Photography News December 2019

Welcome to the Christmas round up for photography gear.  This is the time of year when many manufacturers and distributors announce their biggest savings.  So let's get started.

Sigma 85mm f1.4 Art 

The Sigma 85mm 1.4 Art  is one of the best DSLR lenses ever.  If you're looking for a lens to squeeze every pixel from your high resolution sensor this is it.  But don't ask me.  The Sigma 85MM F1.4 Art gets a stellar grade from DXOMARK.  The Sigma 85mm F1.4 comes in mounts for popular DSLR brands and unlike the Zeiss glass it has autofocus and image stabilization.  The only negatives I see are the large filter size and the absence of a aperture ring.  These are minor drawbacks if you need the sharpest lens possible.

Kodak Ektachrome 

There's good news from Kodak if you have a film junkie on your Christmas list.  As promised Kodak is releasing its Ektachrome color transparency film in 120 and 4x5 just in time for Christmas!  This 100 ISO film has extremely fine grain and very pleasing color rendition.  It's been reformulated on a base optimized for scanning.

Canon Pixma PRO-10 reviewed here.  And available at B&H until December 31st with a $200 mail in rebate.  With its pigment based LUCIA inks and archival paper the PRO-10 can make giclée quality prints.  I'll let you look that up.  Suffice it to say, this printer will take your images from the screen to a tactile print worthy of display.  Don't be afraid to take the next step.

Fujifilm X-T30 

Wrapping up my holiday roundup is the Fujifilm X-T30 reviewed here by Ken Rockwell.  The X-T30 is a APS-C mirrorless camera packed with potential.  There are plenty of excellent lens choices and top shelf accessories.  The X-T30 gives a nod in design to the film cameras of the past and is available in money saving bundles through Christmas.

The Golden Age of Hollywood Glamour

George Hurrell 

For a fleeting few decades Hollywood studios employed the greatest photographers to promote their biggest stars.  The illusion of glamour was made real in photographs.  Craftsmen of light and shadow captured elegant images on 8x10 negatives with a shelf life of 200 years.

Rita Hayworth by George Hurrell 

It was the grandest boudoir.  It was the finest portraiture.  And all of it was done without today's electronics.  Indeed, most of the works from the 20s, 30s, and 40s have only the barest of props.  It was lights, camera and the model.  And what models those photographers had.

Heddy Lamar by Clarence Sinclair Bull 

Today large format film photography is used primarily by a few landscape photographers.  It is greatly coveted for its incredible resolution in the fields of architecture and landscape.  The great Hollywood photographers valued these cameras and their large negatives for the beautiful tonality.

Gladys Zielian by Alfred Cheney Johnston 

You can find out more about large format photography here.  New large format cameras are still available new from stores such as B&H Photo.  They are expensive for sure but used cameras are often available on EBay.

As always if you have camera equipment gathering dust, get in touch and I will put it to use.  kirbyatlanta@gmail.com and mccainkirby on Instagram

For more info on large format and photography in general check out Ken Rockwell's website.  It is full of gorgeous photography!

Photography: Up Close

Beautiful vistas are just that, beautiful.  It's what we're looking for when we're on vacation.  The sun glistening over the bay.  A quiet lake with the snow capped Rockies in the background.  Waiting till vacation to take a great picture?  Why? There are plenty of opportunities around us everyday!

Nikon D300 w/ 50mm f1.8

When you look at a garden, what do you see?  If you take the time to really look at your surroundings you will find a world full of opportunities.  Get close and, as much as possible, focus on your subject.

Pet Portraits are fun 
Nikon D3400 w/ 70-300mm

Of course, a close focusing lens is essential.  The 50mm Nikkor lens used for the flower, reviewed here, is inexpensive and sharp.  Paired with the D300 from 2007, reviewed here, it's very capable of producing wonderful pictures.

One last note, try getting on the same level as your subject.  I've always considered it a mistake to make every exposure from a standing position.  Here's another example of shooting from a different perspective.

Avatar cosplay from DragonCon 

While this creative young cosplayer posed for a dude shooting from the standing position I slipped down a stairwell for my shot.  He shot on and on because digital is free but he never varied his perspective, despite seeing me taking a shot from the stairs.  And the young lady never asked for my card.

Get close and choose a perspective.

My mother inspired my interest in photography and at 62 I'm still shooting.  My interest in film photography remains strong.  If you have film equipment collecting dust consider donating it to someone that would put it to use, like me.

I'm particularly interested in large and medium format cameras.

kirbyatlanta@gmail.com

Climate Catastrophe in Photographs

When every weather related disaster is portrayed as the result of man made climate change it is a testament to our ignorance of history.  There is nothing new about these calamities.

Rochester N.Y. March 1913

Yes, horses were still being used in the early twentieth century.  I suppose their flatulence might be to blame for this disaster.  Greta Thunberg could not be reached for her expert opinion.

While automobiles were yet to be commonplace cameras certainly were and Rochester was the home of Kodak.  The photograph above is from a collection at Monovisions.

In March of 1913 a weather system moved up out of the Gulf of Mexico dumping torrential rainfall as it moved through the Midwest to the northeast.  Photography was now in the hands, literally, of more people.  Large unwieldy cameras were giving way to smaller hand held units.  Here, one photography blogger determines which cameras might have been used to capture the devastation.

Dayton Ohio March 1913

The Great Flood of 1913 was the biggest disaster in Ohio history.  Dayton was particularly hard hit when levees along the Miami River succumbed to the deluge.  Rather than blame something as speculative as climate change the people invested in modern flood control.  

Suing power companies and blaming man made climate change will not prevent forest fires in California.  Greta Thunberg is the face of a political agenda that prevents us, the people, from taking practical action like land management.

One hundred years later we are no wiser.  When viewing the present without the context of the past we can be easily deceived.

I hope you've enjoyed this look back at the hardships of the past and the practical remedies.  I have been going through some hardship of my own due to a chronic health condition.  You can help by donating through my PayPal here.

I could really use a haircut! Thanks 

Helping Homeless Veterans

Last night Gretchen @codeofvets expressed her frustration that so many veterans are homeless.  It's a vexing problem.  The conditions that create this problem aren't going away anytime soon.

No one really represents the homeless.  This humanity crisis is faceless.  It's not an attractive cause.  Who will go to Washington and lobby for the programs that will help these people?  That's what it will take.

Drug addiction and mental health programs must be tailored for the homeless.  D.C. Politicians will be loathe to spend on programs that don't target a voting block.  Transitional housing and access to jobs with be needed.  None of this will be fully funded without a strong presence in D.C. to put pressure on lawmakers.

Next media coverage is needed to advance the issue.  Putting faces and stories to the homeless crisis will help put pressure on politicians.  The media tend to focus on the problems caused by the homeless and not the people that are homeless.  People have been led to believe the homeless are somehow not capable of being rehabilitated.  That's, as we used to say, a cop out.

I know from my own experience what has happened to most of these people.  At some point, they were dispossessed.  They lacked the means to get back to a stable existence.  It's usually the loners like myself that fall through the cracks.

Preventing homelessness should be the top priority.  Once someone has become homeless bringing them back is much harder than prevention.  Identifying those most likely to become homeless is paramount.

There's no easy answers for homelessness.  It's not an attractive cause but public perception must change for this problem to be properly addressed.  It will be an ongoing effort.

Before I finish please let me mention my own story.  I'm out of work due to health concerns. I still have my job but can't work. I started a GoFundme when this began but the fundraising has gone slowly.  My fault, it's not exactly my strong suite.  Feel free to check it out. If you're uncertain about the GoFundme platform you may contribute directly through my PayPal
My suggestion would be to levy a tax to provide a permanent revenue for homeless programs.  It would require the funds to be dedicated and not become a part of the general budget.

This problem cannot and should not be ignored. We must advocate for these people and help them regain their dignity.

William Kirby McCain 

With Your Help

Another boring post chronicling my slow to go fundraiser and time out of work.  It's now been over two months since I've worked or received a paycheck. Please feel free to check out my fundraiser page and the updates for more details. My medical saga began eleven years ago when I had a triple bypass and was diagnosed with atherosclerosis.

Now that I'm getting older the doctors are ordering more and more tests to let me continue to work. In 2016 I had a endarterectomy to clear my left carotid.

In 2018 I missed three months of work while a nuclear stress test and heart catheterization was done.  Why did it take so long?  First I schedule a appointment. Then the stress test is scheduled. After the test an appointment is scheduled to review the test. There's a week or more between each of those steps and then the process was repeated for the catheterization.

If the process of testing is slow then my attempt at fundraising is equally slow.  As a result I've put everything of value in the pawn shop to stay afloat.  The biggest hit was the motorcycle. If I get back to work I can save it. Until then I'm relying on public transportation.

'06 Kawasaki 900 Vulcan

I was hopeful that one of the #TwitterPhilanthropy veteran oriented groups might retweet my fundraiser. And Bill Pulte @pulte is absolutely swamped by people that need help.  And he's doing a wonderful thing.

The Veteran groups such as CodeofVets have been quite, too.  And there could be a reason.  While I received a honorable discharge there was a set of circumstances that required me to get out early.

Shortly after I enlisted my mother passed suddenly at forty-seven.  It was a terrible shock.

My father, a WWII veteran, took my mother's passing exceptionally hard. Dad began to drink more often and my younger brothers often had to look after themselves.  Dad had been seriously wounded during the war and most certainly suffered from PTSS.  As time passed the situation at home for my brothers became worse and my father wanted me to come home and help shore things up.  He contacted our senator and I was transferred to Ft. McPherson until I was discharged.  It wasn't what I wanted to do at the time but I have no regrets.  I don't know how that might look for anyone that wants to vet my service but it is what it is.  If that would be the cause for the veteran groups not supporting my fundraiser that's fine, they're doing fantastic work for a lot of veterans.

I would like to thank the incredible people of the Atlanta VA Medical Center.  They're always there for me and they are the greatest.

The GoFundme platform and those like it are a wonderful development on the internet. It is a positive in our sometimes troubled society.  In times of crisis people can quickly reach out to others in need and that's a good thing.

I sat down to write this so that I might better help people understand my situation.  I hope this may allay any doubts about my fundraiser.  If you want to help share my campaign on Twitter and Facebook.  You can donate as little as five dollars and even do so anonymously at my GoFundme page.

If you're adverse of the Gofundme platform you may contribute directly through my PayPal account.

Lastly, I want to thank everyone that has donated to and shared my story.  You're support is making the difference for a senior and veteran that will get back on his feet and go on to help others.

Thank you and God Bless 
Kirby

Our Navy and the New Cold War

You read that correctly there is a new cold war. China is becoming increasingly aggressive towards its neighbors. It is claiming more and more islands based on distant history. Its communist government regularly ignores international maritime conventions.

Japan has been forced to build installations on uninhibited islands to prevent China from taking them.  China is running armed ships into Japanese waters without notice. Realizing that its neighbor has become a threat Japan has begun a military build up.

Taiwan has also begun to take its own defense seriously.  China protested strongly a recently inked sale of F-16 fighters to the island nation and now the Taiwanese are promising to build their own fighters and submarines.

Vietnam and the Philippines are likewise feeling threatened by Beijing. Joint military exercises between Russia and China were clearly meant to intimate South Korea.

And now the killing of a American carrier is thinkable. Isn't this a cold war? If you read that article you'll discover our carriers can't operate close enough to the area without becoming a target. Our carrier based planes don't have the range. By default our missile subs have become the biggest deterrent to Chinese aggression.

Between 1997 and 2016 U.S. submarine production dropped by 80%.  During that time we lost the industrial base required to build the subs we need today. Because of that General Dynamics is struggling to meet the new demand.

Our European allies have grown soft and can offer little support. The free nations of the Pacific are acknowledging China's regional ambitions. If we fail to act the communist government of China will begin to gobble up it's smaller neighbors and that will directly affect the United States.

Just announced: Japan passes record defense budget.

Dorian - You Can Help

On August 19th I dropped by the local Red Cross collection site to donate blood.  As a truck driver I have delivered relief supplies into hurricane affected zones.  I've seen the devastation.  So when this time of year rolls around I make sure to get out and give blood.

In better times I donate during DragonCon but with my recent difficulties I wasn't going to be able to attend.  The good news is there is a app that makes it easy to find a local blood drive and give.

You can schedule your donation then follow it through each step. My donation was ready for use today. Great! And the app informs me that I'm eligible to give again in October.

Giving the gift of life has never been easier.

Epstein and FBI Secrets

Even before his shocking death in a NYC jail the case of Jeffrey Epstein was full of intrigue. The so called Lolita express, Pedophile island and a list of big names has made for plenty of bombshell headlines. His pedophilia was demented. How was he able to get away with it so long?

In 2008 Epstein got a sweetheart deal after pleading to trafficking a minor. The plea came after a Non Prosecution Agreement was offered that protected Epstein and any co-conspirators from future federal charges.  I think it's fair to ask why such a deal would ever have been made. According to reports, the United States attorney Alexander Acosta has said he was told to back off.

Since 2016 we have learned that there were people in the FBI willing to act on their allegiance to the Democrat Party. Hillary Clinton's illegal email server, an open secret, was ignored. Clinton was exonerated in a piece of political theater meant for public consumption. Then an investigation was opened into possible collusion between then candidate Donald Trump and Russia based on a phoney document. Clearly there was a bias in the actions of the FBI.

Label me a conspiracy theory nut but how much of a stretch is it to think that Democrat friendly officials in the DOJ and FBI had known about Epstein's activities for some time. If someone told Acosta to back off, who was it? Who knew? Comey? Rosenstein? Mueller? McCabe?

Did the millionaire investor's recent arrest come as a result of regime change at  the DOJ? That would seem possible. If true, there might be a lot of people beyond the Epstein investigation that are worried their secrets will no longer be kept.

In 2014 my brother reported on a Hollywood pedophilia scandal involving Democrat donors.  Despite rumors of pool parties with young twinks there has never been, to our knowledge, an investigation.  There have been rumors for years involving powerful men in Hollywood and young people they might have molested. Were these big name Hollywood types protected because of their political allegiance? Hollywood is one the biggest sources of campaign contributions on the political landscape and it belongs to Democrats.

It's seems like the partisan culture at work during 2016 election season within the DOJ and FBI may have been at work for a longer time than anyone has suspected. How many investigations might have been affected? How many criminals have gone on to commit more crimes?

Have you wondered why nothing has happened to the bad actors behind the spygate scandal? When dirty cops, prosecutors and judges are prosecuted and convicted any case they touched could be tossed. The scale of this partisan corruption is huge and potentially goes back more than a decade. It's no surprise that Comey, McCabe and Strzok have been so defiant. The fallout from a prosecution would be like a wildfire. That's why we'll never know the extent of the problem or see a prosecution.

My final thoughts in a moment. I'm currently out of work with health problems. I've been out of work for over a month. My Gofundme Kirby's Medical Fundraiser fully funded will help me get through this. You can support me by sharing my story and donating if you can.

James Comey was the central player in the 2016 election season. From the free pass given to Hillary Clinton to the strategic media leaks meant to damage President Donald Trump, Comey's activism is front and center. And while he was running the show he certainly had plenty of help.

Alexander Acosta resigned as Labor Secretary and the story died. We need to know who might have wanted him to back off in the prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein. The Senate Judiciary Committee needs to have him testify. The origins of the group that worked so hard to affect the 2016 election must be explored. This is the only way to make sure that all of these partisans have been removed from power.

Protecting pedophiles because they're political donors? That's just sick.

Kirby's Medical Fundraiser

OR 

Direct PayPal Contribution

My Funder

In my previous post I spoke of the wonderful work of Bill Pulte and the awareness of charitable giving that's being raised by it. Inspired by his generosity thousands are joining in to help people when they most need it. I also need to mention @codeofvets for the wonderful work she has been doing on behalf of #Veterans in need. So, now just a short post about my fundraiser and the considerations I put into it.

My Funder is not about covering all of the costs that I will incur. My best estimation is that fully funded three thousand dollars will sustain me until I can get back to work. No frills, just keeping up a meager existence throughout this medical process. If I had to guess, the real cost of my medical treatment and lost wages would land near the ten thousand dollar mark. By keeping the fundraiser amount lower I hope people would be more inclined to give.

Mine is not a case that draws universal sympathy. Mine is a case of someone deprived of making a living by a faceless and unfeeling bureaucracy. It's the most unspectacular problem someone can face. This isn't something that grabs another person by the heart strings. As a result, my fundraiser doesn't grow in leaps and bounds. It requires constant promotion to gather donations and that is why I always ask people to share my story on their social media.

After being diagnosed as type two diabetes several years back I took control of my diet to avoid complications. This year's physical my A1c was 5.9 without medication and my weight was down 25lbs to 175lbs. To my complete surprise the doctor suggested that I should have a sleep study done.

Consider that for a moment. I hadn't been asked for a sleep study when I weighed a little over two hundred pounds. Now having lost weight and bringing my A1c into a normal range the doctor requires yet another test. Why? Because after all of these years of constant unrelenting test this is one that hasn't been done. It's really just that simple. Let no good deed go unpunished.

Perhaps I strayed a bit from my intended topic, I apologize. I wanted to add some context to my story. I wanted to illustrate why I'm saying that I set the limit for my fundraiser on the lower side. Let me further demonstrate the lengths to which this excessive testing goes.

Last year the cardiologist that I was using ordered a heart catheter after my stress test came back normal. Why? Because he could. When the heart catheterization came back with no issues he went on to order a electrophysiology study which comes in at a tidy 80k. I then consulted a VA doctor about this and he said don't do it. He said this test was for an irregular heartbeat and since I had never had a irregular heartbeat there was no grounds to support asking for that test.

Have I set the goal for my fundraiser too low? Do you think my fundraiser is worthwhile? The comments section is open. Would you like to see more posts? The first $50 donation will have me working away at another post!

Thanks,
Kirby McCain
My Medical Fundraiser

Perspective of Crisis

Recently a very good thing has begun to happen, the little man is being noticed.

#TwitterPhilanthropy is a movement led most notably by @pulte or Bill Pulte. He and his followers assist people who need help with a variety of adverse circumstances. Every day people that have a medical crisis, facing homelessness or need help with housing and utilities are being helped by this movement of charitable giving. As someone that is facing hard times I wanted to take a moment and share my experiences of fundraising and working to overcome my present situation.

I'm a CDL truck driver diagnosed with atherosclerosis. I had triple bypass surgery in 2008 and in 2016 had a endarterectomy and stent to correct stenosis of the left carotid artery. Due to my medical history I must be certified annually to continue driving. Now doctors are focused on my right carotid.

Left carotid surgery 

The tricky part of this situation is that I still have my job so I can't draw unemployment. If ever there was a crack to fall through this is certainly one. I have short term disability that I pay for on my insurance but it doesn't kick in until forty-five days. In the meantime I'm paying copays and other medical expenses on top of basic living expenses.

For thousands like me you're living life on a string. What might be a minor annoyance in your regular life can threaten you with homelessness or worse. Inability to pay a phone bill makes it many times more difficult to get a job or stay in touch with doctors. Maintaining housing and transportation can be giant hurdles. Things we routinely take for granted. It's no surprise that so many have turned to social media and crowd funding as a means of survival.

My day starts early. I check my social media and make a post or two to promote my fundraiser. Then I'm off to doctors or the Atlanta VA Medical Center. Today I received my Family Leave and short term disability insurance paperwork so I'm busy getting that filled out so I can get it in the hands of the doctors for completion. For those in crisis everyday is a challenge and an opportunity.

Note: upon taking the family leave act and disability forms to my private physician I was informed that they charged $35 per form filled out. I mention this to illustrate the ongoing expenses that I face in trying to resolve this problem.

With thousands of people in need, getting noticed and distinguishing yourself from internet panhandlers is both crucial and difficult. At 62 I can assure you that I'm not the most savvy social media person you might encounter. In order to assure people of the validity of my situation I update regularly often with photos of my most recent hospital bracelet or just simply checking in on Facebook when I'm at the hospital.

For thousands of people my situation is their situation. A struggle to avoid catastrophe. Treading the waters of uncertainty. In my darkest moments I worry about homelessness and by extension so do the many thousands of people that are living in crisis. One day at a time I remain focused on resolving the problem. Everyday twenty four seven is about staying positive and maintaining hope.

When some kind soul donates or shares my fundraiser it lifts my spirit away from the dark ponderings about the uncertainty in my life. It's often difficult to express the gratitude I feel but it is real. It restores my faith in God and humanity. It gives me the courage to keep going. It's more than money it's a testament to caring. And to everyone that has cared enough to share in the burdens of another person's struggles I say thank you and may God bless you.

Kirby McCain
My GoFundme Medical Fundraiser

The Democrat Disturbia

Let's admit it the media is in love with The Squad. Anytime one of them opens their disrespectful mouths the cameras are rolling. From the perspective of my sixty-two years on the third rock from the sun, it's very reminiscent of any anti-war movement. It's how the media uses its pervasive power to influence public sentiment.

An illusion is created that these fringe players represent a much larger segment of the population than they do. On several occasions these narratives have destroyed support for a war or military intervention. And now, it seems, the media wishes to promote the BDS movement.

There is no popular support for us to abandon Israel. Going back to the administration of Barack Obama we can see the seeds of this animosity towards the Jewish State. It was no surprise given his warm praise of Islam. He was, after all, the father of the Arab Spring.

Obama infected the Democrat Party with his own anti-Semitism. How this might play with voters I cannot say. I can assure you that the media will spin this as good policy and not the naked anti-Semitism it most certainly is,

Post Protest Afterglow

It warms my heart to see all those ladies out there with their signs listening to the other ladies on the bullhorns. They're not really angry. They try to look angry. Heck, they're just happy to all be together again.

Smile if you're down for the struggle

They've all gotten signage they can keep and cherish. They can dust it off from time to time and show it to friends. Maybe one day they can pass it on to their children, if they decide to adopt.

I'm so happy for them. It's a special time for them to be able to carouse with other women who are also educated and childless. They go out for the big show then retire to a Starbucks to share some talk over a latte and gloss over the handouts to old strains of The Indigo Girls. 

Those guys aren't there for the protest

I can see the girl cave in twenty years with signs on the walls and a pussy hat on the bar.  A Pride banner above the bar in a room full of cats. Yes ladies, the future looks bright because you're making a difference. There's no telling where this movement could go.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: New Democrat Same Antisemitism

After the former resident of of 6400 Pennsylvania Avenue rambled through the Middle East like a bull in a china shop the new kid on the block,  Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, is unsurprisingly critical of the current administration's support of Israel.

The soon to be exalted NYC congressperson's criticisms of Israel found sympathetic ears over at socialist friendly ABC.

"Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the first-time candidate who upset 10-term incumbent Rep. Joseph Crowley in last month’s Democratic primary, incorporated criticism of Israel’s actions into her campaign, condemning what she called a recent “massacre” in Gaza and calling on more Democrats to focus on the struggle of Palestinians."

You may have noticed, as have I, that leftists and their propaganda outlets don't like to talk about the half million Syrians dead in a war started by their Golden Child. Those major news outlets certainly haven't spent any air time detailing Israeli aid to Syrian civilians caught up in Obama's war. It's exceedingly unlikely that Ocasio-Cortez would want you to know about Adiel Coleman. The Israeli citizen and father of four murdered by a Palestinian on a five day work pass. 

From ABC

ABC and Ocasio-Cortez talk about demonstrators killed by Israeli Defense Forces. To Socialist Democrats that openly advocate for violence in this country the violent mobs at the Israeli-Gaza border are totally justified. They don't spend much time talking about the Iranian aligned terror group Hamas. 

"Hamas seeks Israel’s destruction. It has fought three wars with Israel since seizing the Gaza Strip from forces loyal to Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in 2007."

The Democrat party has long since departed the mainstream of American politics. Yemen, Iraq, Libya and Syria all suffered under the foreign policy of Obama. The Iran Deal rewarded the regional bully with American treasure while allowing them to pursuit their dark ambition of nuclear terrorism. An Iran friendly Democrat party promises only more death and destruction. As long as their propaganda outlets ignore those stories perhaps their collective conscience won't be bothered much.

Massacre? Israeli citizens struck down for political gain. IDF and police officers who have given their lives to maintain the peace. They get no consideration from pariahs like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

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Thanks for taking the time to read. I've been out of work with a medical condition for three months. I write on the good days. If you would stop by my #GoFundMe page. Donate if you can and share on your social media. Thanks and check back soon.

Kirby's Medical Fund

What Independence Means

The men and women that brought forth this nation chose to break from England and chart their own future. They committed themselves through blood, sweat and tears to the concept that all men should be free. In all of history there isn't another story as wonderful and unique as the birth of The United States of America.

Being governed from afar by England led our founders to create a union based on more local governance. So that today the idea of state's rights still acts as a hedge against federal overreach. And above all of that is the freedoms of the people.

Thus, the people of our great land have had the independence to follow their dreams both large and small. The principles of the founding and the people have endured. Our nation's independence was never simply a victory of arms. The Fourth of July is a celebration for the victory of reason. God Bless America.

The SCOTUS Abortion Scare

If the Democrats and their left-wing media allies were't using this scare tactic all the time it might have some claws.

If Trump were replacing a liberal justice I might be able to understand the liberal hysteria.

The truth is that we've had a liberal court since FDR and maybe, just maybe, it's time to call an end to the liberal activism from our high court. The court was never intended to enact laws. Something it has engaged in for at least fifty years.

The plain truth is that Planned Parenthood was and has been the biggest threat to legal abortion. It has been documented that counselors  at PP have routinely not reported cases of abuse involving minors who sought abortions. And then we have discovered that PP has been selling baby parts. Both are things extremely repugnant to a just and moral society.

That Kennedy wrote the majority opinion for Lawrence v. Texas has no doubt played some part in this hysteria.

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Thank you for reading. I'm a veteran who has been going through a very rough time. I've been out of work for three months with medical issues and having been trying so hard to return to work. I could really use your help. I'm trying not to fall through the cracks. Please take just a moment to visit my #GoFundMe and read my story. Donate and share on your social media.

Kirby's Medical Fund

The Sorry State of the Left-Wing Media

Cristina Laila at The Gateway Pundit took issue with a story by ABC and rightly so.  When innuendo and suspicion are reported as news your wallet has been stolen and your pockets are empty.  In other words, you ain't got squat.

"Robert Mueller is investigating ‘billionaires with ties to Russia’ who attended Donald Trump’s inauguration festivities."

No **** that's the basis of an investigation?  These men are under investigation because they're rich, Russian and attended the inauguration?  Mueller is off his meds.  This is a great legal mind?

"Several billionaires with deep ties to Russia attended exclusive, invitation-only receptions during Donald Trump’s inauguration festivities, guest lists obtained by ABC News show."

How many is several and what does deep ties even mean?  And where was ABC when Bill Clinton was riding Jeff Epstein's PedoPlane to pervert Fantasy Island.  Last time I checked Epstein was a billionaire and I haven't heard ABC's George Stephanopoulos utter a syllable of concern.

“This reflects a Russian strategy of gaining access to our political leaders ..."

But multi-million dollar donations to The Clinton Foundation don't!!!  Good grief, this is all they have?  Since when is it a crime to have rich people at exclusive inaugural events?

I wonder how many people on Mueller's lynch mob attended Hillary Clinton's Election Night Epic Failure Party? Huh?

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I've been out of work for about three months now due to my heart condition. If you could spare the change please drop by my #GoFundMe and chip in, I'd appreciate it.  And share my campaign on your social media. Thanks, Kirby

Kirby's Medical Fund

 

The Gordian Knot of Illegal Immigration

The first and most glaring part of the illegal immigration problem is that our neighbor to the south, Mexico, is allowing people to pass through to our border. Please notice that Mexico doesn't allow these people to apply for asylum. Mexico would never let these people remain in Mexico without documentation and they never speak of a path to citizenship. Then strangely enough the U.S. becomes the bad guy for requesting a modicum of order.

The second feature of this problem is the propaganda surrounding it. Yes, I said propaganda. The U.S. media is engaged in a massive propaganda campaign designed to bring about a emotional response while misleading their audience on the facts. If a news outlet interviews someone who misstates the facts or makes a false accusation that news outlet can't be said to have misrepresented the facts. They were just doing an interview. Let's look at how that is done in this story.

Williams said the growing backlog of asylum seekers is not the result of a significant increase in the number of families asking for asylum but rather a slowdown by the Trump administration in processing them.

Since the zero tolerance policy has been implemented and the news of children being separated from adults has spread more family units are reporting to our ports of entry. The quote you see is not a statement of fact, it is someone's opinion. An opinion which conveniently fits the narrative. Beyond the fact that people are trying to get into our country I found nothing of substance in the article. Evidence to the contrary is everywhere..

"That hasn't stopped immigrants. Though totals on border crossings are down, the number of families coming through the southwest border jumped sixfold in May to 9,485 compared with the same month in 2017. There are about 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the USA. 

That article goes on to say how bad it is in Central America but never asks the question why it is the U.S. alone that must shoulder the burden of providing a safe haven. The U.S. is never lauded for giving safe haven to millions while our neighbors Canada and Mexico stand idly by. Why isn't Mexico the bad guy? Canada? Both countries have criticized the U.S. while doing nothing to help.

If conditions are so bad in Central America why hasn't the U.N. done something about it? The people arriving at our border aren't fleeing war or natural disaster. Instead it's said they are fleeing poverty and violence. So, not only are these migrants undocumented but for the most part their claims of victim-hood are unverifiable. Under these circumstances how could this many people be properly vetted for entry?

"By a wide margin, the U.S. has more immigrants than any other country in the world. As of 2015, the United Nations estimates that 46.6 million people living in the United States were not born there. This means that about one-in-five international migrants (19%) live in the U.S. The U.S. immigrant population is nearly four times that of the world’s next largest immigrant destination – Germany, with about 12 million immigrants."

That quote from PEW Research speaks tons about the propaganda that abounds in this country. Despite having one of the most liberal legal immigration policies in the world the socialist media would have you believe that Americans are opposed to immigration. The wave of undocumented migrants at our southern border has put an exclamation point on our nation's ability to cope with such an influx.

“We’re not changing the policy. We’re simply out of resources,” she said, adding that it is up to Congress now to step in and change the laws.

That quote from WH Spox Sarah Sanders.  about sums it all up. Enough is enough. In light of the numbers on immigration and the volume of people arriving at our southern border it is clear that a tough border policy must be implemented to discourage this activity. To say that the U.S. is adverse to immigration is faulty. Our nation is based upon the rule of law and ignoring those laws puts the nation at risk.

I haven't been a particularly avid supporter of building a wall. Now I believe that it would be in the interest of national security to do so. A wall would deter illegal crossings and funnel asylum seekers to ports of entry. If there were a backlog of migrants in Mexico awaiting processing at the ports then Mexico would be made to bear the responsibility of having let those migrants pass through. A situation that might cause our southern neighbor to reconsider its participation in this activity.

Should you decide to visit Guatemala and investigate conditions there on your own be advised you will need a passport. Also be advised that Guatemala has the best economy in Central America.

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I hope you've enjoyed my random musings. I am currently out of work due to medical conditions. I would great appreciate you dropping by my #GoFundMe page and reading my story. Donate if you can and share my story on your social media. Thank and God bless. Kirby

Kirby's Medical Fund

FBI: Oversight is Crucial

Sonam Sheth has a new article today at Business Insider. New documents have been released to the oversight committee and I think Mr. Sheth did a good job of airing the concerns of Democrats who seem opposed to transparency. Let's dig in with a quote then.

 While Republicans say the requests are part of their congressional oversight responsibility, Democrats accuse their colleagues across the aisle of using classified information to play politics and compromise the Russia investigation.

A big part of the campaign to damage President Trump's administration has been the leaking of classified information by partisans within the DOJ and FBI. Then there was the shocking revelation of James Wolfe the director of The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence literally in bed with a journalist leaking classified information. So that we see, once again, Democrats accusing Republicans of doing what they have been caught doing.

"The immediate concern, said former CIA operative Glenn Carle, is that turning over information related to FISA records could compromise sources and methods."

Mr. Carle, when a secret court tasked to issue warrants for spying on terrorists and international criminal organizations is duped by officers of the court into issuing surveillance warrants on American citizens then oversight is justified. The documented partisan mindset of the officers involved makes it necessary to examine your precious sources and methods.  The Business Insider continued to quote Mr. Carle.

"If something is coming from an entire committee, rather than a party, then the government is speaking through that committee," he said. "If it's coming from one party, that indicates political bias and could skew the outcome and fly in the face of the oversight function itself." 

We have a situation unlike any in our history where the party in power, Democrats, used the offices of government to spy on the rival party during an election year. That Democrats have no interest in having their dirty laundry aired in public should be no great surprise. Mr. Carle seems to have no problems with the political bias which led us to this place.

Were they spying? What's the FISA court for, spying! I brought up the Business Insider story to point out the empty rhetoric on the left. Any reasonable person knows that if the roles and people involved in this had been reversed the leftists would have exploded in place. And rightfully so. Finally some sage observations by Alan Dershowitz at Fox Business.

“There has never been a more important time in our history for checks and balances to be operating, whether it’s regarding President Trump’s immigration policies, where we’re seeing checks and balances in play and whether it be the Mueller investigation,” Dershowitz said during an interview with FOX Business’ Maria Bartiromo on Friday.

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Thanks for taking the time to read. The comments section is OPEN!!! Also, I've been out of work with health issues for almost three months now. If you would take just a moment to drop by my #GoFundMe page and donate as little as $5 then share it on Twitter and FaceBook I would be truly humbled and grateful. As someone who has worked hard his entire life this has been a very difficult time. Kirby's Medical Fund

Venezuela's Socialist Undoing

A story out today from Reuters is another in a recent slew detailing the calamitous fall of the socialist state. The article is derived, in part, from the U.N. human rights office and deals with extrajudicial killings by security forces. To no one's surprise the Venezuelan dictator Maduro blames the United States for his country's disastrous situation.

The unpopular Maduro has cast the release of dozens of opposition members as a peace gesture following his re-election to a new six-year term last month, which was condemned by most Western nations as an undemocratic farce. His government denies the detainees are political prisoners.

From Forbes Magazine

The despotic Maduro can blame the U.S. for it's problems till the cows come home. The truth is not hard to find. In another story from Reuters we learn that the true culprit is PDVSA Venezuela's state run oil producer. Capitalism is by no means perfect but the successes of state run anything could probably be counted on one hand.

Crude exports are Venezuela’s main source of revenue, but the OPEC member has seen deliveries fall sharply in the last few months, dropping to 1.17 million barrels per day (bpd) in May from 1.24 million bpd in April, according to Thomson Reuters trade flows data.

Citgo can process up to 749,000 bpd of crude in three U.S. refineries. In the past, PDVSA supplied as much as 40 percent of Citgo’s crude requirements, but volumes have been slowly declining for years.

Maduro and his regime point to U.S. sanctions that according to almost everyone are purely symbolic. The U.S. sanctions apply to oil exported to U.S. markets. PDVSA has been unable to fill contracts to many of it's customers and the reason for this traces right back to the problems of socialism. A smart company re-invests profits to ensure it can meet market demands. A state run outfit like PDVSA turns over its revenues to the state and as you can see in this story the results have been disastrous.

The problem of export capacity has become so acute that PDVSA is demanding customers send ships that can handle ship-to-ship loadings, since there is a backlog of ships trying to load up at the country’s decrepit ports. PDVSA is even considering declaring force majeure on contracts that it will be unable to fulfill. The upshot is that PDVSA might have only 694,000 bpd available for export in June, which is less than half of the 1.495 mb/d that it is contractually obligated to deliver this month.

That quote from the OilPrice website pretty much sums up the situation. Did you catch the part about decrepit ports? Ship to ship transfers of oil risk a environmental hazard. This is a desperate measure that results directly from the failures of a socialist system. Free market systems operate very differently.

A robust U.S. economy boosts the country's consumer appetite. In recent years our ports have not been able to handle all of the incoming freight so it has been sent to Mexico where it's offloaded and sent into the U.S. by rail. Around the country port authorities and states have lobbied the government for funds to expand our own capabilities. Let me point out there is no lobbying in a socialist state.

Work to deepen the Savannah River channel from 42 feet to 47 feet to accommodate larger cargo ships from the expanded Panama Canal reached its midway point earlier this year.

Georgia’s inland and coastal ports are vital cogs in the state’s economy. A study released in March by the University of Georgia found that maritime trade accounts for $44 billion of the state’s gross domestic product and the ports directly or indirectly touch more than 439,000 jobs.

Those quotes are from a Atlanta Journal article you can read here. The state of Georgia and concerned industry leaders lobbied our government for funding.  This is how capitalism and our government work. As I said earlier, it's not a perfect system. It does get results. When I hear some left-wing academic demonize capitalism in order to pontificate on the virtues of socialism I have to do the eye roll. The least little bite of the socialist apple may very well doom our republic.

I began with extrajudicial killings by Venezuelan security forces. Britain has taken more than a little taste of that socialist apple. It should be noted that I was unable to contact Tommy Robinson for this story.

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I'm out of work due to a chronic heart condition. Please drop by my #GoFundMe page and help out an old Vet if you can. My situation is frustrating and difficult but I'm toughing it out. You can make a difference. Kirby's Medical Fund