I live in the ghetto and I know the stats but have put off purchasing a firearm because of money and, well- as lame as an excuse as it is- time.

Today a guy impersonating a security salesman came to my door asking questions and telling me his company was working with the police to give us free security systems because of the recent crime wave in the area (it’s not more than usual).

After thinking things over I called the non-emergency line to the police and told them what happened. I was informed this guy is not working with the police and the company he claimed to represent was bought out a couple years ago and goes by another name. The officer also said I should have called 911 on the spot and if he comes back around, to do so.

We hear it all the time, but hear it again: Do NOT wait until something bad happens before you decide to protect your home. Get that firearm now while you have the luxury of feeling secure.

As for me, your prayers are appreciated tonight. And I have a very large shovel by my bed.

You can edit it again and turn it in as a final draft as soon as you can (but there will be no more time in class.)

Common things to check for:

• words that spell check misses (correct spelling of the wrong word)
• grammar
• missing words

I will accept any late work from the Cannery Row unit up until Friday April 19, unless you and I have a specific conversation otherwise. (Persuasive Essays anyone?) Of this late work the only one that will be docked points for being late is the Final Draft of your novella, -10 points for being late.

Email your work to me:

mslorenzglencoe2013@gmail.com

Subject: Your Name, Assignment

I just got an email from a fellow in Kalifornia in search of a concealed firearm permit from my wonderful state of Utah.  Thanks!  For those that are interested, I live in the Salt Lake City area and I am a Concealed Firearm Permit Instructor for the state of Utah.  Our permit is recognized in 32 other states because every single day our entire database of permit holders is ran against the FBI’s NICs check system for wants/warrants.

I charge $50 for the class if you are near to Utah or if it is taught in my home.

I charge $75 if you are more than 30 minutes away and I come to you.

I charge $80 if it’s “I have 4 hours TONIGHT RIGHT NOW and I want you to teach me, so be here ASAP.” and if you live within close proximity to myself or if it is taught in my home.

I charge $100 if you are outside of that radius and want it immediately.

If you schedule it ahead of time and are within an hour, I will gladly drive to your home for the class or teach the class in my home.  The charge is $50 or $75 depending on proximity to me (see above).

Please email me if you have any questions.

If you will be attending Boomershoot, email me and we can set something up there.

Since gun ownership is a right defined by the Constitution, the more analogous argument would be in requiring a state and or federal license to speak publically. Since words are so often used to bully people and that bullying directly results in emotional and physical harm up to and including suicide, before someone is allowed to exercise their “right to free speech,” they should be required to take a four hour word safety course and obtain a license from their state indicating that they understand how harmful words can be. Perhaps we should also extend the licensing requirement to the right to vote, since elections, too, have real world consequences. In order to exercise your vote as a citizen, you should be required to show identification and pass an exam showing a minimum proficiency and understanding of the issues of the day. Since we’re free to abridge one constitutionally protected right, there’s no reason we shouldn’t be equally free to abridge the others in order to make the world a safer, more harmonious place.

As much as I hate to say it, for me it’s not a pro-gun/anti-gun position that’s the real issue here. I would be every bit as apoplectic if the state and federal government were trying to restrict the other right that I enjoy as a free citizen of the United States of America. The right to keep and bear arms is just the one that the powers that be have decided to come after first. I’m a good enough student of history to know that once one right falls, the others are all the more endangered. I don’t think I’ll ever come to terms with how people can love some freedoms, but not the others.

Send as an attachment please!

Thank you!

What is odd about this is that a filibuster occurs in the context of a cloture motion, for which 60 votes are required. “Cloture” means cutting off debate, but the Democrats aren’t planning on having a debate–any debate. They apparently intend, in keeping with their recent practice, that senators should read Reid’s bill and vote on it simultaneously. It is the Republicans, not the Democrats, who would relish a debate on the Left’s harebrained gun control schemes.

We’ve already seen a lot of this from the Democrats on the state level in places like New York and Connecticut: they want to avoid public debate of their legislation.  They don’t want the public to know what is being done to them until it is already law.  Despicable.

Update: Learn something new every day.  There are apparently several stages at which a bill can be filibustered, and in this case it was filibustering the motion to open the bill for consideration and debate.  There will be a later stage where the filibuster occurs in the context of a cloture motion.

According to the complaint, obtained by Campus Reform, the professor compelled students in her graphic design class to create artwork opposing firearms on campus and opposing pro-gun legislation currently pending before the Texas state legislature.

The professor then used the artwork students created online to publicize an anti-gun petition entitled “MSU is anti-Concealed Carry on Campus” and on a now deleted Facebook page opposing firearms, says the complaint.

“On Monday, April 1, around 7 PM (class was 5:30 – 8:20), Jennifer Yucus, Assistant Professor of Graphic Art/Design, compelled students from her Computers For Artists class to advocate in favor of a political petition opposing firearms on campus, in opposition to a pair of bills currently before the Texas legislature, using personal art materials and MSU resources,” reads the complaint.

“Several of my classmates were uncomfortable with the assignment and either quietly or openly expressed this,” it continues. “Professor Yucus asked students to rationalize objections by thinking of it as a job from an employer (or words to that effect).”

Of course in reality the students were the ones paying for this class.  They aren’t employees; they are customers.  I think the ethical thing to do would be for the university to refund the student’s cost for the class.

The complaint adds that Yucus “did require all works to include the URL to the petition” she had created and adds that students were photographed while crafting the posters to give the illusion of youth support.

“Professor Yucus took photos of her students in the process of drafting and creating the posters, but did not say how these would be used,” says the complaint. “The posters were then hung in the hallways of the Fain Arts building, giving the impression of student support.”

Some of the photos later appeared on an anti-gun Facebook page that appeared to have been created by Yucus. The page appeared to have been deleted after the complaint was filed, but Campus Reform was able to capture the posted images before they were removed.

I am not a lawyer, and that goes double for Texas law, but I wonder if that crossed the legal line into misappropriating the student’s likenesses since it sounds like she was taking advantage of their reputation, prestige, or other value associated with them, for purposes of publicity.

According to the complaint, Yucus used her official university-issued e-mail address to later forward a URL to her petition to the entire class.

State law in Texas appears to forbid professors at public universities from using their authority to compel others to advocate for political causes.

“A state officer or employee may not use official authority… to interfere with or affect the result of an election or nomination of a candidate or to achieve any other political purpose,” reads subsection C of 556.004 of Government Code, Title 5, entitled “Open Government, Ethics.”

So at the least, that bit of the law seems to have been broken.

Joe Manchin and Pat Toomey announce a press conference tomorrow on background checks. Do they have a deal?—
Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) April 10, 2013

The @NRA has been informed of details of Manchin/Toomey compromise, sources close to the negotiations say. Unclear if they'll oppose.—
Kasie Hunt (@kasie) April 10, 2013

Gun deal? Joe Manchin and Chuck Schumer talking with Pat Toomey: if it holds they'll announce tomorrow background checks + internet sales—
Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) April 09, 2013

"Deal"? RT @jamiedupree Senators Toomey R-PA & Manchin D-WV set 11am news conference on background checks; said to be "close" to a deal—
Nels (@debitking) April 10, 2013

Journalists on Twitter were buzzing tonight about a looming deal on federal background checks cooked up by the recently evolved Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin and GOP Sen. Pat Toomey. A press conference will reportedly take place tomorrow at 11am Eastern. Stalwart conservative GOP Sen. Ted Cruz will be holding a separate presser.

Details. Devilish details:

Will Toomey-Manchin proposal apply to sales/transfers to 30, 40 acquaintances who go to someone's house or ranch? Private gun exhibitions?—
Tom Curry (@NBC_Tom_Curry) April 10, 2013

#Senate Toomey aide: Gun deal close at hand, appearance with Sen. Joe Manchin set for …: Pennsylva… bit.ly/12G1lQg #Politics—
Quorum Call (@QuorumCall) April 10, 2013

Meet the odd couple. Who knew Toomey would go rogue? Joe Manchin says on verge of gun deal – POLITICO.com: politico.com/story/2013/04/…—
Elizabeth Evans (@Wallacewriter) April 10, 2013

Wants details of the Manchin/Toomey negotiations on background checks? @fahrenthold @thamburger and I deliver: wapo.st/ZlH2ju—
Ed O'Keefe (@edatpost) April 10, 2013

ICYMI, from Friday: Dems in quiet talks with GOP Sen. Pat Toomey over possible deal on background checks: washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-lin…—
Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) April 08, 2013

Pennsylvania's Pat Toomey, the man in the middle, says deal is close on gun bill. philly.com/philly/news/po… @JonathanTamari @AESteele—
Philly Inquirer (@PhillyInquirer) April 10, 2013

After a day that found him at the center of the contentious national debate over new gun laws, Sen. Pat Toomey said a deal on background checks was near.

The Pennsylvania Republican said Tuesday night that he was close to reaching an agreement with Democrats that would give a critical GOP endorsement to the plan.

…A final agreement, brokered by Toomey and Sen. Joe Manchin (D., W.Va.), was expected to come together Wednesday. The plan, as of Tuesday night, would close background-check loopholes for purchases at gun shows and online, Manchin said, though the full details were not yet known.

Toomey and Manchin “continue to work on final details, but they appear close to a deal,” a Toomey spokeswoman wrote late Tuesday in an e-mail.

Manchin told reporters, “We really are getting there.”

…

Toomey has long opposed new gun laws but also has to think about seeking reelection in 2016. A deal on background checks could help his appeal in parts of a state that increasingly leans Democratic in presidential election years. His endorsement might also encourage Republicans from the Philadelphia suburbs to provide critical GOP votes in the House.

But Pennsylvania also has a strong hunting culture, and opponents of new restrictions on firearms are vocal and active.

Ahem. Paging the ACLU!

Gun owners know that any effort to require "universal" background checks is a step toward registration – ACLU agrees nraila.org/legislation/fe…—
  (@NRA) April 08, 2013

Tea Party activists are not happy with Sen. Toomey.

Pat Toomey working on Universal Background Check compromise Tea Party Traitor—
Sarge (@SGTROCKUSMC82) April 09, 2013

Don't vote for Toomey again!!! Traitor!—
Karen L (@kettlecreek10) April 09, 2013

@MV_Granny @belynda13 Toomey is a traitor that is working on compromise, his northern RINO colors are showing—
  (@victoria_29) April 09, 2013

Is Senator Pat Toomey (R) About 2 Sell Out Conservatives On Gun Control?
tinyurl.com/cztecke—
Deb (@DebzISHere) April 09, 2013

Prepare for Sen. Toomey to sell your rights away. As a conservative constituent I'm appalled, but expect it #nra #teaparty #saf #tgdn #tcot—
PaleolithiCon .026% (@bitterclingerpa) April 10, 2013

The internecine battle lines are drawn.

#TeamCruz RT: @ChadPergram: Guns coming to head in Senate tomorrow. Cruz and Manchin/Toomey hold separate pressers on guns.—
DrewM (@DrewMTips) April 10, 2013

These phone lines are about to melt:

Please politely share 2A comments:
Sen Toomey (202) 224-4254
Sen Toomey at 610-434-1444
#NRA #2A #NAGR #GOA #tcot #teaparty #tlot #ocra—
Incognito (@incognito912) April 10, 2013

Update:

Heritage Action comes out against Manchin-Toomey deal: is.gd/CQjteX (h/t @LukeRussert)—
Mike O'Brien (@mpoindc) April 10, 2013

1. Laws need to be fair, simplified and easy to understand.
2. Laws must be Constitutional.
3. People need to work for a living and stop receiving “lifetime” government handouts.
4. Government is too large and needs to be reduced in size.
5. Government and business corruption needs to be severely punished.
6. Government needs to stop sticking their noses into every facet of people’s lives and stop trying to regulate everything.
7. Proper morals and values need to be taught.  There is a right and there is a wrong.
8. People need to take personal responsibility for their actions.
9. Criminals need to receive harsher punishment for brutal crimes and should serve out their full sentences.
10. Criminals convicted of rape, murder, carjacking, etc., should automatically receive life sentences with no chance of parole or the death penalty which should be carried out promptly.
11. No restrictions or laws should ever be placed on law abiding citizen’s when it comes to owning guns or using them for self defense.
12. The right to protect your home and family from thugs and criminals should always be the law of the land.
13. Any politician proposing an unconstitutional law should immediately be fired from their elected position.
14. Any district attorney who attempts to prosecute a home defense shooting when the shooting is justified should immediately be removed from their position.
15. If you are anti-any part of the Constitution and Bill of Rights you should be banned from running for public office.

You can get a free preview of my first four post apocalyptic fiction survival books by clicking on the book cover images to the left of this blog post, on my blog page, which will take you to the Amazon.com website. Then you can click on the look inside option which will give you a free preview.  If my survival fiction books interest you; then consider purchasing them.  Book titles include American Rebellion Book 1 of the Revolution, American Rebellion Book 2 of the Revolution, American Rebellion Book 3 of the Revolution and American Rebellion Book 4 of the Revolution.

86 percent feel the currently proposed legislation would have no effect or a negative effect on improving officer safety

Similarly, 92 percent feel that banning semi-automatic firearms, or “assault weapons,” would have no effect or a negative effect on reducing violent crime

Respondents were more split on background checks, with 31 percent agreeing that mental health background checks in all gun sales would help reduce mass shootings, while 45 percent disagreed

71 percent support law enforcement leaders who have publicly refused to enforce more restrictive gun laws within their jurisdictions

82 percent believe gun buyback or turn-in programs are ineffective in reducing the level of gun violence

91 percent support the concealed carry of firearms by civilians who have not been convicted of a felony and/or have not been deemed psychologically incapable

Likewise, 80 percent feel that legally-armed citizens would likely have reduced the number of casualties in recent mass shooting incidents

Since it’s an attack on the right to keep and bear arms, I wouldn’t bother with the word “could” with respect to civil liberties.

But Calabrese says that Reid’s legislation fails to include those “privacy best practices.”

“Contrast this with what the existing [Reid] legislation says, which is simply that a record has to be kept of a private transfer,” Calabrese highlighted, “and it doesn’t have any of the protections that we have in current law for existing licensees.”

“We think that that kind of record-keeping requirement could result in keeping long-term detailed records of purchases and creation of a new government database.”

“And they come to use databases for all sorts of different purposes,” Calabrese said. “For example, the National Counterterrorism Center recently gave itself the authority to collect all kinds of existing federal databases and performed terrorism related searches regarding those databases. They essentially exempted themselves from a lot of existing Privacy Act protections.”

“So you just worry that you’re going to see searches of the databases and an expansion for purposes that were not intended when the information was collected.”

Reid’s legislation is hauntingly vague about who would physically keep information about American gun purchases, but it’s crystal clear that records will be kept.

That is the privacy part. Here is the civil liberties angle:

The ACLU’s second “significant concern” with Reid’s legislation is that it too broadly defines the term “transfer,” creating complicated criminal law that law-abiding Americans may unwittingly break.

“[I]t’s certainly a civil liberties concern,” Calabrese told TheDC. “You worry about, in essence, a criminal justice trap where a lawful gun owner who wants to obey the law inadvertently runs afoul of the criminal law.”

“They don’t intend to transfer a gun or they don’t think that’s what they’re doing, but under the law they can be defined as making a transfer. We think it’s important that anything that is tied to a criminal sanction be easy to understand and avoid allowing too much prosecutorial discretion.”

“For example, different gun ranges are treated differently,” Calabrese said. “You’re firing a firearm in one geographic location, you’re OK, but in another, you’re not. And those kind things, it’s going to be hard for your average consumer to really internalize and figure out the difference.”

“Criminal sanctions shouldn’t hinge on those kinds of differences,” he said.

Dan Sandini at Daylight Disinfectant writes:

Mr. Martinez escaped the brutal Communist regime in Cuba in 1954.  His testimony included how citizens under Castro were first disarmed by legislation similar to that being shepherded along by Gun-Grabber in Chief Floyd Prozanski.  Defenseless, many Cuban Citizens were later summarily slaughtered.

It’s the same in every county where oppression has arisen. Disarming the public opens the door to oppression. The issue is not hunting, or even self defense per se. An armed populace is intended to keep the Government from ever becoming tyrannical. Mr. Martinez recounts how the Cuban people lost their freedom:

In 1957 a Revolution … individuals … malicious individuals, masquerading as Democrats, revolutionaries, established a regime … a dictatorial regime … in my nation.  Called Communism, Socialism, Stalinism, Marxism, and whatever other named -ism you want to put on it.  The reason why it was done was to take away the guns from the People.   The right of the People to wear guns.  That is a God-given Right.  It’s not given by anybody.  It’s not given by any group.   It’s the same thing as freedom, which is a God-given Right.  And no one, absolutely no one, has the authority to take it away.  To cease to defend the Second Amendment, and my God-given Right of freedom, will cease only with my death.

Here’s the video of his testimony.

Please check for missing work or if you need to MAKE UP work.

Grades are next week. 

Click on the link for information on how your novella will be scored.

See below for how points will be awarded:

One of my readers commented that they have noticed the following in my books. 1 – That I provide real survival tips and strategies into a fictional story:  Yes, I do as although the stories are fiction; the survival tips are real and are there for the purposes of sharing skills. 2 – That many of the things I write in my books which started out as fiction; have started to come true, via the legislation and choices our elected liberal officials who trample the Constitution are making:  That too is by design as in studying the path we are on as a country; it wasn’t hard to write my fiction post apocalyptic/survival books with an eye towards what the future might hold.  I hope you will read my books and share your comments about them either here or at Amazon.com where you can leave a review.  Positive reviews preferred

You can get a free preview of my first four post apocalyptic fiction survival books by clicking on the book cover images to the left of this blog post, on my blog page, which will take you to the Amazon.com website. Then you can click on the look inside option which will give you a free preview.  If my survival fiction books interest you; then consider purchasing them.  Book titles include American Rebellion Book 1 of the Revolution, American Rebellion Book 2 of the Revolution, American Rebellion Book 3 of the Revolution and American Rebellion Book 4 of the Revolution.

Apr 2, 2013 Press Release
‘Blue slip’ would immediately kill S. 649, citing constitutional conflict

WASHINGTON – Should Senate Democrats approve a sweeping new anti-gun bill, Congressman Steve Stockman (R-Texas 36th) announced Tuesday he will seek to automatically kill it using a House “blue slip.”

“The Democrat gun ban is dead on arrival. I will introduce in the House a blue slip resolution that will automatically kill the Senate gun ban,” said Stockman. “Not only are Democrats on the wrong side of public opinion, they are on the wrong side of the Constitution. You can’t strip Americans of their gun rights, and you certainly can’t do it by having the Senate create a national tax on firearms. They are in violation of constitutional limits on federal power.”

A “blue slip” is a resolution that automatically returns to the Senate any bill that violates the “origination clause” of the United States Constitution. The origination clause states “All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives.”

Blue slip resolutions are immediately considered as a matter of constitutional privilege, are debatable for an hour and are not subject to amendment.

Senate Democrats took three anti-gun bills (S. 374, S. 54 and S. 146) and quickly rammed them through the Judiciary Committee without even a committee report, then combined them into one bill (S. 649.) The bill includes language mandating a fee for background checks for all private transfers of firearms. Similar legislation has been construed by the Supreme Court to be a tax. By introducing a bill imposing a new tax through the Senate, Democrats have violated constitutional mandates and the bill is automatically invalid.

According to The Heritage Foundation, S.649 imposes a new tax by forcing individuals to pay for background checks when selling or giving away a firearm. The mandate to use the National Instant Criminal Background Check System does not provide a service to the buyer or seller but to the government, making it a tax.

Additionally, the Supreme Court ruled last year in NFIB v. Sebelius that mandating citizens to pay for a service can be construed to be a tax, with Chief Justice John Roberts writing the majority opinion expanding the federal definition of a tax.

-30-

Read more here: http://stockman.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/stockman-moves-to-automatically-kill-senate-gun-ban

Concealment provides a place to hide but will not stop gunfire.  Examples are walls of a normal wood frame house, small trees, foliage, darkness, bushes, tall grass, shadows, car bodies, behind non steel doors, tables and couches.  If it cannot stop a bullet it is considered concealment.

You can get a free preview of my first four post apocalyptic fiction survival books by clicking on the book cover images to the left of this blog post, on my blog page, which will take you to the Amazon.com website. Then you can click on the look inside option which will give you a free preview.  If my survival fiction books interest you; then consider purchasing them.  Book titles include American Rebellion Book 1 of the Revolution, American Rebellion Book 2 of the Revolution, American Rebellion Book 3 of the Revolution and American Rebellion Book 4 of the Revolution.

• Your elected representatives could care less about your opinions and interests unless of course you are a major financial donor.
• Governments will use fear as a weapon and by doing so, create real or imagined threats that they will claim only the government can solve.
• Never waive or give up your rights under any circumstances.
• Strangers are just that, strangers, so do not engage in talking to them about anything private or sensitive.
• Never make an assumption that an expert is really an expert.
• If you have fundamental differences with certain people it is a waste of time to argue issues, politics or philosophies with them.
• Avoid the victim mentality.  Take responsibility for your decisions.
• Consider nothing as true until you verify it.
• Freedom means never having to beg the government for your fundamental rights.
• It is okay not to respect a political office if you don’t respect the person in that office.
• Draw your line in the sand so that you know what you will and what you won’t tolerate.

You can get a free preview of my first four post apocalyptic fiction survival books by clicking on the book cover images to the left of this blog post, on my blog page, which will take you to the Amazon.com website. Then you can click on the look inside option which will give you a free preview.  If my survival fiction books interest you; then consider purchasing them.  Book titles include American Rebellion Book 1 of the Revolution, American Rebellion Book 2 of the Revolution, American Rebellion Book 3 of the Revolution and American Rebellion Book 4 of the Revolution.

Proficiency with a 12 Gauge shotgun is only one part of an overall defensive solution.  It is just as important to have the right mindset and the right attitude.  You should practice defensive shotgun techniques at reasonable intervals, but also remember it is not only the shotgun which can save your life but the skill and determination of the person defensively using the shotgun.

Recommended 12 Gauge Pump Action Shotguns for home defense include the Remington 870 Express Tactical, Remington 887 Nitro Mag, Mossberg 500, Mossberg 590, Mossberg 590A1, and the H&R Pardner.  The ideal defensive shotgun should be a 12 Gauge Pump Action Shotgun with a short 18.5″ smoothbore barrel. 

The shotgun is a tool which is designed for a mission so any modification which enhances the mission should be considered worthwhile.  Recommended shotgun accessories include a Pachmeyer recoil pad, ATI heatshield, ATI side saddle for stock mounting,  TacStar side saddle for receiver mounting, Surefire or UTG light, Blackhawk single point sling with single point sling adapter, Molle ammo pouches and a sufficient supply of 12 Gauge 2 3/4″ 00 buckshot ammunition.

Train with your shotgun and make sure you know how to handle it properly.  Fundamentals should include safe handling, loading, unloading, clearing malfunctions, target acquisition and proper shot placement.  When used at close range, hitting an attacker with a well placed round of 00 buckshot = the equivilant mass of 4.5 rounds of 9mm ammo. 

Remember that using your shotguns sights is essential at all but the closest of ranges.  The more distant the enemy, the more refined and precise your sight alignment must be.  Be aware of what is in front of your target, behind your target and to the sides of your target and factor in the possibilities of over penetration accordingly. 

You can get a free preview of my first four post apocalyptic fiction survival books by clicking on the book cover images to the left of this blog post, on my blog page, which will take you to the Amazon.com website. Then you can click on the look inside option which will give you a free preview.  If my survival fiction books interest you; then consider purchasing them.  Book titles include American Rebellion Book 1 of the Revolution, American Rebellion Book 2 of the Revolution, American Rebellion Book 3 of the Revolution and American Rebellion Book 4 of the Revolution.