Monday, December 07, 2020

Rope-Selling Capitalists

One of the links in today's "Stop the Steal" post takes you to a video about $400M paid to Dominion by China that contained a bit of information that was like a blast from the past for me. 

In bed with the Chicoms is the "private equity firm" The Carlyle Group, "access capitalists" trading on government connections to buy out businesses and strip their carcasses and line their pockets in the process. We're talking guys like co-founder/co-executive chair David Rubenstein, who among other things is chairman of the CFR.

I saw firsthand the effects of their practices when I was working for Magnavox Electronic Systems Company's California holding producing policies, procedures, and operations media for administrative, engineering, production, and quality departments in its defense contracting and commercial business segments. The whole shebang was owned by the Dutch (Philips North American). Carlyle came in and bought the place out and sold it two years later for over twice what they paid for it.

By the time new owner Hughes sold it to Raytheon (for the technology, not the people), I was one of the last 14 people closing the place down -- a location that had consisted of over 3,000 employees and a four-building campus when I first started working there in 1981 (I told the story of my sad task of disposing of the technical library several years back:

I had no choice but to throw much out. And because I did not even understand much of what I was destroying, I felt guilty, deeply ashamed, like a stupid Eloi allowing the knowledge of the ages to crumble into dust, or worse, one of the torchers at Alexandria...

That was nothing compared to the lives disrupted, people who had worked there for decades and who were attached in so many ways besides economic. And in fairness, I also have to mention that management was largely comprised of short-sighted dolts (with a few notable exceptions). These guys were ground floor GPS and they blew it.

This, of course, doesn't mean I'm suddenly going all weepy Luddite and socialist, just that when we're talking insiders with this degree of connection with those in domestic and international politics, we're hardly talking pure capitalism, but something more along the lines of economic fascism. This leads to the heart of The Swamp, and here we find their country be damned as long as the Chicoms make it profitable.

I went looking through some of my old boxes to see if I still had a graphic I manually put together, back in the days before Photoshop, to the amusement of some of my colleagues, that would have certainly gotten me fired had one of the humorless higher-ups seen it.


UPDATE: Figures Glenn Youngkin was leading the Big Club.

We're the Only Ones Quick-Acting Enough

 Prosecutors say those quick actions by the parents and dispatchers helped officers arrest Derosett [Watch]

Kudos to the callers. And how about those "quick actions" by the teacher releasing the hounds, and those quick actions by the "man doing repair work" who chased the reptile down and detained him?

Sounds like our "community heroes" had the easy part...

Tiger Despots

House passes ‘Tiger King’ bill to ban private ownership of big cats [More]

It's nice to finally see them legislating at the federal level the way the Founders intended.

Debacle on 34th Street

 'Nope': Boy reduced to tears after anti-gun Santa turns down request for toy Nerf gun [More]

My first reaction would have been to loudly tell everyone within earshot this wasn't the real Santa but a fake.

[Via Mack H]

They Had Me Going Right Up to the Point Where...

The Second Amendment Foundation has filed a motion with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, seeking an injunction against a section of California’s penal code that prohibits young adults, ages 18-20 from purchasing or acquiring firearms... [More]

It argues extensively for the militia.

That's good.

What I don't get is why it then goes out of its way to legitimize infringements outside of outright prohibition (p. 26): 

These types of state militia regulations might conceivably provide historical support for general firearm safety regulations—such as California’s requirements, not challenged here, that all firearm owners or purchasers (including those aged 18-to-20) obtain a Firearms Safety Certificate or purchase safety devices such as trigger locks or guns safes, CAL. PENAL CODE §§ 23635, 26840, 31615.
If "not challenged here" why volunteer that? What do "we" get in return? It's not necessary to add in order to seal the argument, it cedes incremental disarmament steps to the gun-grabbers and it misses a wider point. 

I've had this out before with some legal types ostensibly on "our" side who, like the state, maintain militia requirements do not preclude registration. None of them take into account that there is a world of difference between enforcing disciplines with a mustered militia under orders and acting as a cohesive unit and imposing restrictions on citizens outside of that duty. It's the militia that is "well regulated."

Even I understand what "shall not be infringed" means, and I'm not a "Second Amendment attorney."

Change my mind.

Racist Gets What's Coming To Him

Michigan Trump Supporter’s Home Firebombed [More]

That's what the white supremacist gets for being the greatest terror threat.

Right?

BOLO for...?

 Police describe the subject as approximately 6′ tall and between 17-25 years old. He was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and jeans at the time of the attempted robbery. [More]

Well, that's helpful.

What's that tell us, when not wanting to "offend" self-serving loudmouths trumps public safety?

We're the Only Ones Staggering Enough

 In “Staggering” Conspiracy, Former Police Chief, Prosecutor, and Police Officers Sentenced for Framing an Innocent Man with a Crime [More]

Kind'a explains why they don't want you armed over there...

We're the Only Ones Homey Enough

An Ohio Sheriff's Deputy Fatally Shot A 23-Year-Old Black Man Outside His Home [More]

Back when he was AG, I tried telling Dewine such things were bound to happen and he didn't want to hear it. I wonder if they'll release camera footage this time...

[Via Michael G]

The Answer No One Wants to Hear

 Police defunded Minneapolis: Carjackings up 537%, violent crimes exploding as push continues to get rid of cops [More]

It's not the police that need funding.

[Via bondmen]

Line of Succession?

 Donald Trump Jr. at the helm of the NRA? Everytown is frightened at the idea [More]

He says "No."

Me, I'm not all that impressed with his real 2A creds beyond the self-serving -- but I'm willing to be.

[Via bondmen]

No Competition

Gun Violence Has Killed 23 Times More Chicago Youth Than COVID [More]

Looks like St. Louis is gonna have to try harder.

Somebody needs to tell Zero Hedge using the enemy's terms plays into the enemy's hands.

[Via bondmen]

Quis Custodiet ipsos Custodes?

Former school security guard charged with sodomy and rape dating back to the 90s [More]

Kind'a adds new meaning to  "school resource officer"...

[Via bondmen]

Where There's a Will

“I don’t understand how they’re getting in..." [More]

Malcolm explains.

Good luck "controlling" guns on the outside.

[Via bondmen]

A Model Refugee

 Germany: Muslim Migrant Hailed as ‘Model Refugee’ Murders Handicapped Man [More]

As late TV pitchman, Billy Mays used to say, "But wait. There's more!"

Not that I'm glad I read it...

[Via Michael G]

My Kind of Razzmatazz

Chicago weekend gun violence leaves 40 shot, 6 fatally across city [More]

Haven't they snuffed out John R-i-g-g-i-o yet?

Forget it, Jake. It's Chi-Town.

[Via Wynn A

Start Out with a Lie and Go from There

 It was just one of several recent gun safety developments in which the gun industry and NRA rhetoric of "protecting Second Amendment rights" for "law-abiding gun owners" — for "good guys with a gun" to "stop a bad guy with a gun" — is diametrically opposed to the facts of the case. [More]

No, it didn't. The case had nothing to do with a lawful DGU. 

His whole premise is a non sequitur.

Then again, this is Salon...

They would rather see all these people dead than armed, preferably killed with guns so they could have more blood to dance in.

[Via DDS]

Losing is Everything

 I write this as my six-year term as a college head men’s basketball coach comes to a close. Two winning seasons, followed by four losing seasons, mark the end of my tenure at Saint Michael’s College and possibly my complex relationship with a profession that I did not fit into. [More]

Who better to dispense advice than an admitted professional incompetent?

Not only can they p*** fans off, but they can also get slaughtered in the bargain! Now there's a surefire attendance booster combo to pay for all those "scholarships"!

[Via Michael G]

Take Their Best Shot?




Humphrie the carni-pig says "No, thank you. Test it on someone else."

Then again, Humphrie doesn't have to maintain a job, go shopping for necessities...

[Via Don J]

For the Children

 Schumer was asked by a reporter Tuesday: "Joe Biden said that on his first day of office, he will give transgender students access to sports, bathrooms and locker rooms in accordance with their gender identity in federally funded schools. Do you think he has the ability to do this and do you agree with his decision?" Schumer responded, "I agree with the decision and I know he'll check things out thoroughly, legally." [More]

What kind of hater would be against brainwashing, coercing, and bullying minor compulsory "education" hostages into participating?

We're the Only Ones Gunwalking Enough

After interviewing Cruz, ATF agents discovered he was padding honest customer’s 4473s with firearms they didn’t purchase. Then, he would sell those extra guns out the back door to individuals to “protect himself,” according to his statement during the sentencing hearing on Monday. [More]
Learned from the "best" but not high enough on the food chain to completely get away with it like they all did -- although it's fair to ask why he's only getting four years when we have seen patriots get their lives destroyed for the "crime" of living like "shall not be infringed" means just that.

It's also fair to ask how many citizens this blubbering-for-"consideration" animal "helped" set up on gun charges in his 22+ years of oath-breaking thuggery -- and how many of his victims didn't get grace periods to turn themselves in.

We're the Only Ones Unqualified Enough

Ninth Circuit: LAPD Officer Can Be Sued for Destroying Gun Collection [More]

Funny how that works when the plaintiff is an ex-"Only One," but non-"community heroes are out of luck after being executed in wrong house raids.

I wonder how many guns confiscated by the "former officer" have been destroyed.

[Via Jess]

Today's 'Stop the Steal' Compendium

 WTH? Senator Perdue Trashes Trump the Day Before He’s Coming to Campaign for Him in Georgia– Says Biden will be Easy to Work With!!? [More]

Way to demotivate! What is this guy, stupid?

And what kind of return love are we seeing from Loeffler? Are they really falling for the "moderate" line that they need to distance themselves from what the DSM calculatedly calls "false conspiracy theories"?

They ought to co-author a book and call it How to Throw Title Fights, with a foreword by Mitt Romney.

Here are some more related stories that merit our attention, to be added to throughout the day as new, nonrepetitive tips are received. As always, test the claims as best you can:

[Via Laocoön, Peter B,  Jess Agustin B TM, Michael G, Dan Schultz

Speaking of Crushing Your Enemies...

 

They seem moderate and generous in presumed victory.

Fight for It

 T.L. Davis shares his thoughts on the Second Amendment. [More]

As the Culture Terraforms

Federal Judge Orders Trump Administration to Open DACA to New Applicants [More]
Let the Harris administration take over and it'll be full speed ahead at fulfilling the LP dream policy!

Fortunately for us, that obviously has nothing to do with that "single issue"!

[Via Michael G]

I See She Respects the 1st as Much as She Does the 2nd

 “It could make our campuses less safe by blocking a university’s ability to regulate speech and that could potentially incite violence,” House Rep. Catherine Ingram said in a statement on the Democratic caucus’ blog. [More]

In other words, her constituents will attack you if you don't chant Marxist slogans and fist pump, which helps explain why she doesn't want you to be able to defend yourself

[Via Michael G]

A Personal December 7 Day of Remembrance


My father, John Codrea, turned 21 on Pearl Harbor Day. He joined the Marines and served on Guam. Dad died in 2012 and was interred at Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery.