James L. Paris's Blog, page 183

Memorial Park Bench Removed Because It is Inscribed with a Bible Verse

 By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large

A park bench created as a memorial to a toddler killed in a hit-and-run accident back in September has been removed by municipal authorities in Elkin, North Carolina, because it features inscriptions of a bible verse and Christian crosses.

The bench was placed at Elkin Municipal Park, not far from the playground where little Mason Roten enjoyed playing. It is the creation of alumni of Elkin High, and the project was spearheaded by Ben Crosswhite, Elkin alum and a friend of the family.

The bench was installed at the park this past Saturday, but removed just two days later, on Monday. The reason for the bench���s removal is that it features religious symbols and scripture, according to town manager John Holcomb. Holcomb has said that the bench was installed without the formal approval of the town. Crosswhite disputes that approval was not given, even naming Adam McComb, the town���s parks and recreation director, as the person who gave permission.

Many are up in arms over the town���s decision to remove the bench, and I get it, of course. However, before we seek to ride Holcomb out of Elkin on a rail, let���s go ���big picture��� on this. All across America, towns and municipalities like Elkin now find themselves under the gun from anti-Christian activists of all stripes���atheists, devil-worshippers, what have you���who now wait breathlessly to see on what piece of public property will even the small reference to Christianity be permitted to stand. Once they find it, they cannot wait to sue, protest, and/or install their own contrived and insulting ���answer��� to whatever it is they supposedly find so offensive. For all the residents of Elkin know, some band of lunatic Satanists was going to be headed their way to install a giant Baphomet statue at Elkin Municipal Park, just like the one they put up in Detroit in July, right next to the bench honoring sweet, young Mason.

Yes, it would be great to see more local officials thumb their noses at the judicially-supported waves of anti-Christian sentiment that now sweep the nation, but those who do are all fighting a losing battle, as things stand right now in this country. The real answer is for us, the citizens and electorate, to apply pressure on elected officials so that laws are written that can protect at least incidental expressions of faith on government property; no reasonable thinks that Elkin allowing the presence of this memorial park bench, paid for with private funds and created to honor the memory of one person, is tantamount to Elkin saying that the town���s official religion is Christianity. However, until we, the people, work harder through our legislators to drag common sense���kicking and screaming, apparently���back into the room, then this kind of idiocy will continue.

 

Oil Keeps Crashing; Price is Now at Lowest Level in Seven Years

By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large

The price of crude oil continues plummet, falling below $37 a barrel on Tuesday. That has not happened since February 2009, when the so-called Great Recession was in full swing. Reacting to the further decline in the price of oil, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by over 200 points during the trading day on Tuesday, before settling at 162.51 points down by the market���s close.

Although oil recovered in the years that followed the worst of the global economic collapse, ultimately ascending to a peak price of around $108 a barrel in June 2014, the world has since been subject to a massive glut of the black gold such that it has caused prices to sink by roughly two-thirds off of that peak value.

There are basically three reasons for the now-enormous inventory of crude: weak demand in countries with stagnant economies; significant growth in U.S. output; and unwillingness on the part of OPEC to cut production, in spite of the beating taken by member nations like Nigeria and Venezuela. It is believed that Saudi Arabia, the 800-pound gorilla in the OPEC room (it is the world���s largest oil exporter), is seeking to keep the pressure on America���s energetic shale oil and gas industry. The aforementioned Nigeria and Venezuela are examples of OPEC countries that do not have the deep pockets capable of withstanding the strategic approach taken by Saudi Arabia to maintain high production levels, and their own economies are suffering, as a result.

While the price decline has resulted in great news at the pumps, that���s about the extent of it. The overarching negative effects to the global economy from the collapse in oil prices far outweighs the more ���nuts and bolts��� benefits realized by consumers. However, given Saudi Arabia���s stance at the present time, don���t look for the situation to improve anytime soon.

AG Loretta Lynch Won���t Be Stopped By That Pesky First Amendment

 By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large

Speaking in front of the Muslim Advocates Dinner this past Thursday evening, Attorney General Loretta Lynch made comments seen by many as startling, given their clear affront to the First Amendment, as well as to the concept of free speech, more generally. Lynch, in her remarks, stated that the Justice Department will ���take action��� as a result of what she termed ���anti-Muslim rhetoric��� and ���violent talk.��� Said Lynch, ���Now obviously this is a country that is based on free speech, but when it edges towards violence, when we see the potential for someone lifting that mantle of anti-Muslim rhetoric or, as we saw after 9/11, violence against individuals��� when we see that, we will take action.���

Whenever I hear or read a statement made by anyone that begins as a declaration of support for a constitutional right, but which is soon interrupted with the word ���but,��� that confirms for me that this person does not truly support that right. What he (or she) is really saying is that he supports the right no more than conditionally, and that, in his opinion, he should really be the one who decides those conditions are under which that right is allowed to exist.

While Lynch has since clarified her comments, now saying that she was really referring to violent action as the standard at which the Justice Department would get involved in any negative behavior targeting Muslims, that simply does not square with her earlier remarks.

For the record, Lynch, in her clarification comments, did not relate the Justice Department���s official position on violent action taken by Muslims. I���ll assume she thinks that is a bad thing, as well, but these days, and with this administration, who knows?

 

FREE Book On Realistic Self Defense

 By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large

In light of all of the random, deadly violence about which we���ve been hearing more and more, I wanted to mention a great book I picked up the other day, and basically did not put down until I was finished reading it. It is called Counter Violence, and is written by E.J. Owens, the founder and president of Legally Concealed, the organizational ���platform��� from which Mr. Owens dispenses a wide variety of instruction in personal defense. Owens��� specialty as an instructor is in the area of concealed carry and home defense scenarios. His background is impressive, and includes service as a U.S. Army infantry officer, as well as CQB (close quarters battle) instructor and hand-to-hand combat instructor with the military.

Counter Violence is a highly-informative, 138-page physical book that deals largely with the subject of mindset as it pertains to violent encounters. From that perspective it is a thorough work, and one that belongs on the shelf of anyone who seeks to become completely prepared to defend him/herself, as well as those innocent parties nearby, from the kind of violent attacks that have become an all-too-regular presence in our communities, across the country, and around the world nowadays.

The book comes flying out of the gate in Chapter One with a straightforward discussion of violence���the nature of violence, as well as the dominant narratives in the realm of self-defense. The chapter that follows, simply called ���Evil,��� is a brief, but solid, look at evil, and puts into context the kind of violence in which you might have to engage to save your family, and why that kind of violence, assuming it is righteously pursued, is not evil.

The book keeps up the pace with discussions of a variety of compelling topics that you should find to be of great interest. Chapter Three outlines the differing natures of criminal behavior, with particular focus on the mass murderer, such as the kind of people who slaughtered 14 innocents in San Bernardino, California recently. Chapters Four and Five deal with typical profiles that characterize both criminal and victim, as well as the related, important issue of situational awareness. Chapter Six, entitled ���Mindset,��� is a terrific discussion of just how your brain���as well as your attacker���s brain���functions in the midst of an actual assault scenario. Owens uses a significant part of this chapter to discuss the OODA Loop, a model of competitive thinking developed by renowned military thinker Col. John Boyd, USAF. Owens��� position is that by fully comprehending the OODA loop, people like you and I can, in advance of an attack, develop a basic structure of appropriate threat responses.

Another great chapter in the book details the ���science��� of gunfighting, and includes a discussion about how that science can be adapted by each of us to accommodate the familiar surroundings of our own homes, in order that we may better prepare to defeat a home invasion threat.

I���m leaving out a bunch, including the author���s valuable discussions on firearms training and first aid. My overriding point, however, is that this is a great book. I have to say, too, that, from the standpoint of writing style, it is a quick, fun read; it is in no place tedious or boring, and an added benefit is that it is clear that author Owens is beholden to a Christian perspective, which is something that I know many of you will especially appreciate.

Counter Violence is currently available for FREE just pay the cost of shipping and handling (plus any state tax you may have to pay) ��� just $2.97! At that price, it would also make a fantastic stocking-stuffer for friends and family members. What���s more, even at that unbelievable price, you also enjoy a 60-day, money-back guarantee on your purchase (which I highly doubt you���ll feel the need to use). If you would like to learn more, or just pick up your copy of Counter Violence right away, Click Here.

 

Detroit���s Top Cop Says Anti-Terror Efforts are Well-Served By An Armed Citizenry

By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large

Detroit���s police chief, James Craig, is joining the growing number of law enforcement leaders who say that America���s national security interests are best-served by its citizens going about their business armed.

Craig declared that the high number of casualties resulting from the recent terror attacks in Paris would not have occurred had the citizenry there been packing heat.

Speaking recently to The Detroit News, Craig said, in part: ���A lot of Detroiters have (concealed pistol licenses), and the same rules apply to terrorists as they do to some gun-toting thug. If you���re a terrorist, or a carjacker, you want unarmed citizens."
Detroit���s top cop is a long-time supporter of an armed citizenry. Police chiefs and sheriffs around the nation, having spent their professional lives serving on the front lines of America���s never-ending war on crime, privately tend to be supportive of citizens maintaining a direct hand in their own protection. However, once these professional cops do find themselves in charge of departments and agencies, they are typically occupying, at that point, an uncomfortable space that serves as a nexus of ���law enforcement professional��� and ���politician,��� two realms that so often have contradictory interests. Too often, common-sense thinking about self-protection becomes the casualty. This is why Craig���s outspoken, staunch support of the citizens��� rights to keep and bear arms is so refreshing to see and hear.

Why Trump Is Right About San Bernardino

On this episode - Why Trump is right that family members likely knew what shooters were planning in San Bernardino, Finland launches plan to pay citizens $876 monthly, Puerto Rico's insolvency has reached a tipping point as the country runs out of cash, Jimmy Carter says his cancer has disappeared, Madoff victims get million dollar checks from trustee, and how to buy Christmas gifts for 90% off.

Financial Secrets Of The Vatican Exposed - Author Paul Williams

Author Paul Williams joins Jim Paris Live to discuss his books Operation Gladio and Vatican Exposed. What financial secrets is the Vatican hiding? What links are there to money laundering and the Vatican bank? Who is really in control of the Catholic Church and its money? What unholy alliances exist between the Catholic church and the CIA. What is Operation Gladio and how has the church participated in this clandestine operation? Why has the Vatican charged two Italian reporters and put them on trial, and what secrets might they reveal?

Neighbors of San Bernardino Shooters Did Not Report Suspicious Behavior; Afraid of ���Racist��� Label

By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large

This is the natural evolution of things.

The kind of suspicious activity that we���re often told to watch for by authorities had been noticed by neighbors of San Bernardino shooter Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife Tashfeen Malik. However, that activity went unreported because those neighbors feared being identified as racists.

Such is the danger of the progressive narrative. Progressive narratives, either by design or inadvertently, can have a tendency to undermine national security. The reaction of Farook���s neighbors to what they saw as clearly suspicious behavior is a terrific example of that.

This problem is further exacerbated when people like Attorney General Loretta Lynch make it a point to say that the Department of Justice will go after those espousing anti-Muslim rhetoric, as she did recently. Aside from the ominous implications to the First Amendment and free speech, more generally, positions such as Lynch���s have the potential to further dissuade concerned citizens from speaking up when they see possible threats to the nation, in cases where those threats appear to be engineered by what has essentially become a protected class of citizen in this country.

These are, indeed, dangerous times.

 

The San Bernardino Terrorists and the Prospect of Bioterror

By Robert G. Yetman, Jr. Editor At Large

Syed Farook and his wife, Tashfeen Malik, were behind the deadly terrorist attack in San Bernardino, California. One of the interesting details of Farook���s life that has managed to gather no more than an ���oh, by the way��� kind of mention in news outlets is his job and educational background: Farook was an environmental health specialist at the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health, and also had a degree in environmental health, which he earned from California State University in 2010.

There has been apparently no evidence yet uncovered that Farook was planning any sort of bioterror attack against either his fellow workers at the agency where he was employed, or against the public, more broadly. However, for those willing to read between the lines, Farook���s background in the field of environmental health is not something to dismiss out of hand.

We have spoken before about the threat of bioterror at the hands of radical Islamists. As remote as such a threat may seem, at first blush, it is something clearly worth considering, given the heightened risk level at which the nation finds itself these days.

Weird Coincidence? This Drill Held In San Bernardino Just A Week Before Attack

I���ve previously about the Alive After the Fall digital information package. The basis of Alive After the Fall is Scripturally-foretold electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attacks that can plunge an affected area into darkness, and the practical steps you can take to make it through the event should it strike the area in which you live. One feature I especially like about Alive After the Fall is the wealth of information it offers on survival topics beyond the more singular issue of EMP attacks. One of the bonus special reports that���s included as a part of the package is Surviving a Biochemical Attack, and it contains a lot of solid information on a topic few consider nowadays���but should.

In Surviving a Biochemical Attack, readers are treated to a solid overview of the wide variety of biochemical agents that are good candidates for ���weaponization��� in some form. The report also discusses how to prepare, how to develop a disaster plan, and much more. As I mentioned earlier, we do not know at this time that Farook was going to use either his job or education to help facilitate a bioterror menace. Nevertheless, the fact that he had a strong background in the environmental health field should, on its own, be enough for the rest of us to at least consider the possibility that planning such an attack was somewhere in his realm of consideration.

Including Surviving a Biochemical Attack, the material received in the complete Alive After the Fall package comes in the form of 15 different digital reports, each covering a different survival topic, that total just under 600 pages. What���s more, your purchase is accompanied by a 60-day, money-back guarantee, so if you find it necessary, for any reason, to ask for a refund, you can have one for up to two months after you buy the product. To learn more, Click Here.

 

Jim Paris As A TV Actor?

On this episode ��� Jim discusses his recent experience signing up to be an extra on several TV programs. Also, how one man travels the world with credit card reward points, and why one woman says the smartest financial decision she ever made was NOT buying a home. 

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