Friday, July 24, 2009

DRIVE BY TRUCKERS, ETC.

I saw the Drive By Truckers last evening at the Shoals Theater in Florence, Alabama. It was a homecoming for Pat Hood, Mike Cooley, and the band, and they didn't disappoint. Starting at 9:15, they played for almost three hours to a packed house. Sitting in on piano was Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee (2009) Spooner Oldham.

Three friends and I got free tickets. It's hard to beat that! One of my friends, Tom "Pizza" Hillmeyer was actually offered the job of playing bass for the DBT when they first started. He politely turned the offer down because he didn't want to tour anymore. He previously played all over the South with his punk band called The Chromatics. He is a marvelously talented musician. We play with a couple of other friends every Wednesday night. Once we get an hour set list down, we'll try and do some local gigs in the Shoals . . . Yardbirds, Beatles, Stones, and other old stuff.

By the way, Patterson Hood is a first rate entertainer. Mike Cooley reminds me somewhat of the late Gram Parsons. If you haven't seen the DBT yet, I recommend you do so. They are a great act, Southern to the core! Live well . . .

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

IT CAN'T HAPPEN HERE?

American "exceptionalism" often blinds us to historical reality. No nation (or people) is immune to tyranny or other traumatic events.

Back in 2003 when Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore refused to obey a federal court order and remove the Ten Commandments monument from the State Judicial Building, I had the opportunity to address that issue on several radio talk shows across Alabama.

These were "conservative" talk shows, and most of the callers were evangelical Christians. A typical response to the ruling went something like this: "Yes, I support Judge Moore and want the monument to stay where it is. But the court has made its ruling and we have to obey the law whether we like it or not."

To counter, I made the following points: (1) it was not the business of the federal courts to rule on such matters and (2) that a federal court ruling (even one issued by the Supreme Court) was not necessarily the final say on a matter of law because the Legislative and Executive branches, as well as the States, also have the right to a say themselves. However, I did not get far with this argument (even though it was correct).

I had to fall back on something a bit more simple and direct. I said something like this: "Well, let's suppose that a federal court rules that you must close the doors of your church and stop worshiping God on Sunday. Would you consider this a legitimate ruling and would you obey it?"

The reaction stunned me. Instead of saying "no," most of the callers said that this was America and something like that "could never happen here."

How do you reach such people? Do they really believe that we, as Americans, have received a cosmic King's Exemption from the realities of history that effect the rest of the world? Can really bad things like tyranny just not happen here? Are there no evil men in American public life who would like to control us all? Is our "democratic" nation indispensable to the outworking of God's providential plan for His Creation? Or, are we merely fools for believing such infantile rubbish?

Live well . . .

Monday, July 13, 2009

OUR FANTASY WORLD OF FINANCE

It used to be that "cooking the books" was an illegal practice. I suppose it still is for you and me. But apparently it is not for the Gangsters and their buddies in DC and on Wall Street.

In May, The Chosen One (aka Barry Obama) signed off on a writ that permitted banks to "restructure" loans in Mortgage Backed Security bonds (MBS bonds) with no legal consequences from MBS bondholders. In the past, MBS bondholders could sue if the bonds they held were altered or changed. No more.

What does this all mean? It means that "loan modifications" will be allowed that will permit banks to carry bad mortgages (those that are either "underwater" or in arrears) on their books as worth 100 cents on the dollar after they are "restructured." Nevermind that many (if not most) of these mortgages are worth less than 50 cents on the dollar. Under Obama's Writ, the banks will not be forced to do "mark to market" accounting on these assets. The result? Inflated balance sheets for the banks and more hefty bonuses for the fat cats who run them.

Because of this accounting trick, I'd be willing to bet that the second quarter earnings of, say, a Goldman Sachs or JP Morgan will be just as rosy as their questionable first quarter stats.

How long can the "smoke and mirrors" approach to creative accounting continue to fool the American taxpayer? Probably for a while. But those in the know in Europe and Asia will not be fooled; and they are the ones the Fed and Treasury depend on to buy our debt instruments. And they cannot be happy about the official policy of lying about asset valuations being perpetrated by DC and Wall Street.

Our fantasy world of finance may be about to crumble. It can't come too soon. Then perhaps some sort of rebuilding can begin.

Live well . . .

Thursday, July 9, 2009

A TIMELY QUOTE FROM MR. JEFFERSON

In light of the current criminal activity by the Fed, the Treasury, Goldman Sachs, et al, I think a quote by Mr. Thomas Jefferson is in order:

"I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around [the banks] will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered. The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs."

-Thomas Jefferson

We had better heed his words. Live well . . .

A FEW LYRICS FOR THE MUSE

"You're my blue sky, you're my sunny day.
Lord, you know it makes me high
When you turn your love my way,
Turn your love my way . . ."

(now imagine Duane Allman's beautiful solo . . . )

From "Blue Sky, " Richard "Dickie" Betts, The Allman Brothers Band (1971)

Thanks for all the good times, Muse.

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

A SOUTHERN DINNER (AT NOON)

Our dinner today was almost all from the first fruits of our garden. Fresh red, ripe tomatoes, an old heritage strain of Mississippi field peas (seasoned with bacon, salt, and pepper and cooked for a couple of hours), a small pone of cornbread cooked in an old black iron skillet, and fresh cabbage (seasoned with black, white, and cayenne pepper, and a little bit of sugar and bacon grease). Oh, and those peas and pot likker were served over the cornbread. That's the gourmet way of doing it!

It is remarkable how good real food tastes! I'm glad no one was videotaping me; I ate like a hungry barbarian.

Soon, God willing, my okra and Mississippi pink-eye purple hull peas will be ready. We've already had a good crop of blueberries, and the muscadines are plentiful for the autumn harvest.

So far, I've shot two rabbits that were eating in my garden. The second kill was a head shot--using iron sights--from forty yards with an old Springfield .22 rifle given to me by my grandfather when I was ten. I used .22 long rifle hollow points. I am justifiably proud of that shot! The target was only partly visible behind a large tomato plant. I can't shoot a pistol very well, but I am still deadly with a rifle (and have been since all those childhood hunting trips with my Daddy, Granddaddy, and Uncles).

I hope you all eat well from your gardens this summer (and into the fall and winter, if you put things up). And watch out for those pesky rabbits. Live well . . .

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

WHAT I DID AND DID NOT DO TODAY

I did not watch coverage of Michael Jackson's funeral today. Someone told me that it was happening, but I did not watch. Instead, I cooked breakfast for my sweet wife while she spent time writing. I carried my youngest daughter to her voice lesson. I spent an hour talking with a close friend. I did not watch coverage of Michael Jackson's funeral.

I ate leftovers with my wife for dinner ("lunch" to you non-Southerners) while we talked about her latest writing project. I worked at my job. I went to the bank and post office and filled up my car with gas. But I did not watch coverage of Michael Jackson's funeral.

I called my oldest daughter and wished her a happy birthday. I watched a video of my two-year grandson (her son) say "Roll Tide, Pop." I picked a fresh tomato from my garden. But I did not watch coverage of Michael Jackson's funeral.

I had a phone conversation with an old high school friend. I picked up a few things for supper at the grocery store. I cut my grass. But I did not watch coverage of Michael Jackson's funeral.

I ate supper with my wife. I watched a war movie from Netflix. I checked my e-mail. But I did not watch coverage of Michael Jackson's funeral.

All in all, I had a good day. Hope you did, too. Live well . . .

Sunday, July 5, 2009

A SOLEMN WARNING . . .

Below is a solemn warning to the Gangsters--financial, economic, and political--who are fleecing the American taxpayer and think they can get away with it:

PSALM 2 (KJV):

"Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?

The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed.

Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.

He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.

Then shall he speak to them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.

Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.

I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.

Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.

Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him."

Powerful and ambitious men often forget where the real power lies and who owns every bit of the Creation. They also forget there is such a thing as true justice. May God's will be done in this and all other matters. And may He have mercy on all those suffering from the criminal actions of the Gangsters.

Live well . . .

ON BEING ROBBED

One of my favorite sayings is this: "A poor man robs you with a gun. A rich man robs you with a lawyer." Broadly speaking, this means that it is easy to understand what is happening to you when a robber sticks a gun in your ribs and says "give me your money." But it is not so easy to understand the process when men in expensive suits, using arcane words (and often mathematical formulas), are the criminals.

Let's apply the above to the current economic/financial scandal. We are being robbed by the equivalent of lawyers, guarded by men with guns. It is, as it were, a double whammy on us. If the American people understood the extent to which they were being robbed, there would be a revolution tomorrow (at least I'd like to think there would be). But the robbers have obscured their game in such a fog of technical jargon and impenetrable financial shenanigans that the average man on the street has no idea of what's going on. And that's the way the Establishment elite likes it.

Now, I'll be the first to admit that I'm no financial or economic guru. I did teach some classes in American economic history on the college level, and I do understand some of the fundamental issues involved. But I do know where to go to find men who do understand what the Gangsters are doing to us. These men can talk all the jargon (and that's why they understand the con game that's going on) but they also can cut through the bullshit and explain things in laymen's terms.

Two of the best sites are Tyler Durden's "Zero Hedge" (http://zerohedge.blogspot.com/) and Karl Denninger's "The Market Ticker" (http://market-ticker.denninger.net/). Both Durden and Denninger are great at exposing the con game in such a way that you and I can understand it. Morever, they research and report on issues that the Mainstream Media will not touch. I don't know much about either man's politics, but I do know that they are against the corruption that is going down in DC and on Wall Street. That's enough for me.

I have been following both men (and others) since last fall, and they have helped me connect the dots. The picture that has emerged is not a pretty one (but one I suspected all along was there). It is this--the bankers (including, of course, Bernanke and Geithner), the banks (especially Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan), and the US government (including the regulatory agencies who should be monitoring this con game and the enforcement agencies who should be prosecuting the criminals) are all in cahoots. They are robbing us blind with impunity. And the Chosen One--Obama--surveys it all.

Oh, and back to the man with the gun in my opening quote. He may not be doing the actual robbery but he is there to protect those who are. A pertinent question--who is going to march into the halls of power in DC or New York and bring these criminals to justice? What do we, the concerned taxpayers (many of whom have been tarred as potential "domestic terrorists"), do when the criminals have the armed forces and law enforcement in their back pockets? They also have the courts. Hell, they control all the institutions that might be used to stop the con game. How does one begin to reform such a monster when the monster itself controls all the avenues of reform? States Rights and secession, anyone . . . ?

Just a little something to ponder on this day after Independence Day. Live well. . .

Saturday, July 4, 2009

HAPPY SECESSION DAY!

Happy Secession Day! Though most pundits claim that the Declaration of Independence's most important idea is "all men are created equal," I believe it is the right and necessity of secession from tyrannical regimes. And that principle applies as readily today as it did in 1776 or 1861.

Secession, or, more bluntly, independence from DC, is a growing movement in America.

I wonder how many folks celebrating this holiday really understand what it means? Let's hope that number is growing larger with each passing hour. We may not have much time to act to restore our liberty and prosperity.

Today, my family and I will raise a toast to Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, George Washington, and a whole generation of men who were willing to pledge their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor so their descendants could live free. I hope you'll do the same. Live well . . .

Thursday, July 2, 2009

NO MORE FREE MARKETS

There are no more "free markets" in America, at least outside of emerging underground ones that will be necessary for survival. There is only intervention and manipulation by the Fed, Treasury, Goldman Sachs, and JP Morgan, et al. I would not invest in "the market" with your money, much less my own.

I can't decide if the US is becoming fascist or socialist--maybe a little of both? I do know this, however: it's time that reasonable people think about secession and independence. It may be the only sane course. Let DC and its corrupt allies stew in their own juices. The rest of us can do better on our own.

Question for the day: How much gold is there in Fort Knox?

Quote for the day: "That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."--Thomas Jefferson, The Declaration of Independence (1776).

Thought for the day: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; the fear of death is the beginning of slavery.

Live well . . .