaign. Free advertising beats paid advertising any day.

The Politics of California’s Firestorm

Dry conditions and the Santa Anna winds are a constant in Southern California. So are the politicians who thrive on increasing the tax base with more development and the power that onerous taxation brings. The more homes built means the Kingdom grows along with the ambitions of the powerbrokers. It’s an old and invariable story about how power corrupts.

Wildfires are a natural occurrence. Add humans to this mix and soon the non-natural act of arson is an absolute. Developers and their owned politicians also brought in the arsonists. Splash in a dash the latest real estate crisis where lenders loaned billions to those who were unable to repay. Arson is a convenient way to get out from under a mortgage as long as the arsonist evades discovery. Dry conditions, high winds, hard financial times and arsonists will always produce the conditions for the perfect firestorm.

If there is a moral to this story avoid building or buying your home where there are fires, floods, hurricanes, tornados and earthquakes. If you don’t mind the risk of building or buying in these areas please don’t hold your hand out for money from the rest of us. Please avoid spreading that kind of insurance risk with the folks who live in places where these kinds of disasters are very rare.

Home-Schooling Teacher Accused Of Having A Boy Toy

Van Nuys, CA—40 year old Meredith Johnson Vincent is accused with sodomy and oral copulation of a person under 16, unlawful sexual intercourse and sending harmful matter.

The "victim" is alleged to be an un-named, very lucky 14 year-old boy who claims to have been tutored in more than just the three-R’s by a delightful looking woman.

I have a serious problem with any 14 year-old boy who feels the need to cooperate with police and prosecutors in going after this woman even if she did the acts for which she is charged. My natural inclination is to disbelieve such an allegation because any normal red-blooded American boy would be proud to get those kinds of lessons and keep his mouth shut.

This story has a serious odor to it. I hope they never find a jury that will convict this woman of anything. This is just another big waste of money. If Vincent did what she’s accused of, so what? There is no victim other then hard working California taxpayers forced to pay for this silly prosecution.

Today Ms. Vincent if free pending trial on more than a half-million dollar bail bond. She faces decades behind bars should she be convicted.

For the record I’d be more than happy to take on this lady’s criminal defense investigation.

Newspaper Publishers Arrested For Story About Grand Jury Subpoenas

Phoenix New Times Executives, Michael Lacey and Jim Larkin were arrested last night in their homes by members of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s threat assessment team over their published article.

At the heart of this arrest is a decade old Arizona law that makes it a crime to publish the home address of a peace officer or certain other public officials on the Internet. The law has never been challenged and may well be in conflict with the First Amendment to our Constitution. That same protection applies to nobody else and may in itself violate the 14th Amendment with respect to equal protection. Because home addresses are often public records they can be found on the Internet and certainly in the files of many government agencies.

The Phoenix New Times published copies of the secret Grand Jury Subpoenas served upon them and informed their readers that the subpoenas invaded their privacy by demanding information that would reveal other sites they visit before and after the New Times.

The self-proclaimed, “America’s Toughest Sheriff”, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio is at the heart of this case because of a large number of articles critical of his administration. The New Times also published Arpaio’s home address. That’s the same address listed on public nominating petitions he’s required to make public each time he runs for office. Of course the address is in plain view of the thousands of voters that must sign the petitions.

Both Lacy and Larkin were released from the Maricopa County Jail after posting bail on the misdemeanor counts. A throng pf reporters greeted the two newspaper men as they left America’s Toughest Jail.

You are about to see a giant litigation slugfest unfold. The Players are two lightening rods of Arizona law enforcement, County Prosecutor, Andrew Thomas and Sheriff Arpaio along with two Arizona newspaper publishers. Stand by while we soon learn if the First Amendment still exists in Arizona! My money is on Freedom of The Press.

UPDATE: Today a red-faced County Attorney, Andrew Thomas announced an end to the investigation and prosecution of the New Times, Lacy and Larkin. Thomas cited numerous mistakes as his reason to drop all charges in this matter. Phoenix lawyer, Dennis Wilenchik of Wilenchik & Bartness PC has been acting as a special prosecutor on behalf of Thomas’ office. As of today that relationship has been terminated along with the Grand Jury investigation that was instigated.

Award Winning TV Reporter Suspended Over Story

Dallas—KDFW-TV reporter Rebecca Aguilar had a unique story to flesh out on her beat for the Fox affiliate. It seems that twice in just three weeks 70-year-old James Walton, owner of Able Walton Machine & Welding in West Dallas has killed a burglar. Just as Walton was putting a brand new Remington riot shotgun is his car Aguilar caught up with him to do an interview. Apparently this was an ambush style interview of a distraught elderly man who has been let down by law enforcement’s failure to protect him and his property.

I’m clearly on the side of Mr. Walton who I’m so glad to see alive after two encounters with dangerous criminals. However I can’t find wrongdoing on Aguilar’s part.

The best part of this story is that two young criminals will no longer be out victimizing anyone ever again. I can only hope this story sends a clear message to other criminals that they should ply their trade in places like Washington, D.C., L.A., Chicago or New York where criminals are protected by gun bans that keep law-abiding folks defenseless and totally vulnerable.

This is a great story the public needs to know about. I’ve known Aguilar for years from her days in Phoenix at KPNX-TV. The suspension is an over-reaction. The real truth here is that without government interference even senior citizens can refuse victimization by thugs. Give that man a medal!

Clark County DA Wasting Tax Dollars On O.J. Simpson Prosecution.

Las Vegas—A bunch of thugs had a get-together at the Place Station Hotel. Felons, dealers in stolen property along with former double-murder suspect O.J. Simpson all find themselves in great company of their true peers. There is not one sympathetic figure involved in this mess. Secret recordings were made and sold for serious cash. The best part of this story has yet to be told!

It will all boil down to which thugs will the jury believe. So far two snitches have emerged telling prosecutors what they want to hear in exchange for sweetheart plea deals. This is truly a case of making deals with the devil in an effort to knight one prosecutor as the one who got O.J. Simpson.

This won’t be a trial but an unprecedented circus. Trying this case will make a total mockery of our criminal justice system.

Perhaps they can put all of these clowns in a gala gladiator battle until only one thug is left standing. Don King could promote this with worldwide pay-per-view! Hundreds of thousands would converge on Sin City dropping lots of cash into the coffers of the brothels, cab companies and even the shoeshine boys. The record-breaking profits from the sports books would be nothing short of staggering.

Our Drug War Is Nothing More Than Foreign Aid And An American Jobs Program

We all know we can’t keep recreational drugs out of our country any better then we keep them out of our jails and prisons. Aggressive drug enforcement only drives the prices and profits even higher. The economies of many third world countries depend on drug trade because their people can’t or won’t learn new ways of trade and commerce.

We could instantly punish everyone involved in the drug trade simply by legalization of the poisons that can be just as deadly as the liquids we store under or kitchen sinks. Legalization would instantly reduce the cost of these intoxicants to the price of tea and sugar. The addicts will continue to put this garbage into their bodies and new addicts are born every day. This behavior can’t be stopped or even slowed down.

Is the real reason for the Drug War a hidden form of Foreign Aid? We’ve made a huge industry on both sides of the Drug War that would leave millions of America’s residents unemployed or underemployed by legalization. The benefit of the Drug War is pure profit to all but the taxpayers.

The American Drug War is nothing more than a huge fraud victimizing the very ignorant American public.

Another Musical Retro-Journey

When you reach my age the reality is that there are more good days behind you than in front of you. The year I want to visit is 1969 when I had a month to spend in Chicago on my Army furlough from Germany. I was old enough to go to that upscale Chicago singles bar, Butch McGuire’s on Division Street. The girls were beyond heavenly and the music rocked.

On the jukebox was some great music from that year I will share with you. Yes, I’m in a time warp trying so desperately to recapture my youth. You will recognize this great Laura Nyro song sung by Marilyn McCoo and the 5th Dimention!

What’s Next For A Fugitive Recaptured After 35 Years?

Pulaski, Tenn—38 years ago Linda Darby, then just 27 years-old apparently murdered her husband. She was sentenced to life in prison for her crime.

Fate had another plan for Darby when she jumped at an opportunity for freedom by
scaling a barbed-wire fence at the Indiana Women's Prison in Indianapolis in March 1972. The manhunt for the fugitive came up empty handed for no less then 35 years.

New computer technology was put to use as the Indiana Department of Corrections began a new Fugitive Apprehension Unit provided the resources to find Darby quietly living a law-abiding life under the name, Linda Joe McElroy in Tennessee.

Darby spent more than half of her life looking over her shoulder while reliving the event that suddenly changed her life forever.

As for the crime of killing a spouse we all know there is nobody on earth more capable of evoking emotion or pushing our buttons more than a spouse.

Darby was convicted in a Lake County, Indiana court of shooting her husband in their Hammond home. Additionally a kerosene fire was started. Darby has steadfastly said she was innocent. We all know that the state of forensic examination was anything but terrific in the early 1970’s when a jury convicted her.

You can say she beat the system to be living free all these years. I don’t think living the life of the fictional character Jean Valjean was not a huge price to pay for this crime.

Long time neighbors and local cops were shocked to learn of Darby’s status as a fugitive and convicted murderer.

Okay, I’ve grown soft in my old age and would love to see this woman’s sentence commuted if for no other reason then her serving nearly three years behind bars and her obvious rehabilitation.

Here are some “facts” about Linda Darby’s murder conviction:
1. Linda and Charles Darby were estranged at the time of the killing.
2. Charles was hit with a shotgun blast, wrapped in garment bags and set on fire.
3. On the night of the killing Linda Darby stayed in a Valparasio motel where police found a similar shotgun hidden behind a nearby soda machine.
4. Gas station attendant claimed to have sold Linda Darby Gasoline that night.
5. Darby’s 9 year-old daughter, Terri Dixon claimed that her mother warned her about talking with police.
6. The couple had financial problems that led to the break-up.
7. There was no surveillance video, DNA evidence or witnesses to the killing.

A truly fine Act By An American Military Veteran In The Land Of Sen. Harry Reid

Here is a story I would have overlooked but for my friend at Rue St. Michael. Sometimes Americans must take the law into their own hands. This hero braved possible arrest on charges of Criminal Damage To Property and Theft in order to send a strong message. I salute this hero for his loyalty to the United States of America.