Oldies but Goodies

Some time a go I returned the Ranger 103-2 that I had refinished for a neighbor. A couple days ago I was visiting with him and he commented that the gun still didn't work. I had originally gotten it because the magazine would not release unless you removed the action from the stock. I had checked the magazine function very well before returning the rifle to him. Now he said it wouldn't work, so I took it home pondered on it over night and the next morning delved in to the guts so this trim little .22. Mag function? OK. Bolt operation? OK. Feeding operation? Not OK. Examination of the bolt showed both extractors missing, one extractor plunger missing and both plunger springs gone. So much for working. I took it back to him and explained the problem and he's not sure if the value of the gun is worth the value of the parts it needs. It sure looks good though. Maybe when things are better I'll get the chance to make this little jewel actually shoot. This episode made me think of the twenty-two's of mine that I have refinished. So, naturally I had to go look at 'em. I took one out of the safe just 'cause it's so nice and does shoot. I have claimed several tree rats with this oldie. It's a Savage 53d single shot bolt action in a large, full size walnut stock. These guns were made from 1937 to 1945. This particular one has a cast aluminium trigger guard so I'm thinking it may be pre-war as aluminum was very scarce during and immediately after WWII. On this one I had re-blued the barrel and action and gave the walnut stock a stain job and multiple coats of linseed oil topped with paste wax. Somebody in the past had installed a plate aluminum butt plate. They did a nice job of it so I saved the 15 bucks and left it on. Eventually I want to remove the trigger and strip the peeling corroded chrome and either blue it or Dura Coat it. The trigger guard will get black Dura Coat to match the original black paint. I'll try to get a picture of it to post later.

The Fun Show!

Well I scraped up the 9 bucks for the entry fee(I had a dollar off coupon) and made my way to the Fun Show. The place was f'n packed! The lots were full, the sides of the streets were full, the adjacent fields were full, the median strip was full. I lucked out and found a spot in the median strip straight across from the front door. Once inside, I was confronted with a crowd I haven't seen in years. Making my way up and down the crowded aisles I found gun prices to be higher than I think they should be. I mean a Chinese copy of the M1A for well over a grand? WTF? A Jen-u-wine M1A was selling new for just a tad over 1300, which is still high but in the grand scheme alright, I guess. I have been wanting to start collecting break top revolvers for some time and it seems like those little jewels are coming down a bit. I saw several by different makers ranging from 135 to 265 dollars. Not in the best condition but OK for a start. I just don't have the bucks now as I STILL don't have a job. Even though things are getting better, right? anyway, all I came out the door with was a bag of the obligitory beef jerky. And I think it was spoiled. So much for the Fun Show.

Bloomberg Redux

In the recent undercover firearms purchases made by Bloomberg operatives at an Arizona gun show, a lot has been said by the left and unfortunately some actual firearms owners. But what is not being said by many is, were the operatives citizens of Arizona. According to federal gun laws you must be a citizen of the state the purchase is made in to legally buy a handgun. So if indeed the Bloomberg operatives actually bought a handgun at this gun show then they are guilty of violating federal gun laws. When is a prosecutor going to grab this and run with it? Most likely never and few politicians have the balls to take on gun laws in general and when a tiny bigshot as Bloomberg is involved the odds go even further down. If you or I crossed a state line and bought a handgun and it was in the news as this has been, you or I would very quickly have a visit from those fine boys and girls from the ATF. So, does this lack of response by the USG mean that our government is too timid to take on the City of New York? This whole thing reeks. Were the filmed transactions made by an individual or a Federally regulated dealer? Were the "buyers" citizens of Arizona? Will any one call out Bloomberg over his illegal, out of jurisdiction, violation of federal laws, show boat act? Will Arizona? Maybe. Will the USG? What do you think? If the USG does get involved it will result in another violation of the Second Amendment and another nail in the coffin of freedom.

A Shoveling We Will Go...Again

I am now in the midst of another snow storm. This one is set to pound central Missouri. Currently we are near white out conditions and the temperature is in the 10 degree range and the wind is blowing 25 mph and up. The area I live in is on the border between those that are going to get 12-18 inches and those that are going to get 6-8 inches of powdery, wind driven snow. I can't imagine what the drifts are going to look like in the country. I have just completed round one of shoveling. I haven't even considered doing the shoveling at the other house yet. The city says with the expected snowfall they will be plowing a 4 freakin' feet high berm along the roads.....and the end of my driveways. Bastards! I applaud their snow removal efforts but since they claim to have the authority to fine me for pushing the snow back into the street, can't they at least clean out the ends of the thousands of driveways they fill with compacted snow? I mean I'm johnny on the spot when it comes to shoveling my drives and walks and I throw the snow back on my own property so can't they at least clear out the snow they place in my drive way? I usually end up clearing the end of my drive 3-4 times for one storm. I'm talkin' tons of compacted snow. The bastards.

Bloombergs Rats

As if Michael Bloomberg didn't have enough to do, he has now sent undercover detectives to a gun show in......Arizona! Where does he get off thinking he has any jurisdiction in Arizona? That's well out of his bailiwick. These rats are armed with concealed cameras and are baiting people into selling them guns after telling them they may not be able to pass a background check. The boys and girls at the ATF have asked Bloomie not to do this as it may interfere with ongoing investigations as well as reminding him of that whole jurisdiction thing. As a result of this and previous quasi illegal investigations by the Bloomies, many gun shows have a permit required stance. This pretty well cuts out the face to face citizen to citizen sales. Well let's see, what can we do about this? Here's an idea, keep your eyes peeled when at a gun show. If you see anyone that appears to be surreptitiously filming transactions call them out loudly, bust them on the spot. If they turn out to be reporters or even those wonderful folks at ATF, so what. Take what comes and get on with life. Just be sure to ruin their day and bring the rat bastards into the light. Oh, and this comes to mind now. Some folks think Bloomberg needs to be the freakin' President! What kind of juju are they smokin'?

Whew! For the last month and a half I have had an actual JOB! I was working as the bell ringer coordinator for the Salvation Army office in the town I live in. It was a short term gig that ended the week after Christmas. As I have been saying, it was the easiest job I have ever had thankfully it didn't pay much! I found out I have a contact in the Salvation Army and he is working to get me an actual full time position if possible. This little job kept me jumping from 9 in the morning until 9 in the evening 6 days a week. Thankfully they claim they are going to pay me mileage. I was putting on 350-500 miles a week in the two little towns I was servicing. I say claim to pay as I have not seen a dime of that money yet. I do have my fingers crossed though.





No Fourth Amendment in Kalifornia

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I recent court ruling now allows Kalifornia Kops to seize and search the cellphone or PDA you are carrying at the time of a search. If I recall correctly the Fourth amendment to the US Constitution says we all have the right to be free in our person and papers. Modern times have shown the computers and such are the 20th century version of papers. Of course Kalifornia is claiming all is good. I can't wait for the lawsuits to climb their way up to the US Supreme Court. I say it all the time, GET OUT OF KALIFORNIA! RUN! FLEE! Leave that broken state to the illegal that are flooding in and the Liberals that support them.



A New Bargain
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A while back I posted about a knife I got at an estate sale, a Cold Steel Voyager XL. An 80 plus dollar knife, I got it for a whopping 4 bucks. Well, yesterday I was perusing the local flee market and spotted what appeared to be an SOG knife in a dimly lit case. I got the attendant to open the case and lo and behold it was an SOG Pentagon Elite folder. New. Never used, factory edge still sharp and no trace of pocket lint. The retail on this gem is, from online sources, 69 to 95 dollars. If you go direct to SOG they want a whopping 155 dollars! My price from the flee market? Another 4 dollars! What a sweet deal! This knife is solid and sharp. It has a very unique arc lock that locks the blade open. It is very secure and easy to use. All in all I'd say it was a great find.

Rejected! Who woulda thought?

Well, I guess the Asian trip didn't work out so well for The Chosen One. The assemblage rejected his speeches, his theories and ideology. Back at home, it seems that his democratic foundation is crumbling. And many Dems are calling for him to not run in 2012. Was this not expected? This guy has been like a falling star, coming from nowhere, shining brightly and dimming quickly. I can only sit back and enjoy the warm after glow, the glow given off by the thousands of bloggers and right wing commentators that struck it right from the first hour of his electoral run. All saying this person had no experience, talent or even the right to be President of the United States. We just saw a tidal wave of anger wash over the latest election. Sweeping out many Democratic incumbents and challengers and delivering a bunch of Conservative and Republican new comers. Now the trick will be to get those newly elected persons to hold true to the Constitution and start getting this country back were it came from, a land of limited government with defined limits to the governments powers. We just have to keep reminding them.

Veterens Day via the Gunslingers

My son sent this cool picture. I thought I would post it on Veterens Day.

Changes and a smart little Ranger

Have you ever had a plan then, that plan changes course? That how my life has been going lately. Fer instance, we had picked out a really nice slate to tile the kitchen with. It's been sitting in the family room for two months waiting it's turn. I'm all prepped to install the stuff when Cherry Pie says she doesn't like it, it detracts from the back splash that she wants as the focal point, it doesn't match the cabinets,blah, blah, blah. Next example, I'm working on this small apartment that I am going to manage. The owner shows up with cash and is willing to help. I'm working on a bathroom. He wants to make the place nice as possible but on the cheap. Later that night one of the neighbors comes over, drunk. And makes suggestions as to the bathroom. All valid points but, it added 300 bucks to the budget and set us hours behind with a carpet crew breathing down my neck. Moving on, I got a call from a friend, asking if I had a job yet as his little office had an opening for a seasonal employee. 2 months work. I'll take it. I filled out the application they gave me and submitted it. I started work two day later. Midday I was told they had given me the wrong application so technically I wasn't hired yet. So I filled out the new app and went home to wait. Now, here comes the good part of change, this morning I got a call from the HR director of the home office. He is the past HR director from one of my previous employers. They have a full time position available, would I be interested? Hell, yeah I'm interested. I sped a resume to him and sit here, fingers crossed, wondering, is this the one?
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I finally got the Ranger .22 rifle done. I gotta say, it sure came out nice, probably nice than it ever was as new. The owner was flabbergasted. The stock is smooth as a freshly shaven... well never mind, it's really smooth. All the steel is re-blued including all the bits and pieces and the screws. A new rear sight elevator and this little jewel is back in shooting trim.

Those poor, poor French.

Have any of you been paying attention to the bullshit going on in France? The government is going broke and one of their proposed austerity measures is to raise the retirement age from 60 to 62. Upon the release of this info the country went, well the French went double dipped batshit. Riots, destruction and violence over a proposed 2 freakin years. We in the good old hardworking US have to wait 'til 65 or 70 to actually retire then most of us still have to augment the retirement income with a job at McD's or Wally World. Come to thnk of it, don't the French work, like, 6 hours a day? And get a buttload of vaction time on top of that? So over two years they're working what, 49 hours? What's going to happen now that the proposal became law? The French, great wine, great food but leaving a lot to desire in the grown up department. Hey, here's an idea, ask the good old hard working US to come in and straighten things out. Again.

Juniper and Stuff

As I've been working on Juniper House I have been saving all the busted copper lines we had to remove. Water lines, drain lines, heating lines, those kinda lines. Any way, I took all of it to the recycle center in KC this morning. After weighing the #1 and #2 copper and the brass, they cut me a check for over 500 bucks! What a bonus! This will all get converted to building materials for Juniper. This is great as I am off the government tit and still can't find a job. A job recruiter found my resume on careerbuilder.com and called me about a position they are trying to fill. We'll see how this shakes out.
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Fall is rushing in but the trees aren't going to be much of a show this year. We have been running about 6 inches over on precipitation this year but when fall approached the rain stopped. So, the trees started losing leaves before they actually turned colors.
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In regards to the Juniper House, I got the gas line ran to the kitchen and the back splash grouted. I also got the basement lay out finalized for all of our storage so we can maximize the space in this area. I'll be turning this space into the home convenience store so to speak. We still plan on moving in when we get the kitchen, master bedroom and master bath done and we are getting closer every day. The way things have been going though, we will also have the home office, the guest bedroom and the walk in closet finished.
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What have you done to increase your preparedness? We took a shopping trip and bought 5 flats of canned vegetables and an assortment of of other foods and expendables to place in storage. Until I get a real steady paying job this will probably be our last prep purchase for a while.

Mower Woes.

It seems I can't win for losin'. I was working on my two lawn tractors Saturday. By Sunday I had lost the keys. To both of 'em. $@#%$#^%$^%76!!! So I found, courtesy of my father-in-law, a key to fit the Wheel Horse. Now I'm workin' on finding a key to fit the after market ignition in the Cub Cadet. So all keyed up , so to say, I rode the Wheel Horse over to the other house to get caught up on mowing the back slope. Putt, putt, putt over with no problems other than a tire called it quits. Today I aired the tire up, adjusted the belt and started mowing. For about 60 feet. Then the mower drive belt twisted itself and I lost power to the deck. After 3 times of fixin' the dang belt, I said, well never mind what I said. It was then I realised the bad tire was flat again. Any way I'm now looking for a new mower drive belt. And back tires. See how life just keeps biting me right in the ass?

Over? I Don't Think So.

I've had a little time this morning to do some reading and I found some interesting things. Most of them contradict the governments official mantra of it's getting better, it's getting better.
I have read and heard on the TV that a group has determined that the recession ended in 2009. WTF? Ended? What are they smoking? From my perspective the recession continues. The dollar continues to lose its value, worth and desirability. Countries around the world are dumping their dollar holdings and switching to gold or Euros (for some stupid reason) and some want to to create a "global currency". Here are some links to various articles that paint a very different picture as to the health of the US and it's failing economy.
They've been caught doing this before, The Fed is thinking of buying more bonds. This is interesting as the bonds they are buying are their own! They do it to manipulate the interest rate.
Most folks realize that when the dollar drops, gold prices increase. If you've been paying attention to the gold market for the last year, gold has steadily risen in price. On September 21 gold was pushing the 1300 dollars an ounce range. Add up the two previous sums and you get this.
There are various claims as to the total of the governments debt. But it generally falls in the multiple TRILLION dollar range. Yes, that's right, TRILLIONS. Now we find that the US is hiding debt. Lots of it. I'm talking a final number of somewhere between 60 and 200 TRILLION!
That brings us to this winderful little nugget. Get out your fingers and count up how many friends, family and aquaintences are out of work or underemployed. I generally come up with 50 percent. I know its better or worse depending on you location but here in Missouri the state percentage is running 9-11 percent but I still get a 40-50 percent range among my immediate circle.

Other News
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The rats are leaving the sinking ship of the Obama White House! Seriously, take a look around the internet and see how may of The Chosen Ones staff have retired or quit or are going to quit. Inspires confidence don't it?

What I've been doing or Why I haven't been posting

Wow! have I been busy! The owner of the little apartment building that I am going to manage lives in Kalifornia. He has been flying out, on what seems like, an every other week schedule. He spends 3-5 days here and wings it back to Kali. It's been very interesting talking to this man. He was born and bred in San Fran Cisco. He is amazed that, here in Missouri, marijuana is ....ILLEGAL. He says they have pot stores and pot shows in Frisco. I told him if someone had a pot show in Mo. the biggest attendees would be local and county cops, the State Patrol, DEA, ATF and some other alphabet soup agencies. He is also shocked that in this part of the state we don't have smog inspections for our cars. This was a half hour discussion. He could not believe we don't do tail pipe inspections.
The main reason the owner comes out is so we can rehab his building. Nearly 4 years ago he put 50 grand in this apartment building. You cannot tell it today. The low class "renters" his last "manager" let stay there just destroyed the place. That was in addition to not paying rent. So the majority of his 50 large is gone as well as over 20 grand in unpaid rents. He is self employed in Kali and his business is really down due to a major drop in business travel to his town. Basically he is busted. So he puts some stuff on a credit card, we work on the building, he goes home and tries to pay off the card, then he comes back again. Repeat as needed. It's slow going but we are making progress.
When I'm not working on the old apartment I'm working on my other house or mowing or working on a gun or cleaning house or working on the Harley or helping someone or any other thing that comes up. For instance, this weekend a friend is having a family reunion at her house. I'm doing the cooking for this event. She wants me to smoke a few pork butts and make pulled pork. She hasn't decided on the side dishes yet. Then I'm working on the apartment again for another week, more mowing on Wednesday and then more mowing on Monday. I have a total of 4 places to mow, 2 of mine, one neighbor and the apartment. Time and lack of funds has kept me from doing any shooting or working on our preps. The other house is pretty much eating up most of our income. One day soon though we will be living there and can sell this one. At that point we will be debt free. Then the fun begins.

Quitchyerbitchin' and some progress

Damn! I've been sanding drywall this morning and it's killin' my shoulders. Flat out sucks! Put it on, take it off. Repeat as needed. Back in the 80's I dislocated my right shoulder in a major fight. Then add in the years running jackhammers, sledgehammers and shovels, weight lifting and miscellaneous drunken sports such as full contact wiffle ball and you get a fucked up body. Well now all I have left to do today is mow 2 yards. I should say I'm only doing two today. Rain is coming in and I have to get my primary yard done and that of the paying customer. I usually have 4 to do on Monday. Any way I'm already beat and I'm not done yet. OK enough of the bitchin.
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I planted a few tomato plants this year and I have been getting 1-3 ripe ones every day. Now I'm waiting on the next round of little ones to grow up and keep me in 'maters for a while longer.
I bought a bunch of habenaro's at the farmers market. I'll use them to make up another batch of my honey habenaro sauce. Pretty good stuff. I even bought those little bottles (they call them woozies) to put it in.

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I dipped into my stash this morning and ordered a 6 speed tranny for the Harley. A buddy of mine has a shop and told me he'd sell it to me at cost. One of his vendors had an Ultima polished 6 speed for 599. It should be in tomorrow. Now I just need to rebuild the motor.

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I got the stock for the Ranger .22 sanded and stained. I'm of two minds as to how it came out. It is birch and birch stocks are notorious for taking stain in some strange patterns. This one came out with some broad tiger stripping on one side. In the light it almost glows around the edges of the dark bands. We'll see what the neighbor thinks. I receive the Oxpho blue from the Brown Truck Of Joy yesterday. So this project is coming together. It ought be pretty nice for a freebie.

I'm back again!

I've had a lot of crap going on lately. My brother came back from Kalifornia and I helped pack up his house for moving. That was most of a week. Then the following week I had a week long sale to get rid of the stuff he left behind. That didn't work out very well. Then the owner of the apartment I am going to manage flew in from Kalifornia and he and I worked on cleaning up the mess that the last pigs, sorry, I mean tenants left behind. Filthy,filthy animals. Based on what I have learned from this particular adventure I will never rent property to anyone. So any way, there are three weeks that I have lost in working on the Juniper property. Add into the mix the 4 properties that I have to mow every week, the p.o.s Caddilac that needed repair every time we turned around, a funeral and the general intrusions of life that affect us all and I have not had much time for anything at all. After having the opportunity to spend a grand on the Caddi in a two week period we chose, instead, to trade it in. Cherry Pie ended up with an '09 Chevrolet HHR. We got a great buy on a low mileage car with the remainder of the factory warranty left. So far it seems like we got the better end of the deal. The HHR has every single thing the Caddi had with the exception of 400+ horsepower, leather interior and some shoulder room.
For relaxation I have been working on the neighbors Ranger .22. I spent 4 hours one evening filing the barrel until it was free of pits and the file marks from a previous attempt at dressing it up. I then spent 3 hours the next night polishing the barrel , by hand, to a 360 grit. I also managed to fit the steel butt plate to the stock and straighten out the lines of the butt. I've ordered a new bottle of Oxpho Blue from Brownells to finish the barreled action and the little bits and pieces.
I even managed to squeeze in a little mudding and sanding over at Juniper or as Cherry calls it, Jupiter.
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A few weeks ago I went to a local estate sale and found, in a pile of crappy knives, a real gem. It is a Cold Steel Voyager X2 folding knife. Talk about a large size pocket knife! Thirteen inches of knife that fits in your pocket. 13! I had to remove the paint someone had applied to the blade and do a general clean up of the knife as well as polish the blade. This is an 80 dollar knife in most places. I got it for the amazing price of 3 dollars. After applying the Lansky to it, it is now razor sharp.
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I have to confess, In addition to all the stuff that's been going on, I have been a little out of sorts. I have realized that November will be 2 years of unemployment. 2 freakin' years. I have applied for everything from custodian to project manager and have gotten nothing. Zip. Nada. The apartment gig is very questionable. I only get paid when there is actual income from the renters and we just gave all of them the boot due to lack of payment of rents. And the owner is also unemployed and can't pay me for the work I just did. He did come up with some bucks to compensate me for past unpaid work. The place needs some work and the owner wants more work done to attract better tenants but I have a hard time working on a credit basis. I think my mom would call that a hope and a prayer. So Cherry and I have been racking our brains to come up with some cash making venture for me to engage in. If we can get the Juniper house done and sell the Kimball house we will have no debt other than the HHR. But those are two large things that have to happen quickly.

It's Been A While

It's been a while since I put anything up here. Longer than I ever wanted to go with out putting something, anything up. What's going on? Life. That's what's going on. I've been working on the repo house we bought, mowing all the grass at 3 houses, and trying to hold my head high after a year and eight months with out any gainful employment. I believe I have well over 200 resumes floating around with the polite rely of "no thanks" from only 3 of them, the rest are mum on the subject of employment. I keep hearing the jobs situation is getting better but have yet to see anything resembling that statement. I have several income producing ideas that I want to implement but they all require an up front injection of cash. So I'll keep working on the house, mowing grass, getting the curent house ready to sell and keep my fingers crossed.

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Things I'm working on.

Repo House known from this day forth as Juniper House

Current House known from this day forth as Kimball House

My Harley, the motor needs rebuilt and the tranny needs replaced

A Ranger model 103-2 .22 rifle

My M1A pistol grip stock

2 lawn mowers so I can keep the grass mowed

So even though I don't have a job per se, I do have things to do.



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Now for the meat.



I found this over at Drudges place. The Health Care Bill has a slimy little secret added to it, now all small businesses and self employed will be required to submit a 1099 form listing all goods and services they aquire over 600 dollars. This is so the gatekeepers of the healthcare bill, the IRS can tap into a previously unknown resource. These bastards won't be happy until they have taxed every business out of existence.



Are you a menber of an HOA (home owners association)? Keep up on your association dues! I have never liked HOA's and now I like them less over this. Evidently if you fall behind on your dues they have the ability and the desire to foreclose on your home! And they will do it faster than a bank will. So if your are letting the dues slide by to satisfy the mortgage, the HOA assholes will slip up behind you and take your home.



Related to my intro, take a look at this graph. I think it's wrong though. I have been off for 20 months and I know a bunch of folks that have been off way longer than the 25 weeks shown on this graph. In Missouri they have 5 tiers of unemployment. Not any longer, 3, 4, and 5 have been discontinued. There are only 2 tiers until the State can get a federal cash infusion. As a result of this everyone in MO that's on tier two is on their last financial leg until the funds are boosted or they/we can find a job.



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Here's something I do very rarely. Post a picture of a woman. But as my header says I'll put anything I want on this site. I was watching Redeye the other morning and this goddess was a guest. Author, Imogen LLoyd Webber. I have a thing about attractive women with accents. Southern, Texan, Austalian...... Not only is Imogen attractive she has the most delightful British accent.

Obama The Great Job Killer

What more can I say?


WAYNE ALLYN ROOT: Barack Obama: The great jobs killer
WAYNE ALLYN ROOTMORE COLUMNS
"As former President Ronald Reagan might have said, "Obama, there you go again."
The current occupant of the White House claims to know how to create jobs. He claims jobs have been created. But so far the score is Great Obama Depression 2.2 million lost jobs, Obama 0 -- a blowout.

Obama is as hopeless, helpless, clueless and bankrupt of good ideas as the manager of the Chicago Cubs in late September. This "community organizer" knows as much about private-sector jobs as Pamela Anderson knows about nuclear physics.
It's time to call Obama what he is: The Great Jobs Killer. With his massive spending and tax hikes -- rewarding big government and big unions, while punishing taxpayers and business owners -- Obama has killed jobs, he has killed motivation to create new jobs, he has killed the motivation to invest in new businesses, or expand old ones. With all this killing, Obama should be given the top spot on the FBI's Most Wanted List.
Meanwhile, he has kept the union workers of GM and Chrysler employed (with taxpayer money). He has made sure that most government employee union members got their annual raises for sleeping on the job (with taxpayer money). He made sure that his voters got handouts mislabeled as "tax cuts" even though they never paid taxes (with taxpayer money). And he made sure that major campaign contributors collected billions off government stimulus (with taxpayer money).
As far as the taxpayers -- the people who actually take risks with our own money to create small businesses and jobs and pay most of the taxes -- we require protection under the Endangered Species Act.
You won't find proof of the damage Obama is doing on Wall Street, but rather on Main Street. My friends are all part of the economic engine of America: Small business. Small business creates 75 percent of new jobs (and a majority of all jobs). I called one friend who was a wealthy restaurant owner. He says business is off by 60 percent. He's drowning in debt. He won't last much longer. His wealth is gone.
I called another friend in the business of home improvement. He says business is off 90 percent from two years ago. My contractor just filed personal bankruptcy. She won't be building any more homes. The hair salon where I've had my hair cut for years closed earlier this year. Bankrupt. But here's the clincher -- ESPN Zone just closed all their restaurants across the country. If they can't make it selling cheap food and overpriced beer with 100 big screens blaring every sporting event on the planet to a sports-crazed society, we are all in deep, deep trouble.
I've polled all my friends who own small businesses -- many of them in the Internet and high-tech fields. They all agree that in this new Obama world of high business taxes, income taxes, payroll taxes, capital gains taxes, and workers compensation taxes, the key to success is to avoid employees. The only way to survive as a business owner today is by keeping the payroll very low and by hiring only independent contractors or part-time employees provided by temp agencies.
The days of jobs in the private sector with big salaries, full benefits, and pensions are over. We've all seen where those kinds of jobs get you as a business owner -- in Bankruptcy Court or surviving on government welfare like GM and Chrysler. Or in the case of government itself -- completely insolvent, but surviving by ripping off taxpayers and fraudulently running printing presses at the Fed all day and night to print money by the trillions.
Unfortunately, small businesses don't have the power to impose taxes or print money. So unlike government, we'll just have to cut employees and run lean and mean.
It has now become clear that, outside of the burgeoning field of Census takers, there will be no major increase in new jobs for years to come. Outside government, Obama has created a wasteland of economic ruin and depression that looks much like the landscape of Mel Gibson's first movie "Mad Max." Without a printing press in Obama's world, you're just plain out of luck.
The days of believing the Obama propaganda about a jobs recovery are over. The trillion-dollar corporate handouts (neatly named "stimulus") may have kept big business in the money for the past 18 months, and artificially propped up the stock market, but small business is the real canary in the coal mine.
My small business-owning friends aren't creating one job. Not one. They are shedding jobs. They are learning to do more with fewer employees. They are creating high-tech businesses that don't need employees. And many business owners are making plans to leave the country. In a high-tech world where businesses can be run from anywhere, Obama has a problem. His one-trick pony -- raise taxes, raise taxes, raising taxes -- is chasing away the business owners he desperately needs to pay his bills.
So who is going to pay Obama's taxes? Not his voters. They want government to pay them. Who is going to create Obama's jobs? Not his voters -- they've never created a job in their lives.
So what is Obama going to do? Maybe he can get Pamela Anderson on the line."
Wayne Allyn Root, a former vice presidential nominee for the Libertarian Party, writes from Henderson. His column appears every other week.

Chicago Continues With Anti Second Ammendment

After the Supreme Courts recent ruling in McDonald v Chicago case, Chicago wasted no time throwing up roadblocks to the citizens right to keep and bear arms. The city council voted 34-0 to back Daley's plan to limit gun owners to one assembled gun in the house, no shooting ranges in Chi Town, a sharp fee for the carry permit, and requiring the applicant to pass a shooting test. Pass a shooting test with no shooting ranges to practice at? I know Chicago has a smorgasbord of small cities and towns that make up the suburban area and there is probably more than a few ranges to be found in them. But have you ever driven in the Chicago area? The traffic alone is enough to constitute an infringement on gun ownership. Let's see how long it takes for another lawsuit to be file against the Draconian Rulers of Chi Town.

McDonald Response

All us gun owners have surely heard or read of the US Supreme Court ruling in the recent McDonald v Chicago case. In a 5-4 ruling the Court affirmed that the Second amendment has nearly the same treatment as the rest of the rights. So, the Second is just like the First except for all the regulations, permits, fees, bans, lies and a small army of armed enforcers ready to kick your door in at the slightest provocation. Five to four. That means there are four traitorous agents on the Court. They are obviously working against the Constitution so who are the working for?
Chicago has wasted no time getting hard at work after the Supremes decision. This is Chicago's latest interpretation of " shall not infringe". Fees, permits, training, bans and restrictions. Isn't a "restriction" an infringement? Aren't fees infringements? And how do the locals get the required range time when shooting ranges are banned in Chicago? Oh, and you can only keep ONE gun assembled and ready for use in your home. And you garage and porch are not considered part of your home. Can you see the next round of legal challenges coming up?