Record @ MindSay

Friday, June 06, 2008
http://www.nraila.org/Legislation/Federal/Read.aspx?id=3991

On the Second Amendment,

Don’t Believe Obama!The presidential primary season is finally over, and it is now time for gun owners to take a careful look at just where apparent nominee Barack Obama stands on issues related to the Second Amendment. During the primaries, Obama tried to hide behind vague statements of support for “sportsmen” or unfounded claims of general support for the right to keep and bear arms.

But his real record, based on votes taken, political associations, and long standing positions, shows that Barack Obama is a serious threat to Second Amendment liberties. Don’t listen to his campaign rhetoric! Look instead to what he has said and done during his entire political career.

FACT: Barack Obama voted to allow reckless lawsuits designed to bankrupt the firearms industry.1

FACT: Barack Obama wants to re-impose the failed and discredited Clinton Gun Ban.2

FACT: Barack Obama voted to ban almost all rifle ammunition commonly used for hunting and sport shooting.3

FACT: Barack Obama has endorsed a complete ban on handgun ownership.2

FACT: Barack Obama supports local gun bans in Chicago, Washington, D.C., and other cities.4

FACT: Barack Obama voted to uphold local gun bans and the criminal prosecution of people who use firearms in self-defense.5

FACT: Barack Obama supports gun owner licensing and gun registration.6

FACT: Barack Obama refused to sign a friend-of-the-court Brief in support of individual Second Amendment rights in the Heller case.

FACT: Barack Obama opposes Right to Carry laws.7

FACT: Barack Obama was a member of the Board of Directors of the Joyce Foundation, the leading source of funds for anti-gun organizations and “research.”8

FACT: Barack Obama supported a proposal to ban gun stores within 5 miles of a school or park, which would eliminate almost every gun store in America.9

FACT: Barack Obama voted not to notify gun owners when the state of Illinois did records searches on them.10

FACT: Barack Obama voted against a measure to lower the Firearms Owners Identification card age minimum from 21 to 18, a measure designed to assist young people in the military.11

FACT: Barack Obama favors a ban on standard capacity magazines.12

FACT: Barack Obama supports mandatory micro-stamping.13

FACT: Barack Obama supports mandatory waiting periods.2

FACT: Barack Obama supports repeal of the Tiahrt Amendment, which prohibits information on gun traces collected by the BATFE from being used in reckless lawsuits against firearm dealers and manufacturers.14

FACT: Barack Obama supports one-gun-a-month sales restrictions.9

FACT: Barack Obama supports a ban on inexpensive handguns.9

FACT: Barack Obama supports a ban on the resale of police issued firearms, even if the money is going to police departments for replacement equipment.9

FACT: Barack Obama supports mandatory firearm training requirements for all gun owners and a ban on gun ownership for persons under the age of 21.9


1. United States Senate, S. 397, vote number 219, July 2, 2005. (http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00219)

2. Independent Voters of Illinois/Independent Precinct Organization general candidate questionnaire, Sept. 9, 1996. The responses on this survey were described in “Obama had greater role on liberal survey,” Politico, March 31, 20087. (http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0308/9269.html)

3. United States Senate, S. 397, vote number 217, Kennedy amendment July 2, 2005. (http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00217)

4. David Wright, Ursula Fahy and Sunlen Miller, "Obama: 'Common Sense Regulation' On Gun Owners' Rights," ABC News' "Political Radar" Blog, http://blogs.abcnews.com, 2/15/08. (http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/02/obama-common-se.html)

5. Illinois Senate, March 25, 2004 SB 2165, vote 20.

6. “Fact Check: No News In Obama's Consistent Record.” Obama ’08, December 11, 2007. (http://www.barackobama.com/factcheck/2007/12/11/fact_check_no_news_in_obamas_c.php)

7. “Candidates' gun control positions may figure in Pa. vote,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Wednesday, April 2, 2008, and "Keyes, Obama Are Far Apart On Guns," Chicago Tribune, 9/15/04. (http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_560181.html)

8. 1998 Joyce Foundation Annual Report, p. 7. (http://www.joycefdn.org/pdf/98_AnnualReport.pdf)

9. “Obama and Gun Control,” The Volokh Conspiracy, taken from the Chicago Defender, Dec. 13, 1999. (http://www.volokh.com/posts/1203389334.shtml)

10. Illinois Senate, May 5, 2002, SB 1936 Con., vote 26.

11. Illinois Senate, March 25, 2003, SB 2163, vote 18.

12. “Clinton, Edwards, Obama on gun control,” Radio Iowa, Sunday, April 22, 2007. (http://learfield.typepad.com/radioiowa/2007/04/clinton_edwards.html)

13. Chicago Tribune blogs, “Barack Obama: NIU Shootings call for action,” February 15, 2008, (http://blogs.trb.com/news/politics/blog/2008/02/barack_obama_comments_on_shoot.html)

14. Barack Obama campaign website: “As president, Barack Obama would repeal the Tiahrt Amendment . . .” (http://www.barackobama.com/issues/urbanpolicy/#crime-and-law-enforcement.)

Copyright 2008, National Rifle Association of America, Institute for Legislative Action.
This may be reproduced. It may not be reproduced for commercial purposes.

The last couple of years I have counted down my 10 best albums of the year... and since this is a time of milestones (we're very nearly to 2008, I'm rapidly approaching 500 entries on this blog... which by the way I've been keeping for four years now), I've decided to continue the tradition.  Don't expect to see any of these on the big Mindsay voting... this is the real music that the industry doesn't always pay much attention to.  I have absolutely no criteria other than this: the album must have been released in 2007, and it must be something I actually purchased (rather than just hearing snippets of).  And without further ado... here we go...

10. Angels and Airwaves: "I-Empire"



Solid sophomore record from this band.  I must admit, I actually really like this band, surprising considering my disdain for Blink-182, from which it was spawned.  In any case... if you're into the punky stuff and don't mind some rather adult subject matter... this one's sweet.

9. tobyMac: "Portable Sounds"



Superior third set from Toby McKeehan.  You might remember him as 1/3 of dc Talk.  Well, I can safely say that his solo stuff is even better than his old band.  It's essentially hip-hop, but with some serious pop and rock influences.  Toby said that the goal for this record was to create tracks that would stand alone for listening on mp3 players, etc.  It has spent quite a bit of time on mine!

8. Josh Turner: "Everything is Fine"



Josh has the privilege of being the only country artist on the chart this year (and one of the only ones I listen to regularly, for that matter).  I kind of got out of the country scene some time ago, but Josh has a real old-school deep baritone, and I love it.  Great record.

7. Straylight Run: "The Needles The Space"



Straylight Run has been one of my favorite bands ever since their first record came out.  This one doesn't disappoint either, following in the footsteps of their previous work, but stretching the listener a little bit.  It's a little more alternative, a little more "folky"... but I love it.  An incredible amount of talent in this band.

6. Cartel: "Cartel"



Sadly, Cartel suffered a bit from the legendary "sophomore slump."  Don't get me wrong, this is a solid record, but it doesn't quite live up to the raw energy that was present on their first CD.  Still one of the best of the year, though... great pop/rock hooks and positive content.  I like it.

5. Spoken: "Spoken"



Spoken once again comes through with the best hard music album of the year.  This band will rock your face off from the moment you put the CD in until the last note ends.  This album is even a little bit harder than the last couple of records, but it works well for them, and I love it.  Don't put this one in unless you like it heavy.

4. Jars of Clay: "Live Monsters"



I fought with myself long and hard over whether this record could be included on this list.  It's a less than full length live album made up completely of material which was already on Jars' "Good Monsters" (one of LAST years best albums).  But, in the end, I had to do it.  The way Jars of Clay was able to reproduce and reinvent these songs live is stellar, and if you ask me, the versions that result are better than the original studio tracks.  Bravo, guys... you created an incredible album without doing anything new.

3. Anberlin: "Cities"



Anberlin is a band that shows an incredible amount of musical development with every record they put out.  Their singer, Steven Christian has said that if the last two records were about understanding God and others, respectively, then "Cities" is about coming to terms with yourself.  That theme definitely shows here, and the result is just awesome.  This is rock music as it was meant to be played.

2. Jon McLaughlin: "Indiana"



This is without a doubt one of the best debut albums I've ever heard.  I'm not typically into pop, but this CD really blew me away.  Plus this guy has some incredible piano chops.  I've been listening to this nonstop for almost two months now.  Simply wonderful.

Drum Roll, Please....

1. The Fold: "Secrets Keep You Sick"



From the second I put it in, I knew.  This is simply some of the best music I've ever heard.  The band goes after some really deep issues on this one, and they do it with such brilliant writing and orchestrating that it's simply irresistible.  Not to mention the ingenious packaging... it simply doesn't get any better than this.  On par with anything else I've ever heard.

And there you have it!  So now it's your turn to talk to me!  Have you heard any of these?  Do you like them as much as I do?  Is there something that I completely missed this year that I would love?  Let me know!  I'm all about the feedback!  Hope you enjoyed it... can't wait to see what happens next year!

For some reason today I am stuck in a time warp.

I loved the movie "Rocky Horror Picture Show" .... and can not even begin to tell you how many times I saw it.

For those who haven't seen it or don't know what it is ..... it turned out to be one of those "cult" flicks the had huge followings back when I was in my late teens, early twenties.  I highly recommend it, everyone should experience it just once.

Midnight showings in Rendondo Beach at the Strand theater.  Long lines of folks, dressed as their favorite character from the movie.  Props brought into the theatre, or should I say snuck into the theater ..... water bottles, rice, toast were the most popular .....

My favorite part of the movie is when Brad and Janet have their first meeting with Dr. Frakenfurter.  The music, the fishneted leg .... the heeled foot tapping to the rythyum in the elevator coming down from above .... my heart would race .... and then there he would be .... the sweet transvestite .... I thought he was about the sexiest thing alive and was amazed a man in fishnets could stir me in that way.  But he did.

The "Time Warp" would come on and everyone in the theater would be in the isles dancing along ......

I still have the picture album ..... a collectors piece ..... and sometimes when I need a little perversion I'll pull it out and remember my crush on Tim Curry as Dr. Frankenfurter.  And it makes me smile.  Fun times.

The songs are embeded in my head and from time to time one will come out and stay with me for days ..... its been the Time Warp for the last few now.

Hoping it will show up on the tube sometime this month and it will be on the agenda for sure.  Poor Dave .... he has had to watch it more than he ever cared to but its good times and good memories .... so he will have to endure.

Peace.  J.

September 30, 2007


Dr. Paul was campaigning in New Hampshire with his wife Carol and their family when our $1,000,000 goal was reached last night.  As the time drew near, they watched on a laptop as the counter reached the $1 million mark.  They, along with staff, supporters and volunteers throughout the country then celebrated this extraordinary accomplishment.

Over $1,000,000 raised in seven days for the Ron Paul 2008 presidential campaign.  Remarkable!

On behalf of Dr. Paul and every member of the campaign staff:  Thank you!!

Kent Snyder
Chairman
Ron Paul 2008

I don't like Barry Bonds - I believe it when people say he's rude and arrogant. But I think he deserves that homerun record. It's amazing to me that people are willing to pick on Bonds for using steroids - saying he hit those homeruns because of it - when a GOOD chunk of MLB ball players are guilty of taking steroids too...and don't hit 755 homeruns. Canseco didn't do it. McGuire (who never confessed to steroids either) didn't do it. Sosa didn't do it. Point being, steroids don't make you hit homeruns. Back in the day when steroids most likely weren't that popular in baseball, there were people who could hit the ball a mile. Andre Dawson, Ryan Sandberg, Howard Johnson, Jim Rice, and so on. Those people didn't do steroids and they knew how to hit a ball. There are people today who don't use steroids and they can hit homeruns too. There are also people who do tons of steroids and can't. I dare you to take a professional body builder and put him in the batters box 300 times and see how many homeruns he hits. There are many professional body builders who use steroids as an enhancement because their "sport" is based on how they look. I never did steroids and I could have AT THE VERY LEAST made it to the minor leagues - if I didn't give up. I could hit a ball hard and far. I could hit a 90+ mile an hour ball hard and far. I could do all kinds of things, and yet I never took any kind of steroid. Barry Bonds may be an asshole and he may have even used steroids, but that isn't what made him hit the ball over the wall.