Anonymous’ hackers being used by Russian Intelligence?

Jeffrey Roman from Data Breach Today reported on the 2012 cyber attack against the Sheriff of Lake County, Florida computers. Roman wrote, “Hacktivists associated with Anonymous have reportedly released sensitive information from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office in Florida. According to WKMG Local 6, hackers who came from an Internet server in Russia posted 16,000 files online, which include 911 calls, witness and victim statements, names of young crime victims, and names of Central Florida SWAT team members and their personal phone numbers, as well as the SWAT unit’s operating guide, the number of team members and number of snipers.”

“The hacking group LulzKnightz, which associates itself with AntiSec and Anonymous, has claimed responsibility, and took to a Pastebin page to post the data online, which equals 4.7 gigabytes of information,” notes Roman.

In a statement posted to that page, LulzKnightz explained its justification for the attack, saying, “More evidence that the illegitimate justice system protects their own, who get away with rampant corruption and theft, while the police apply unconstitutional profiling and pressure in their efforts to raise their arrest quotas and keep homeland security money rolling in.”

But is this attack about exposing an “illegitimate justice system”, “rampant corruption and theft” or something else?

Russian_Foreign_Intelligence_Agency

Seal of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service – Служба Внешней Разведки

Who was really behind this attack on a Florida sheriff’s computers and why? The who: The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service – Служба Внешней Разведки. The why: International espionage.

The Lake County Sheriff’s computers were targeted, as are tens of thousands of other law enforcement computers, by a foreign government – Russia. The purpose is to gather intelligence. Russia monitors groups like LulzKnighz, AntiSec and Anonymous. In some cases, Russia embeds its own people into these and other hacker organizations to gather needed intelligence. These groups become a cover for Russian intelligence operations. As one expert in cyber warfare put it, “Some of these hackers may be ignorant of the fact they are being used, but they are not innocent.”

In this particular case the data traveled to an Adidas server in Romania and then to servers in Moscow. Foreign intelligence services monitor hacker groups daily and when they detect a breach, such as what happened in the Lake County Sheriff case, they tag along and take what they really want. Who gets the blame? Not the Russians, of course, but Anonymous who is more than happy to take the credit. The consequences of these attacks have a direct impact on US national security.

The Russians wanted the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) usernames and passwords  on the Lake County Sheriff’s computers. Why? Because many of the members of the JTTF use the same username and password for their own department computers. This gives Russia access to a variety of federal computer systems like that of the FBI.

Anonymous is being used by Russian intelligence. Some members of Anonymous, and other groups, are actually plants. Others do it as proxies, a.k.a. spies, being paid by the Russians in Bitcoins for their work. Some just do it for the fun of exposing an “illegitimate justice system” and unknowingly are aiding and abetting treason against the United States.

Perhaps Anonymous needs to vett who their members really are? Some of them are part of Russia’s “illegitimate justice system”.

EDITORS NOTE: The feature photo is of members of the ‘Anonymous’ group travel on the London Underground system between Scientology’s Queen Victoria Street and Tottenham Court Road offices. The masks are those of everyman ‘V’ from the film ‘V for Vendetta’. It is courtesy of James Harrison.

RELATED COLUMN: Panicked Shoppers Fight Over Food Amid ‘Snowpocalypse’

The O’Nesky Report: Top Stories for Conservatives with a Conscience

The O’Nesky Report is a compilation of the latest stories for the Conservative with a Conscience. It is presented for those who want to stay current on the top issues impacting America and the conservative movement. It is the go-to news feed for those who have limited time but want to keep their finger on the pulse of conservative America.

I welcome any feedback. Thanks for reading The O’Nesky Report and taking the time to share it with your friends, family and social contacts.

“When the state intervenes to insure the indoctrination of some doctrine, it does so because there is no conclusive evidence in favor of that doctrine.” – Bertrand Russell (1872-1970) Philosopher, educator, 1928

Republicans Shouldn’t Run Away From The TEA Party

Republican Party leaders seem willing, anxious even, to walk away from the Tea Party, certain that such bedrock support will brand the GOP as extremist in voters’ eyes. If anything, polls show, the opposite is true.  With 10 months to go before the crucial midterm elections, Republicans understandably will try to avoid screwing up their chances for victory.

Democrats have taken to vilifying any Republican who actually stands for something — such as Texas Sen. Ted Cruz — as a captive of what they’d like to label as the far-right fringe.  This can be seen in the efforts of Sen. Charles Schumer of New York — the Democrats’ top political strategist — to, in the words of The Hill, “poison the Tea Party by driving a wedge between its rich funders and its blue-collar rank and file.”

This kind of hardball has Republicans in a bit of a panic. And in case you’re wondering, it’s a big reason why they supported the pork-filled $1.1 trillion spending bill this month, and why GOP leaders are talking about legalizing millions of illegal immigrants.  But before they sell their souls to political expediency, they might want to look at a few recent polls that suggest the small-government, conservative ideals of the Tea Party are quite popular. To wit:

  • A Quinnipiac Poll finds 53% believe the Obama administration has been incompetent at running the federal government. And 56% oppose ObamaCare, the Democrats’ signature accomplishment since 2008.
  • In a recent Gallup Poll, almost two-thirds of Americans said the U.S. government has gotten too big and too powerful, and are unhappy with how it works.
  • A Fox News Poll found 62% believing income inequality is acceptable “because that’s just how the economy works.” Another 21% agreed inequality was bad, but that the government “shouldn’t get involved.”

Get the picture? Average Americans show a strong preference for smaller, more-accountable government. And which group most closely fits that description in its basic beliefs? Why, the Tea Party, of course.  Republicans would be wise to heed the people’s clear will and not fall for Democrat ploys to make them feel “extreme.” If anything, it’s the Democrats, now a party of the far left, who are the extremists.

Republicans shouldn’t look at them and say, “Me, too.” As a statesman once said, Americans deserve a choice, not an echo.

Editorial, Investor’s Business Daily – January 23, 2014

Pilots Stripped Of Constitutional Rights Forced To Transport Tens Of 1000s Of Illegal Muslims To US

This is a must watch video.  “Adherents to Shariah are fundamentally and unalterably opposed to the survival of the Constitution of the United States.” -Tennessee state Rep. Rick Womick

“Tennessee state Rep. Rick Womick, who participated in a panel called “Defending Liberty in Legislatures,” is an Boeing 777 airline pilot who has flown five flights with Somali immigrants on board from London to New York City.”

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P02baf-wcvk[/youtube]

ObamaCare’s Missing Uninsured

Most who have signed up already had insurance. The Medicaid numbers are no more reassuring.  “I’m not going to walk away from 40 million people who have the chance to get health insurance for the first time,” President Obama declared in November. Echoing his boss, White House press secretary Jay Carney insisted that millions of Americans are now “able to avail themselves of quality, affordable health insurance . . . many of them for the first time.”  The Affordable Care Act would right a great social wrong. Or so we were told. But reality is again intruding on the Obama administration’s narrative.

This newspaper reported Saturday that between 65% and 80% of those who have signed up for health insurance through the federal or state ObamaCare exchanges previously had coverage, according to insurers. A survey by McKinsey & Co. suggested that only 11% of those who purchased plans through the exchanges were previously uninsured.

Surprised? We shouldn’t be. This was forecast in a February 2011 study underwritten by the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Researchers at the VA, Boston University’s School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School’s Mongan Institute for Health Policy focused on “crowd-out” effects in which employees and their families are moved “from private to public insurance without reducing the number of uninsured very much.” The study concluded that, over the long run, the Affordable Care Act “will shift increasing numbers of workers from employer-sponsored insurance to public insurance and federally-subsidized insurance purchased through exchanges.”

Crowding-out seems to have started earlier than anticipated. This is probably because the study (a) did not consider ObamaCare’s impact in causing the cancellation of many policies in the individual and small-group markets, or (b) its incentives for companies to drop employer-provided coverage, especially businesses with fewer than 50 workers. Whatever the explanation, most people getting private insurance under ObamaCare already had it, probably with lower premiums and deductibles…

It’s worth noting, too, that compared with the pre-ObamaCare period of July-September 2013, Medicaid applications in November were down 4.2% in states that expanded Medicaid and 15.2% in states that did not. One would expect all the hubbub about the new law, especially the availability of Medicaid in states that expanded coverage, would have produced more, not fewer, applications…

Did all these patterns continue in December? We don’t yet know. Although CMS reported November’s numbers on Dec. 20, Jan. 20 came and went without a CMS update for December. Perhaps they had a computer problem.

Regardless, most people signing up for the exchanges or Medicaid were already covered by private plans or eligible for Medicaid. This is not how it was supposed to be. Mr. Obama promised coverage for those without insurance and no disruptions for those already possessing it. Instead, tens of millions of Americans are not receiving coverage while there are massive disruptions for those who had plans before ObamaCare.

In doing great damage to our health-care system, Mr. Obama and congressional Democrats are also discovering there’s a big price for massive incompetence, hype and misdirection.

Karl Rove, The Wall Street Journal –  January 23, 2014

Target To Drop Health Insurance For Part-Time Workers

Target said it will end health insurance for part-time employees, joining Trader Joe’s, Home Depot and other retailers that have scaled back benefits in response to changes from ObamaCare, says Bloomberg.

  • About 10 percent of Target’s part-time employees, defined as those working fewer than 30 hours a week, use the company’s health plans now.
  • Target said it would pay $500 to part-timers losing coverage and a consulting firm will help workers sign up for new ObamaCare plans…

National Center for Policy Analysis – January 23, 2014

Board Declares NSA Data Sweep Illegal, Says Program Should Be Ended

An independent board tasked with reviewing National Security Agency surveillance called Thursday for the government to end its mass data collection program and “purge” its files, declaring the program illegal in a major challenge to President Obama.

The president did not go nearly as far when he called last week for ending government control of phone data collected from hundreds of millions of Americans. In its report, obtained by Fox News and scheduled for release Thursday afternoon, The Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB) said the program ran afoul of the law on several fronts.  “The … bulk telephone records program lacks a viable legal foundation,” the board’s report said, adding that it raises “serious threats to privacy and civil liberties” and has “only limited value.”

“As a result, the Board recommends that the government end the program,” the panel wrote.  It remains to be seen whether Obama will accept all or part of the recommendations, but the findings could nevertheless be used as leverage in federal lawsuits against NSA spying.  The report concluded that the NSA collection raises “constitutional concerns” with regard to U.S. citizens’ rights of speech, association and privacy.

“The connections revealed by the extensive database of telephone records gathered under the program will necessarily include relationships established among individuals and groups for political, religious, and other expressive purposes,” it said. “Compelled disclosure to the government of information revealing these associations can have a chilling effect on the exercise of First Amendment rights.”  The panel added that the program “implicates constitutional concerns under the First and Fourth Amendments.”…

The report also rejected claims that the program was necessary to cover up a gap in intelligence arising from a failure to detect Al Qaeda members in the United States prior to the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks. U.S. officials had claimed that the phone data collection program would have made clear that terrorist Khalid al-Mihdhar was calling a safehouse in Yemen from a San Diego address.  “The failure to identify Mihdhar’s presence in the United States stemmed primarily from a lack of information sharing among federal agencies, not of a lack of surveillance capabilities,” the report said. “This was a failure to connect the dots, not a failure to connect enough dots.”

The board’s recommendations go well beyond the reforms ordered by Obama in a major speech last Friday, in which he said that the phone records database would no longer be held by the NSA. Obama also tightened restrictions on gathering and accessing phone data, but did not recommend the program’s end…

The oversight board was created at the urging of the independent commission on the 9/11 attacks as a key organizational reform needed to balance counterterrorism policy with civil liberties concerns. The board functioned fitfully for several years, often short on members because of Congress’ inaction. It finally won legislative approval last year for all five members and staff and took on its study of the NSA programs at the urging of Obama and congressional leaders.

AP, FoxNews – January 23, 2014

Moody’s Blames Obamacare For Downgrade In Health Insurers

Moody’s Investors Service on Thursday downgraded its outlook on U.S. health insurers from stable to negative, citing concerns with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.  In its announcement, Moody’s said that the Affordable Care Act has continued to “create uncertainty for the industry.” “While we’ve had industry risks from regulatory changes on our radar for a while, the ongoing unstable and evolving environment is a key factor for our outlook change,” said Stephen Zaharuk, a Moody’s Senior Vice President and author of the report. “The past few months have seen new regulations and announcements that impose operational changes well after product and pricing decisions were finalized.”

The past few months have been full of problems for President Barack Obama’s signature health-care law. For much of October and November,website glitches led to low enrollment numbers. Though most of those website issues have been resolved, Moody’s cited concerns with the demographic breakdown of enrollments.  Specifically, Moody’s said it was disconcerting that only 24% of enrollees so far have been between the ages of 18-34, when the original target for this group was around 40%. If the trend continues without enrollment from the young and healthy to balance out the older and sicker, it could lead insurers to increase rates.

Moody’s also cited a concern that insurers’ premium calculations could be insufficient to cover the industry assessment tax — the new tax on medical devices that begins in 2014.  “These changing dynamics will have an uneven effect on insurers…

Brett LoGiurato, Yahoo Finance – January 23, 2014

The Majority Of Voters ‘Get It’

  • 74 percent of U.S. voters say they feel that the nation is “still in a recession.”
  • 69 percent say their friends and family do not resent people who make a lot of money.
  • 62 percent accept the fact that some people make more than others because “that’s how our economy works.”
  • 21 percent say this phenomenon “stinks” and 13 percent say it “makes them angry.”
  • 55 percent say cutting federal taxes and reducing regulations will help the economy.
  • 55 percent say that giving unemployment benefits for those unemployed “a long time” discourages them from finding work.
  • 12 percent agree that “if someone becomes successful and makes a lot of money, it means that someone else has to make less money.”

Source: A Fox News poll of 1,010 registered U.S. voters conducted Jan. 19-21.

Jennifer Harper, Inside the Beltway – January 23, 2014

Oh, We Bad! Our Big-Boy President Takes To Trash-Talking al Qaeda

In his compelling and revealing new memoir, “Duty,” former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates describes that tense evening in the White House situation room when the Obama crowd watched the assassination of Osama bin Laden real-time.  When the world’s most wanted man had been popped, bagged and was enroute to the bottom of the Indian Ocean, the in-crowd rose to disperse. Obama would soon announce the news, igniting spontaneous street celebrations.

Gates worried about leaks of operational details revealing how Special Ops conducts such raids nightly in the world’s deadliest corners. He asked everyone to promise to reveal nothing more of what they saw than the bare facts. We got him. He’s dead. All raiders are safe. Everyone agreed.  “That lasted about five hours,” Gates recalls sadly.

So intense was the Obama administration’s need to gloat, brag, spike the football, chest-bump, end-zone dance that within hours officials, on background without identification, provided reporters the “tick-tock.”

That’s the beloved minute-by-minute account of some major news event that D.C. media gobble up faster than like free food. The raid timeline, number of raiders, stealth helicopters, refueling stops, radar-jamming, the hard-drives and documents seized, even the name of the SEALs dog, everything, each detail designed to make the campaigning president look good.  And if all this empty braggadocio made life more dangerous for the real combatants, well, that simply wasn’t a consideration.

Everyone agrees Obama sat and watched the bin Laden raid with tremendous courage, as the SEALs did their deadly duty half-a-world-away that night. Soon, Obama was repeatedly describing al Qaeda as on the run and decimated by military and drone strikes.

A year later this clearly-crippled and no-longer-effective terrorist organization and its affiliates sacked and burned the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, killing four Americans, including the ambassador. The Obama response was to fabricate a tale about an obscure video as the cause and stick to it, even after documented debunking by his own experts.  Last May in a major national defense speech, trying to pivot from his growing scandals, Obama naively proclaimed this country could not be perpetually at war — as if that’s a unilateral decision he can make regardless of actions by others.

Now comes another stunning example of Obama’s Amateur Hour. He had a recent conversation with David Remnick of the New Yorker. Now Remnick, like Bob Woodward, is a master at getting subjects to talk.  But Obama has just begun the 62d month of his presidency as commander-in-chief of the world’s most powerful military. He didn’t just fall off the sweet-potato truck. Yes, the Super Bowl looms near, prompting all kinds of inappropriate sports metaphors and analogies.

However, as he sought to explain White House thinking to his journalist visitor, Obama should know better than to stoop to the inflammatory, trash-talking level of a Richard Sherman.  “The analogy we use around here sometimes, and I think is accurate, is if a J.V. team puts on Lakers uniforms, that doesn’t make them Kobe Bryant.” Forget for a moment, Mr. President, the fact that the hobbled Bryant has been out since late last year with no return date set. So, right now in basketball warrior terms, Kobe Bryant is useless.

Al Qaeda, on the other hand, has never controlled more territory. Thanks to Obama’s impulsive overthrow of Moammar Gadhafi with no replacement at hand, those terrorists now control most of Libya. They’re on the winning side of Obama’s vanished red line in Syria.  And they came within a few days of taking over Mali, but for a U.S. airlift of French troops. A reinforcement rescue the Obama administration was completely unprepared to undertake on 9/11/12 to save embattled Americans in Benghazi.

Remember Obama’s misplaced concern over bin Laden’s death photos? Never mind giving 317 million Americans the satisfaction of seeing that satanic symbol of murderous evil brought to final justice.  Instead, Obama’s ruling worry was over inciting crazy people to still do crazy things. As if sparing their delicate eyes from a bullet-riddled bin Laden would somehow cause terrorists to go easy on the next vest laden with C-4.

But now suddenly it’s OK for a dismissive Obama to flippantly liken the homicidal remnants of al Qaeda to pimply teen-aged boys who can’t make the varsity basketball team? Seriously? You can bet before the next game this clipping will go up on the bulletin board in al Qaeda’s locker room. Thank goodness, though, Obama finally appears to have gotten his priorities straightened out. Yes, he did vow that 2014 would be a year of action creating all those promised jobs. But that’s later.

Today’s big issue event for both the president of the United States and the vice president of the United States is to hear recommendations from a special commission they created to reduce wait times for voters. Seriously.

Andrew Malcolm, Investor’s Business Daily – January 22, 2014

The Netherlands Embarks On Welfare Reform

The Netherlands, which built one of the world’s largest welfare states, is trying to reduce welfare dependency, says Michael Boskin, a professor of economics at Stanford University.  In the 1960s and 1970s, the Netherlands developed a welfare program that contained so many subsidies and transfer payments that after-tax wages were barely higher than the benefits being paid out by the government. When Dutch citizens lost their jobs, they rarely returned to work.

The welfare state did a lot to damage the Dutch economy. King of the Netherlands, Willem-Alexander, recently said: “Our labor market and system of public services no longer fully meet the demands of the twenty-first century….The classical welfare state is slowly but surely evolving into a participation society.”  As a result, the country is taking steps to change that:

  • Disability insurance led to skyrocketing disability payments, even while the percent of workers in dangerous jobs decreased. To deal with that rise in payments, the Dutch are requiring firms with high claim rates to pay more for the insurance, to incentivize workplace safety.
  • The country has begun using information campaigns to encourage the unemployed to return to work, and welfare recipients now must demonstrate proof that they are actively searching for a job before they can become eligible for benefits. They also must work or perform volunteer community service while receiving benefits. Even if a job requires a long commute, the system requires that recipients take that job.

Other countries should take similar steps. All countries are going to see an increase in dependency as life expectancies rise. The United States, in the next 30 years, will go from one retiree for every three workers to one retiree for every two workers, and Italy and Germany each will have a 1:1 ratio.

Governments should make an effort to rein in their unsustainable welfare state programs before it is too late.

National Center for Policy Analysis – January 22, 2014

The U.S. must reform [all the freebie programs] and it must be soon.  But that will require a positive change in the federal government.  Hopefully the GOP can win control of the Senate in 2014 and will start the process.  Don O’Nesky

He Must Have Known Obama!

“Those in possession of absolute power can not only prophesy and make their prophecies come true, but they can also lie and make their lies come true.” – Eric Hoffer (1902-1983) American author, philosopher, awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom

Aetna CEO: We May Have To Pull Out Of Obamacare, Or Heavily Hike Premiums

Via CNBC, an appropriate companion story to Moody’s decision to downgrade health insurers’ credit outlook to “negative.” At least one chief executive within the industry is openly warning markets and consumers that actions — and math — have real-world consequences, no matter how hard political actors spin.

Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini told CNBC on Wednesday that Obamacare has failed to attract the uninsured, and he offered a scenario in which the insurance company could be forced to pull out of program. The company will be submitting Obamacare rates for 2015 onMay 15. “Are they going to be double-digit [increases] or are we going to get beat up because they’re double-digit or are we just going to have to pull out of the program?” Bertolini asked…”Those questions can’t be answered until we see the population we have today. And we really don’t have a good view on that.” He said that so far, Obamacare has just shifted people who were insured in the individual market to the public exchanges where they could get a better deal on a subsidy for coverage. “We see only 11 percent of the population is actually people that were firmly uninsured that are now insured. So [it] didn’t really eat into the uninsured population.”

That brief excerpt underscores several intractable problems with the president’s healthcare law. (1) The risk pools’ demographics aren’t shaping up to be healthy enough to make the exchanges work well. (2) If insurers eventually begin to sever ties with Obamacare, the remaining plans will face an even more acute scarcity crisis. In other words, “access shock.” (3) Climbing premiums appear to be a fact of life under Obamacare, which was sold as an antidote to the problem. (4) Very few of the “newly” insured within the exchanges were previously uninsured — the very population that this expensive law was ostensibly designed to help. In light of those struggles, Jonah Goldberg poses the rhetorical question that many Americans are asking themselves: So what was the point of Obamacare, again? Bertolini went on to comment that because Obamacare represents such a small sliver of Aetna’s business, the prospect of a health insurance bailout is basically a non-factor for his company. That won’t be the case for other insurers, however, and I’d imagine that a (scheduled) industry bailout won’t go over particularly well with the public, for reasons outlined by Megan McArdle:

Summer 2014: Insurers get a sizable chunk of money from the government to cover any excess losses. When the costs are published, this is going to be wildly unpopular: The administration has spent three years saying that Obamacare was the antidote to abuses by Big, Bad Insurance Companies, and suddenly it’s a mechanism to funnel taxpayer money to them?

Those costs may not be published until 2015. I quoted McArdle’s piece at some length yesterday, and I’d encourage you to read the entire thing. She and another Obamacare opponent debated two supporters of the law on the hyper-liberal, tony Upper West Side of Manhattan earlier in the week. And they won.

For your reference, a “win” in this forum is determined by which side persuaded more people, based on pre- and post-debate votes from audience members. Obamacare’s critics doubled their percentage of the vote among a crowd that is heavily inclined to support the president and his liberal policies.

Guy Benson, TownHall
January 24, 2014

In Hoc Anno Domini – “In this year of our Lord”

Vermont Connecticut Royster

Vermont Connecticut Royster

Vermont Connecticut Royster was the editor of the editorial page of the The Wall Street Journal from 1958 to 1971. He was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Ronald Reagan. He won two Pulitzer Prizes for his writing, and numerous other awards. Royster was famed for providing a conservative interpretation of the news every day, especially regarding economic issues.

Several of the editorials he wrote are considered classics: The Desolate Wilderness along with And the Fair Land are now the Wall Street Journal’s traditional Thanksgiving editorials, and In Hoc Anno Domini appears every Christmas since he wrote it in 1949.

In Hoc Anno Domini (In this year of our Lord) is reprinted here courtesy of the Wall Street Journal:

When Saul of Tarsus set out on his journey to Damascus the whole of the known world lay in bondage. There was one state, and it was Rome. There was one master for it all, and he was Tiberius Caesar.

Everywhere there was civil order, for the arm of the Roman law was long. Everywhere there was stability, in government and in society, for the centurions saw that it was so.

But everywhere there was something else, too. There was oppression—for those who were not the friends of Tiberius Caesar. There was the tax gatherer to take the grain from the fields and the flax from the spindle to feed the legions or to fill the hungry treasury from which divine Caesar gave largess to the people. There was the impressor to find recruits for the circuses. There were executioners to quiet those whom the Emperor proscribed. What was a man for but to serve Caesar?

There was the persecution of men who dared think differently, who heard strange voices or read strange manuscripts. There was enslavement of men whose tribes came not from Rome, disdain for those who did not have the familiar visage. And most of all, there was everywhere a contempt for human life. What, to the strong, was one man more or less in a crowded world?

Then, of a sudden, there was a light in the world, and a man from Galilee saying, Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s and unto God the things that are God’s.

And the voice from Galilee, which would defy Caesar, offered a new Kingdom in which each man could walk upright and bow to none but his God. Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. And he sent this gospel of the Kingdom of Man into the uttermost ends of the earth.

So the light came into the world and the men who lived in darkness were afraid, and they tried to lower a curtain so that man would still believe salvation lay with the leaders.

But it came to pass for a while in diverse places that the truth did set man free, although the men of darkness were offended and they tried to put out the light. The voice said, Haste ye. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness come upon you, for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

Along the road to Damascus the light shone brightly. But afterward Paul of Tarsus, too, was sore afraid. He feared that other Caesars, other prophets, might one day persuade men that man was nothing save a servant unto them, that men might yield up their birthright from God for pottage and walk no more in freedom.

Then might it come to pass that darkness would settle again over the lands and there would be a burning of books and men would think only of what they should eat and what they should wear, and would give heed only to new Caesars and to false prophets. Then might it come to pass that men would not look upward to see even a winter’s star in the East, and once more, there would be no light at all in the darkness.

And so Paul, the apostle of the Son of Man, spoke to his brethren, the Galatians, the words he would have us remember afterward in each of the years of his Lord:

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

A Soldier’s Christmas

[youtube]http://youtu.be/kfp07-9YsKY[/youtube]

This video courtesy of W.B. Ward who wrote:

I have seen the text version of this floating around the Internet, and it was so beautifully written I could not help but produce the narrative. It is my wish that this touches you in ways that would cause you to share this message. Merry Christmas.

I have since learned from the original poster that this poem is called “A Soldiers Christmas” written by Michael Marks. Your sacrifices will never be forgotten. We look forward to the day you come home. God bless and keep you always, and God Bless America.

michael marks

A soldier.

A Note from Michael Marks:

In loving appreciation of the countless Americans who have, and continue to serve in the Armed Forces and those who gave their life for their country. Your sacrifices will never be forgotten. We look forward to the day you come home. God bless and keep you always, and God Bless America.

A Soldier’s Christmas was the first in this series of patriotic writings, drafted on Pearl Harbor Day 2000 when in the wake of the 2000 Presidential Election our nation saw the right of US Armed Forces personnel openly questioned and debated. I felt it unconscionable that at the onset of the Christmas season, those serving to defend our nation would hear anything but our love and support. It is our challenge to stand for their rights at home while they stand for our lives and safety overseas. This poem went out and quickly spread around the world in emails, letters, and magazines. I received letters from Marines in Bosnia, soldiers in Okinawa, from a submariner who xeroxed a copy for everyone on his sub. Moms wrote, dads, brothers and sisters. I have saved and cherish every letter and set out to continue writing throughout the year.

Sending Holiday Season Regards to our Conservative Warriors

Pleasantly surprised and a bit shocked, I enjoyed religious Christmas Carols played in the elevator of a major hotel. Progressive bullies are relentless in their quest to repeal the celebration of Jesus’ birthday, Christmas, declared a federal holiday in 1870 by President Ulysses S. Grant.

Illustrating the effectiveness of the progressive’s intimidation, anonymously signs are being stealthily posted in public areas, “It’s OK to say, Merry Christmas”.

The progressive’s assault on Christmas leads me to MSNBC-TV host, Martin Bashir’s degrading and disgusting punishment suggested for Sarah Palin (someone defecate in her mouth). While watching the MSNBC deplorable segment, produced with graphics, in which Bashir exposed his extreme pure hatred of Sarah Palin, a tear appeared in my eye. I thought, “Dear Lord, why must this courageous decent woman suffer such humiliating disrespect?”

And yet, this is what one must endure for daring to tout Christianity and Conservatism in America today. Despite not much push back and even receiving sympathy from fellow progressives in the media, weeks after his disgraceful rant against Palin, Bashir was forced to resign.

Folks, when Bashir suggested that someone defecate in Palin’s mouth, it is not a stretch to believe that he would wish a similarly evil fate for all conservatives and the Tea Party.

At every turn the moral and upright traditions, principles and values that we grew up with are under attack, bullied into the shadows. Could you ever imagine a day in America in which saying, “Merry Christmas” would be deemed controversial or offensive?

While a majority of Americans embrace Conservatism, progressives dominate public education, Hollywood, the mainstream media and the bully pulpit of the White House. For decades they have been indoctrinating our kids, chipping away at the values of their parents. Opposition to the progressive agenda is dealt with severely with an iron fist. Intimidated, Americans know their place. Only a few rare souls have the courage to speak-out, challenging the progressive agenda.

In this holiday season along with clinging close to our beloved families and friends, it is crucially important that we send warm Christmas hugs to our hand full of courageous faithful conservative warriors who are standing strong, fighting the good fight to preserve traditional principles and values which we hold dear.

Worthy of special Christmas thanks are Mike Lee and Ted Cruz for leading the charge to repeal Obamacare which is the Grinch threatening to steal the joy of Christmas this year and every American Christmas from now on.

Other champions of Conservatism deserving our thanks this holiday season are Ken Cuccinelli, Steve Lonegan, Sarah Palin, Trey Gowdy and Gov. Scott Walker. I am sure you know of other conservative warriors who should be included.

With the mainstream media acting as Obama’s PR firm and establishment Republicans sipping if not drinking the progressive’s Kool-Aid, our brave conservative representatives are our only defense against Obama governing as a dictator – America’s first Imperial President.

Obama’s hits just keep on coming. At his command, over 100 million Americans will lose their health care plans and doctors which Obama, insidiously lying, promised they could keep.

Supplicants are ordered to surrender their most private personal information to an unsecured website which experts deem easily hackable.

Daily, new unlawful and unprecedented power grabs are being exposed hidden in Obamacare. Emperor Obama unlawfully exempts his chosen from burdensome mandates he has forced on the rest of us. By executive order (Imperial Decree), Obama creates new laws and ignores the Constitution at will; repealing more and more of our freedoms.

While Obama’s blatant unlawful behavior and impeachable offenses are plain for the world to see, with a weak-kneed congress unwilling to push back, Obama might as well be king.

Despite his polling plummeting to the 30s, losing the Millennials and 52% of Americans saying Obama is not honest and trustworthy, displaying remarkable arrogance, Obama remains relentlessly steadfast in his quest to ram Obamacare down our throats; fundamentally transforming America.

This is why we so desperately need and appreciate our faithful remnant of conservative warriors. As God promised to bless the faithful remnant of Israel, I believe our faithful remnant will also be blessed; good triumphs over evil.

My favorite Christmas special from my childhood is “Mister Magoo’s Christmas Carol”. I found it on Youtube and enjoyed it.

As you enjoy tasty delights, opening gifts and pondering the reason for the season with family and friends, please remember with warm thanks, appreciation and support our faithful remnant of conservative warriors. We are in a war for the soul of America. On my grown up Christmas list is for God to strengthen and keep our faithful remnant of conservative warriors who are courageously fighting on the front line for us.

Have Yourself a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Blessed New Year!

It’s War: GOP establishment goes after TEA Party, TEA Party Goes RINO hunting

There are multiple reports that “establishment” Republicans are going after those who do not think like them. It is also reported that the TEA Party is targeting the eighty-seven house Republicans who voted on October 16th to fund the government and raise the debt ceiling. Republican members of the Florida delegation in Congress Vern Buchanan (co-Chair of the delegation), Gus Bilirakis, Ander Crenshaw, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Daniel Webster voted with Democrats to end the government shutdown.

How will this impact Florida elections in 2014? Only the primaries will tell.

Breitbart’s Matthew Boyle reports, “The National Republican Senate Committee, the GOP campaign arm responsible for Senate elections, has decided to use its political power to block consulting firm Jamestown Associates from receiving political work from GOP candidates or incumbents. Jamestown’s “sin” is working with the Senate Conservative Fund, an organization that supports conservative candidates for the US Senate.”

“Jamestown Associates has done work with the Senate Conservatives Fund (SCF), a conservative group largely responsible for the elections of Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX), Mike Lee (R-UT), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Rand Paul (R-KY), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Pat Toomey (R-PA), and Ron Johnson (R-WI), among others. Former Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), who left the U.S. Senate last year to become the president of the Heritage Foundation, founded SCF,” notes Boyle.

Paul Bedard from the Washington Examiner writes, “Tea Party leaders Monday announced plans to hunt down the 87 House Republicans who recently voted to reopen the government, fund Obamacare and raise the debt ceiling, and demand they return donations from conservatives. They’ve dubbed their prey “RINOs” — Republicans in name only — an intra-party slur conservatives have for liberal Republicans.”

“These RINOs have let the American people down and it is time for us to get our money back,” said Dan Backer, Treasurer of the Tea Party Leadership Fund, which is leading the new effort. They created a special website where anybody can ask for their refund back. “We want our money back, and you should ask for yours back too, from any RINO who voted to fund Obamacare,” he added.

The same group recently launched PrimaryTraitors.com to rally support for primaries against the 87.

Watchdog Wire contributor Mary Kay Ruppel writes, “Republicans are fond of calling themselves conservatives when running for office. Once elected they tend to do something other than what they promised.  Republicans talk about having a ‘big tent’, but as of late that big tent excludes conservative groups and individuals such as Libertarians and members of the TEA Party.”

Abraham Lincoln stated, “A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure, permanently, half slave and half free.” The Republican House of Representatives appears to be divided.

Former Arizona Senator and candidate for President Barry Goldwater wrote, “I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue!”

The war is on for the heart and soul of the Republican party of Florida. Who wins can determine the future elections in the sunshine state in 2014  and the nation in 2016.

Below is the petition to TEA Party supporters urging action against the five Florida lawmakers (courtesy of the Washington Examiner).

Dear 87 House RINOs: You don’t deserve my money, GIVE IT BACK!

We believed in them. We believed they, like us, saw our nation’s finances careening out of control and were committed to doing something about it. We believed they realized this president has added more to our national debt than all previous presidents combined. We thought even if we can’t stop ObamaCare now, we at least could stop digging the holes even deeper.

But the RINOs who joined forces with liberal Democrats to raise the debt limit and end the shutdown let us down. They took our money and our hopes for smaller government, and they abused them. We were raised to believe people delivered when they took money for something. But these traitors to the cause took the money, then delivered a vote for bigger government, more taxes, more spending, more government dependence, more human misery.

It’s time we take action. RINOs, we need you out of our party, out of Congress, out of any position where you even pretend to hold public trust. We’ll take care of the “out of Congress” part come election day, but what we need now is our money back. We need a refund. We need a RINO refund because we didn’t get what we thought we were supporting … not by a long shot.

It is the honorable thing to do. Have they any honor left?

Florida pro-gun Sheriff defeats anti-gun State Attorney

willie meggs

William “Willie” N. Meggs, State Attorney, 2nd Judicial Circuit

NRA-ILA notes in an email that Liberty County, Florida Sheriff Nick Finch, was “prosecuted for his actions in upholding the Second Amendment” by William “Willie” N. Meggs, the “anti-gun State Attorney for 2nd Judicial Circuit, Florida.”

Arizona Sheriff Richard Mack was at the trial of Sheriff Finch and wrote on the Oath Keepers website, “Today, October 31, 2013, Sheriff Nick Finch won his case in a farce of trial in Liberty County, Florida. Sheriff Finch was charged and arrested and booked into his own jail last June. Sheriff Finch had done something unheard of, yet noble and courageous. He nullified the arrest of a law abiding citizen who had the audacity of carrying a gun in his pocket. Sheriff Finch said ‘not on my watch.’ So the State moves in, arrests the Sheriff and re-arrests the citizen, Mr. Parish. The end result was Finch was removed from office and went to trial. Mr. Parish once again had the charges dropped, but he had to perform 50 hours of community service and pay $200.”

“Let’s be very clear here, neither man was guilty of anything! There were no victims and no evidence that a crime had ever occurred,” notes Sheriff Mack.

According to Joe Wolverton II, J.D. writing in The New American:

Minutes after noon on Thursday, October 31, an eight-person jury acquitted Sheriff Nick Finch of both charges against him. Finch, the sheriff of Liberty County, Florida, was accused of official misconduct and falsifying records. Finch maintained that he was simply standing up for the right of the people to keep and bear arms as protected by the Second Amendment.

The jury agreed, reaching its verdict in fewer than 90 minutes. Within minutes of being found not guilty, Sheriff Finch spoke with Governor Rick Scott, who reinstated Finch within hours.

“Sheriff Nick Finch will be reinstated immediately,” said Governor Scott in a written statement. “I would like to thank the members of the jury in Liberty County for their service in this trial. I would also like to thank Interim Sheriff Buddy Money for his service to the state of Florida.”

Wolverton notes, “Governor Scott’s persecution and prosecution of a sheriff standing up for the Second Amendment rights of citizens of his county is particularly questionable given the hostile climate that threatens the right to keep and bear arms nationally. It’s over now, though, and all is forgiven. The fact remains that Finch suffered substantial financial setbacks as a result of his removal and at press time, it was unclear whether Sheriff Finch would receive back pay for the four months he was suspended.”

Wolverton writes, “There is an additional disturbing aspect of the case not being commented on by other news outlets. Imagine that Sheriff Finch had released a man arrested and jailed for having openly preached Christianity in a public place. Would Governor Scott have been so hasty to remove Finch from office? Why would the rights protected by the Second Amendment be subordinate to those guaranteed by the First Amendment?”

This trial cost Sheriff Finch both his liberty and treasure. Sheriff Finch standing up for the US Constitution has made him a hero to supporters. Those who enforce the law are required to protect and defend the people and their Constitutional rights. Justice was served, but at a price.

Did the Florida Commissioner of Education lie about the cost to implement Common Core?

A question was posed to Pam Stewart, interim Florida Education Commissioner, during public hearings on Common Core State Standards at a public meeting in Tampa, FL.

The question posed by a parent was: Has any cost analysis been done on Common Core – what will it cost taxpayers?

Commissioner Stewart answered “It will cost nothing.”

Brenda Pastorick, who attended the Tampa, FL meeting, states, “Of course, there was loud applause. Now, is she that naive? Or, if she lied about this to the general public, what other lies are being told by the Florida Department of Education with regards to Common Core. We certainly don’t want liars dictating policy over the education of our children here in Florida, do we?”

The Florida Coalition to Stop Common Core issued a report on implementation in the sunshine state. Chapter 6 is on “The Cost to Implement Common Core Standards.” According to the report:

Based on data from several sources, the Common Core standards and accompanying tests will be very expensive – both to implement and to maintain.

Florida is projected by the Pioneer Institute to spend $1,024,163,000 to pay for testing, technology, textbooks, and professional development in what they characterize as a “middle of the road” estimate compared to $905,838,000 in grants received, leaving at least $118,325,000 in costs to Florida taxpayers just for implementation.

Given that former Commissioner Bennett and the State Board of Education (SBOE) originally asked for $442 million in one year to implement assessments, which is more than what Florida has already spent on the FCAT between 1996 and 2008 combined, that $118 million amount might well be low and will serve as a huge unfunded mandate to already strapped county districts. Marion County has had to lay off 160 teachers, and Charlotte County was forced to discontinue physical education classes until parental outrage and funding shifts reversed that decision as costs for Common Core implementation continue to mount.

Even more concerning is that Bennett changed his education budget request to $100 million in the middle of the legislative session. This constitutes a $342 million swing, indicates enormous credibility problems, and appears to be an effort to hide the true costs of this capaciously expensive system. In addition, the commissioner later said that Florida may consider some other completely different testing scheme at an unknown cost, even though Florida is the fiscal agent for PARCC.

Read the full report here.

According to Pastorick, “Just to let you know the hearing on Common Core last night in Tampa was well attended, but with only one member of the FL Board of Education, John Cologne, present. He left early and did not even hear me and I was #26 speaker. Hillsborough County had an unending number of teachers, etc. praising the results they are having in their classrooms using Common Core – one even broke up in tears because her daughter who has always had trouble reading is now reading and excelling under Common Core.  It was evident that the words of the two experts, Dr. Sandra Stotsky (English) and Ze’ve Wurman (Math) probably fell on deaf ears with the advocates of CC – credentials attached – each was allowed 15 minutes at the beginning of the hearing.”

There have been concerns that advocates would be given more time to speak than opponents.

Chrissy Blevio from the Florida Stop Common Core Coalition (FLCC) wrote in an email, “Dear FLCC Fighters, Please do your best to get to the remaining two hearings. Our opinion, after sitting in on the FDOE meetings in Tampa and the public hearing, is that the FDOE has no intentions to consider dropping Common Core but only to change the name or ‘rebrand.’ It’s the old ‘bait and switch’ routine.”

Call to abolish Florida Department of Education

Sandra Stotsky, Professor Emerita, University of Alabama.

Sandra Stotsky, Ed.D., former Senior Associate Commissioner for the Massachusetts Department of Education and Professor Emerita at the University of Alabama, released a statement concerning the upcoming summit called for by Governor Rick Scott on Common Core State Standards.

Dr. Stotsky is known nationwide for her in-depth analyses of the problems in Common Core’s English language arts standards. Her current research ranges from the deficiencies in teacher preparation programs and teacher licensure tests to the deficiencies in the K-12 reading curriculum and the question of gender bias in the curriculum. She is regularly invited to testify or submit testimony to state boards of education and state legislators on bills addressing licensure tests, licensure standards, and Common Core’s standards (e.g., Utah, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, South Carolina, Florida and Texas).

The following is the full text of Dr. Stotsky’s statement:

I have been invited by parent groups in Florida to comment on Common Core’s English language arts standards using the format that Interim Commissioner Pamela Stewart chose to give them.  Although Governor Scott requested meetings at which parents could express their concerns, she deliberately chose a method that in effect prevents discussion and an open forum.  By telling parents that they can comment only one by one, and only on the particular standards in Common Core, in a 3-hour period of time, she is in effect spitting in their faces. Parents can also send in their individual comments by computer, a method that also prevents discussion. If this is how a Department of Education treats the parents of the children whose education this Department is supposed to improve, then there is no reason for Florida parents to support the existence of such a Department. It should be abolished by referendum.

I was a senior associate commissioner in the Massachusetts Department of Education from 1999 to 2003.  At no time were critics of the Department’s draft documents treated as shabbily as Florida parents are now being treated.   Public comment was regularly allowed at Board of Education meetings, and the Department held many meetings around the state when it was developing the Bay State’s own standards. And when criticism was received on drafts of standards documents, the Department staff courteously and publicly answered these criticisms. They acted as public servants, not as bureaucrats trying to foist their own untested ideas on other people’s children.

The Massachusetts Department of Education also held a large public meeting on Common Core’s standards to which the standards writers were invited. It was informative for the audience to hear Jason Zimba, the mathematics standards writer, indicate that Common Core’s math standards would not prepare high school students for STEM. I recommend that the Florida Department of Education hold a similar meeting and invite parents and teaching faculty at its own higher education institutions to attend and question Common Core’s standards writers.

WDW – FL contributor Diane Kepus wrote, “Governor Scott recently tossed the parents and taxpayers of Florida a bone regarding implementation of Common Core State Standards (CCSS) leading many to believe he was going to “shut down” implementation of CCSS via his Executive Order Number 13-276. However some are questioning if the EO has any teeth.”

“Governor Scott issues an Executive Order and uninformed citizens believe he is stopping CCSS in Florida. What he did was withdraw Florida from the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) only. He stated he was going to hold three hearings for public comments, look into finding someone else for testing and acknowledged concerns regarding the Federal overreach and the data collection of psychological attitudes and beliefs,” noted Kepus.

Kepus concluded the bottom line is: The Florida implementation of Common Core State Standards is untouched, unaffected and on track. It appears former Commissioner Stotsky has come to the same conclusion.

Data Mining: Florida students leaving their privacy at the schoolhouse door

Recently when Governor Rick Scott was asked if he supported the data mining aspect of Common Core, Scott answered ‘no’ to the question. It appears the Governor did not get the memo from the Florida Department of Education that public schools have been data mining for years using “student surveys“.

Florida parents were shocked when their children came home from their first day of high school with surveys asking personal questions about their habits, family and beliefs. Students at Riverview High School in Sarasota, Florida were given forms to fill out by their teachers. Riverview high school English teacher Dr. Elinor Wachs sent students home with a “Multiple Intelligence Survey” (MPI) created by Surfaquarium to fill out. MIS questions included:

  • Ecological issues are important to me
  • I believe preserving our National Parks is important
  • Religion is important to me
  • I wonder if there are other forms of intelligent life in the universe
  • I value relationships more than ideas or accomplishments
  • I like to be involved in causes that help others
  • Fairness is important to me
  • Social justice issues interest me
  • I am willing to protest or sign a petition to right a wrong

Ms. Susanne Johnson, an Algebra teacher at Riverview, sent home a two page survey with her students (Note: Students received multiple surveys). Johnson’s survey asks:

  • Who lives in your home?
  • How many brothers and sisters do you have? How old are they?
  • Have you travelled outside the United States? If so, where have you travelled?

WDW – FL sent an inquiry to Superintendent Lori White about the district policy on student surveys. Scott Ferguson, Communications Specialist for Sarasota County Schools, in an email provided the following:

The multiple intelligences forms do not require approval at the district level.

Other teachers may use these forms or other forms at their discretion. We don’t track the number of teachers who use them.

Teachers use this type of form to learn more about their students. Teachers have various ways to get to know students so they can engage them in lessons by keeping students’ individual interests, learning styles and personalities in mind. Multiple-intelligences surveys such as these are one way for teachers to get to know students, but students may opt out of answering the questions.

Various forms may be used by teachers at various levels. Whatever forms are used are age-appropriate.

I don’t know how long the forms you sent me have been used in the district, but teachers have long used various ways to get to know their students, for the reasons stated above.

Regarding teachers requesting “private information,” see third paragraph above. If students believe the answers to the questions are “private,” they can refrain from answering them.

The forms simply help the teacher get to know the student in his/her class for that semester or year; they’re not considered educational records and do not become part of the student’s permanent record.

The use of such forms is not prohibited by School Board policies. These policies are posted on our website in the School Board section and are searchable by keywords.

Nothing on the forms sent home by either Ms. Wachs or Ms. Johnson states it is “optional” or that a student may “opt out”. Surfaquarium offers multiple surveys. WDW – FL asked Surfaquarium about the uses of their surveys in Florida by teachers and schools. We are awaiting answers to our questions.

One parent, who requested to remain anonymous to protect their student from retribution, stated, “These questions absolutely do look like data mining to find out the political leanings of the family of the student … perhaps then they ‘target’ those students for further brainwashing efforts or give the data to other groups for same purpose.”

Data mining is front page news, few believed it would already be in public schools. It appears public education has a thing or two to teach the NSA?

To view all survey responses click here.

RELATED: Florida School District lied and student privacy died

Firearms Freedom Act coming to Florida?

The SWFL Citizens Alliance has been working to get Florida to be one of the next states to pass a Second Amendment Protection and Firearms Freedom Act. This is happening while Democrats are trying to repeal Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law.

A Firearms Freedom Act passed in Kansas this year. Proponents see it is a strong statement of “State Sovereignty” based on both the Commerce Clause and the 2nd, 9th and 10th Amendments of the US Constitution.

Map of states that have passed, introduced or are considering a Firearms Freedom Act. For a larger view click on the map.

In an email the SWFL Citizens Alliance states, “We have met with and have the support of 7 of our 8 FL House and Senate delegation from Southwest Florida. Rep Matt Hudson submitted the Kansas bill to Florida House Bill writing team and we have a Florida Draft of the bill – see attachedRep. Dane Eagle volunteered to sponsor this bill and our SWFL delegation strongly supports him to sponsor the House version of this bill.”

“We have had lengthy conference calls with the Kansas Sponsor of their bill, Rep. John Rubin and the NRA Affiliate, Patricia Stoneking, who was co-author of their KS Bill,” notes the Alliance.

The Alliance had a booth at the Florida Sheriffs Association (FSA) Summer Conference. Collier County Sheriff Kevin Rambosk introduced the Florida draft legislation during the conference. The sheriffs agreed by consensus to ask their Legislative Committee to consider including this in their 2014 Legislative Agenda. The FSA Legislative Committee meets on August 30th.

The Alliance is seeking a Senate sponsor, with “several Senators contacted who are reviewing the draft legislation”.

September 23, 2013 is the first Florida Committee week in Tallahassee. The Alliance hopes to get teams from 8-10 counties to meet with various Committee heads to insure the Second Amendment Protection and Firearms Freedom Act is a priority for both House and Senate in the 2014 cycle.

Read the SWFL Citizens Alliance mission and vision statement here.

Global Sea Level Rise Is Ending

The Orlando headquartered Space and Science Research Corporation (SSRC) announced today that a news conference is scheduled for August 21, 2013, during which the end of global sea level rise will be formally declared and a specific timetable for sea level decline will be released.

The news conference will be held in the Miami, Florida area of the United States, which for many years has been a focal point for concern over rising sea levels and the alleged threat posed by manmade global warming.

Similar to the news conference of July 1, 2008, when the SSRC issued a declaration of the end of global warming, this next historic news event will be one of the final measures according to SSRC President John L. Casey that helps put to rest the theory of manmade climate change.

Mr. Casey is a former White House space program advisor, consultant to NASA Headquarters, and space shuttle engineer. Casey is the author of the internationally acclaimed climate book, “Cold Sun.”

Mr. Casey clarifies by saying, “One of the myths of manmade climate change caused by human CO2 emissions has been the threat to the world’s largest cities caused by global sea level rise. Two years ago we issued a preliminary finding that within two or three years the data to make a final assessment on the future of global sea level rise would be available. That data is in. It is time to provide a formal statement on the end of global sea level rise, the latest phase of which began roughly two hundred years ago.”

“Like most major climate events, the past sea level rise was caused by the Sun and had little or nothing to do with mankind’s industrial greenhouse gas emissions. Now that the Sun has entered a state of “solar hibernation” and is cutting back on the energy by which it warms the Earth, a new and potentially dangerous decades-long drop in global temperatures has begun. The atmosphere and the oceans are cooling rapidly. Along with this next climate change to one of extreme global cooling, the oceans will contract, and sea levels will begin to drop as they always do during extended cold climates,” notes Casey.

ABOUT THE SPACE AND SCIENCE RESEARCH CORPORATION

Headquartered in Orlando, Florida, the Space and Science Research Corporation (SSRC) is a leading independent US climate research company. It is the foremost institution in the United States dedicated to the analysis and planning for the next climate change – forecast to be one of decades of record cold weather.

The SSRC maintains active communication channels with some of the world’s best experts in the field of solar physics and climate research pertaining to the matter of the next climate change. In addition it has a dedicated list of “Supporting Researchers” who have committed their name and assistance to the mission of the SSRC. The SSRC also updates key US government leaders of the status of climate change activity centered on its area of expertise.

The SSRC possesses the capability to conduct planning and research on how best to prepare individuals, businesses, and governments at all levels for the next climate change to a period of long lasting and potentially dangerous colder weather.

Florida: Beware of the terrorists among us

Hezbollah flag.

Hezbollah (the party of Allah) supported by Iran is a terrorist organization that is fighting with the Assad regime in Syria.

According to the Council on Foreign Relations, “Hezbollah is a Shiite Muslim political group in Lebanon with a militant wing the United States defines as a terrorist organization. With significant support from Iran and Syria, Hezbollah maintains an extensive security apparatus, political organization, and social services network in Lebanon, where the group is often described as a ‘state within the state’  … [T]he U.S. government considers Hezbollah a global terrorist threat and a menace to regional stability.”

In the report “Los Zetas and Hezbollah, a Deadly Alliance of Terror and Vice Terence Rosenthal writes, “When Americans think about the illegal drug trade and black markets in Mexico, it is probable that they do not associate them with terrorism, or Islamic fundamentalism. One would think that drug cartels like Los Zetas, the most sophisticated and second most powerful drug cartel in Mexico would have enough allies and connections not to need the assistance of an organization like Hezbollah based halfway across the world in Lebanon. However, there is proof that Hezbollah, as well as elements of the Iranian Quds force are functioning with cartels like Los Zetas, the most sophisticated drug cartel in Mexico. The combination of power hungry cartels like Los Zetas, and terrorist organizations like Hezbollah who want a presence in North America, in or near the United States inhibit U.S. companies from wanting to conduct business in Mexico, and should not remain unnoticed.”

Los Zetas beheadings.

According to the National Drug Intelligence Center known Los Zetas cells are in Miami, Gainesville and West Palm Beach, Florida.

The National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC) assesses with high confidence that in 2009, Mexican drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) were operating in the United States in at least 1,286 cities spanning all nine Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) regions, based on law enforcement reporting.

Moreover, NDIC assesses with high confidence that Mexican DTOs in at least 143 of these U.S. cities (see Appendix A) were linked to a specific Mexican Cartel or DTO based in Mexico—the Sinaloa Cartel (at least 75 cities), the Gulf Cartel/Los Zetas (at least 37 cities), the Juárez Cartel (at least 33 cities), the Beltrán-Leyva DTO (at least 30 cities), La Familia Michoacán (at least 27 cities), or the Tijuana Cartel (at least 21 cities). NDIC assesses with high confidence that Mexican DTOs will further expand their drug trafficking operations in the United States in the near term, particularly in the New England, New York/New Jersey, Mid-Atlantic, and Florida/Caribbean Regions.

Rosenthal notes, “Since 2005, Iran and Hezbollah have developed a presence in Latin America, opening 17 cultural centers, and forming relations with the Mexican drug cartels. 200,000 immigrants from Lebanon and Syria, many of whom are illegal residents, live in Mexico, and have established residence with the help of drug cartels like Los Zetas, the most technically advanced of Mexico’s drug cartels.”

“The lure of criminal activity and the drug trade, coupled with the presence of Hezbollah and Iranian Quds forces in neighboring Mexico present the United States with a major threat at its borders,” writes Rosenthal.

Beware Florida of the terrorists amongst us.

The below video report about the Hezbollah Venezuela connection is courtesy of Tom Trento from The United West:

21,000 deadly attacks by Islamic terrorists since 9/11

According to the website The Religion Of Peace another gruesome milestone has been reached. This milestone has been ignored by politicians and media the world over. It is important to understand that the war against Islamic extremism is not over, as much as President Obama would like to think so.

The recent Boston bombing, beheading in London and attempted murder of a soldier in Paris indicate attacks will continue and could escalate. Turmoil and terrorist attacks in Syria, Turkey, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan and across North Africa do not bode well for our national security.

The Periodical  Review: Summary of Information from Jihadi Forums – The Second Half of January 2013 published by ICT’s Jihadi Websites Monitoring Group summarizes notable events discussed on jihadist Web forums during the second half of January 2013. Following are the main points covered in the report:

  • The Taliban-Pakistan and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan announce the formation of a new group dedicated to liberating Islamists incarcerated in Pakistani prisons. They reiterate the obligation to wage jihad against the Pakistani regime, and promise to assassinate Pakistani security personnel tied to the imprisonment of Muslims.
  • Following demonstrations by the Sunni minority against the discriminatory policies of the Iraqi regime, the Islamic State of Iraq calls Sunnis to take up arms against the Shiite regime, to eliminate the growing threat to Iraq.
  • The French invasion of northern Mali and their war against jihadist forces ignites a wave of protests by Muslims worldwide and increasing threats of attack on French civilian and military targets.
  • Abu Yahya al-Humam, the Emir of the Sahara region for Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), reveals the intention to establish an Islamic emirate in the Sahara encompassing all local jihadist organizations, which France had forced to retreat.
  • The Global Islamic Media Front (GIMF) publishes a new issue of Sada Al-Jihad. It is the first issue to appear since 2010.
  • Ahrar Al-Sham, a Salafi-jihadist group active in Syria, officially announced its establishment.
  • On January 21, 2013, a new jihadist web forum was launched: Al-Kitab wal-Saif.

Please click here to view the full Second Half of January 2013 report in PDF format.

Returning to a pre-9/11 policy of dealing with terrorism as a law enforcement issue (a.k.a. the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center) only leads to more violence.

TROP

may2013

RELATED COLUMNS:

Seven months ago: 20,000+ deadly terror attacks by the ‘Religion of Peace’ since 9/11

A year ago: 19,000+ deadly attacks by Islamic terrorists since 9/11

Two years ago: 18,000 deadly terror attacks committed by the ‘Religion of Peace’ since 9/11

An open letter to Dr. Joel C. Hunter, senior pastor Northland Church in Longwood, Florida

The following was received by WDW – Florida and is reprinted with permission.

‘An open letter to Dr. Joel C. Hunter, senior pastor Northland Church in Longwood, Florida

Dear Dr. Hunter,

Information about your wish to prevent a law that would protect America from the insinuation of Islamic Sharia law into our legal system was brought to my attention.  I refer to SB 58 Application of Foreign Laws in Certain Cases to the Florida Senate Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability, March 21, 2013. Be assured that the disease is indeed upon us, and we must never be made to accept laws foreign or domestic that are antithetical to those established by our Founding Fathers.

Dr. Hunter, we are under attack by stealth jihadists who understand our governance and the way to circumvent our laws far better than we understand theirs.  The Bishop of Canterbury in the UK also granted acceptance of Sharia law to accommodate their wave of immigrants only to learn that Muslims do not assimilate and will never accept British law over the laws that they deem to be direct from Allah. Similarly, in our country, Muslims demand that their decrees be accepted over The Declaration of Independence and Constitution of the United States, to override the laws of the land they’ve allegedly adopted as their own, ultimately to destroy our Constitution as their process of Islamization unfolds.

Of the multitudes who have come to live in America – the different races and religions, languages, laws, customs – realize that Muslims are the first and only ones to have ever asked exceptions to our laws, and to demand that we accept theirs as our own.  This is not the assimilation of the masses, but invasion and conquest of a fascist ideology.  Your willingness to accept Atif Fareed’s petition without a complete investigation of the ramifications of relinquishing our rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, is criminal.  Fareed is a former member of CAIR, Council of American-Islamic Relations, an arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, a terrorist organization. How long after this concession will this feigned friendship evolve into demands that your church accommodate Muslim needs, before you lose your congregants, your pulpit, and your church to Islam?  It’s time you learned more about Islam.

Islam is an aggressive, political,economic, military, social and legal system, a totalitarian ideology posing as religion.  Since Muhammad’s first conquest of the cities of Mecca and Medina in 624 a.d., cities he called holy after slaughtering every Jewish and Christian inhabitant, he and his followers have continued to capture, butcher, convert and enslave – 270 million people over 1400 years, and more than 20,666 deadly jihad attacks since September 11, 2001, consider the website, Religion of Peace.  There is not one country in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe and in the Americas where Muslims have settled and not brought with them demands, riots, threats, conversion, and deadly conflict with the host culture.  And, where they have completely swallowed a nation, such as all the countries that were never Islamic before 624 a.d., they have also erased history by destroying the artifacts of that culture.

So, what is Sharia Law?

Muslims who choose not to live under our Constitution and strive to implement Sharia Law in their  immediate communities and ultimately infiltrate and change our administration are here to destroy our American way of life, just as they’ve done in other countries in the past.  Considering our laws and size, the Muslim Brotherhood has determined that the best road to conquest  is through stealth – working within our system and deceiving our religious and community leaders.  You do not have the right to forfeit our way of life to Islam.  You owe it to yourself and to your followers to be educated before petitioning to relinquish our rights in support of Islam. Muslims do not have the right to force us to infuse their laws into ours; this is usurpation, destruction, and conquest. Sharia is incompatible with Democracy.

The Declaration of Independence clearly stipulates, “We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”  Further, when despotism is introduced, we have the right and the responsibility to throw off such government.  Our Constitution empowers us with the duty and ability to reject and combat both foreign and domestic tyranny.  Islam is such tyranny, as their Koran mandates them to unite our country into a global Islamic caliphate,with complete domination.

Islam is a death cult, where murder is encouraged, honor killings of their own children accepted, suicide bombings inspired to confiscate land, and motivated by promises of virgins in heaven and gifts and monetary reward to surviving families.  Islam institutionalized slavery and justified rape and enslavement of captured women and children as their bounty.  Islamic countries are to this day the leading slave traders in the world. 

In most Islamic countries, women are treated as slaves and prisoners: forced into wearing complete coverings (burqas) or subject to beatings; prevented from attending schools; prevented from walking unaccompanied by a male; forced to undergo damaging genital mutilation, facially disfigured and gang-raped; and have no legitimacy in a court of law.  Kidnapped toddlers are forced to be camel jockeys for the pleasure of Dubai’s sheiks.  Children are forcibly sodomized, used as expendable warriors or human shields in war zones and girls are forced into  pre-pubescent marriages with older men.  Fatwas (legal pronouncements) are issued to find and execute apostates, and Islamophobia was created to curb our speech and prevent the populace from criticizing Islam or learning about their malevolence.    

In addition to a recent revelation that the Taliban has approved a new widower’s sexual relations with hisdeceased wife within six hours after her death, it has now been revealed that Egypt’s high school curriculum now encourages students to perform ritual human sacrifice and cannibalize apostates and Muslims who have abandoned praying  (raw, not cooked).  The more we delve into Islam, the more unabashed evil we uncover.

While the Islamist may claim the First Amendment as his right to impose Sharia law on our citizens (such as banning what offends them, special financial accommodations, and taking over streets for outdoor prayers), it actually states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”  Thus, Sharia law may not be practiced in the United States; Sharia violates our Constitution, and the Muslims and you are complicit and guilty of Criminal Sedition, and subject to prosecution by our Federal government.

As an American citizen, you are obliged to prevent the Islamization of our country.  You are duty-bound to thwart the law that you have duped into supporting so willingly.  Be assured that Muslims do not have the Constitutional right to impose their laws in our land, thereby destroying ours.  AND Fareed has already shown his hand by being a former chairman of  CAIR, a terrorist-supporting front organization.  Together you are betraying  everything for which America stands.

Dr. Hunter, you must understand the danger that comes when despotism is accepted in the spirit of multiculturalism.  I recommend you read SHARIA, The Threat to America – an exercise in competitive analysis, a report of Team B II, produced by The Center for Security Policy.

Tabitha Korol