Daily Archives: July 29, 2010

07/29/10

Statists Distrust Everyone

By: T F Stern
T F Stern’s Rantings

There’s an AP article by Rodrique Ngowi about competitive lock picking in the Houston Chronicle that caught my eye, one of those less than front page items off to the side intended to make you look at another advertisement. Go read the linked article; it’s enlightening and fun.

Imagine for a moment what kind of hobbies these folks have; midnight safe cracking for jewelry, discount untitled auto sales or slightly used electronics and office equipment at significantly reduced prices; almost forgot, cash only please. As a locksmith I pick locks; but mostly I fit replacement keys for when they get lost, that’s what my customers want.

The State of Texas regulates my industry; but I may have mentioned that previously. The skills I’ve developed could easily be misused. I’ve chosen to stay within the boundaries established by the commandment, Thou Shalt Not Steal; at least so far, a wicked sneer forming in the corner of my mouth as I pull the whiskers of a mustache I’d shaved off years ago while looking stage right.

Okay, now that I have your attention I should add how these folks are, for the most part, honest hard working folks who happen to have learned some interesting skills. There’s nothing illegal about picking locks as long as you own the lock or have permission from the rightful owner. Ah, “therein lies the rub;” how do we know these folks stop picking locks when they aren’t competing with one another?

“…the sport worries some law enforcement authorities, like James Pasco of the National Fraternal Order of Police.

‘“I’m sure that they are having a good time and I’m sure that the vast majority of people engaged in it are just puzzle solvers of a sort, (but) you run the absolute risk of educating criminals who might be inclined to pick locks for illegal purposes, you know,” Pasco said.”

Did you catch that, “absolute risk of educating criminals?” Well, duh; life has its share of risks. This is the same mindset of folks who don’t want law abiding citizens possessing firearms because you never know when one of them will use that weapon illegally to rob, harm or murder one of his/her fellow citizens.

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07/29/10

Minnick Won’t Say!…The Liberal Democrat’s Election Strategy?

By: Bill Hurst
Weeding Out “Minnick Myths”

Looking deep into Idaho’s Liberal Congressman’s voting record and his previous campaigns against Crapo and Sali, we see his liberalness in his words and actions of the not so distant past. Minnick likes to play conservative when he comes to Idaho or has his campaign put this false mantra out to the Idaho voters. It is ‘well Walt’s the blue dog Democrat from Idaho.’ The “blue dog” mantra is a gimmick to help the liberals that are in trouble with their conservative constituents. This is a well orchestrated move by the DNC to keep their liberal Democrat majority. This gimmick for Minnick is not going to work; when you look behind Walt Minnick you see all his liberal friends. The fact is he aligns himself with the liberal rank and file and with Pelosi topping the buddy list.

Here is some of the latest of Minnick’s gimmicks… he won’t say, in other words, don’t ask him then he doesn’t have to tell you. This is what Boise Weekly reported:

We reported that when we asked (twice) Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo why he was supporting Raul Labrador over Walt Minnick, he didn’t even mention the Democratic incumbent by name, but did repeatedly refer to Minnick’s 2009 vote for Rep. Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House. Minnick campaign spokesman John Foster wasted no time to remind us that his boss “hasn’t yet made any commitment in who he would or would not support for speaker next year.” Minnick opposed the speaker on three headline-grabbing bills: cap-and-trade, health-care reform and stimulus spending.

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