Scientists Have Invented a Real-Life Cloaking Device

From The Blaze.com (Sept. 27):

Cloaking devices: they’re not just for Harry Potter or Romulan warships anymore.

Researchers at the University of Rochester are publicizing their construction of an invisibility-inducing array, and the simple technology involved might surprise you.

As Reuters reported:

“From what we know this is the first cloaking device that provides three-dimensional, continuously multidirectional cloaking,” said Joseph Choi, a graduate student who helped develop the method at Rochester, which is renowned for its optical research.

In their tests, the researchers have cloaked a hand, a face, and a ruler – making each object appear “invisible” while the image behind the hidden object remains in view. The implications for the discovery are endless, they say.

“I imagine this could be used to cloak a trailer on the back of a semi-truck so the driver can see directly behind him,” Choi said. “It can be used for surgery, in the military, in interior design, art.”

Howell said the Rochester Cloak, like the fictitious cloak described in the pages of the Harry Potter series, causes no distortion of the background object.

Building the device does not break the bank either. It cost Howell and Choi a little over $1,000 in materials to create it and they believe it can be done even cheaper.

Of course, the practical applications might attract professional attention, but the basic thrill of disappearing is what appeals to the average Joe.   [read more]

Yea, that is pretty cool. And an elegant solution as a programmer might call it. All it takes is four lenses and the university tells anyone how to do it on their website.

Bill O’Reilly’s Mercenary Army

From The O’Reilly show (Sept. 22):

However, the American people, perhaps rightly so, do not want to send any more of our troops into these chaotic countries.

But what about a mercenary army?

Elite fighters who would be well paid and well trained to defeat terrorists all over the world.

Here's how it would work:

The fighters would be recruited by the U.S.A. and trained in America by our special forces.  U.S. Army rules of engagement would be followed -- strict discipline formed by the Geneva Convention.

America would be in charge of selecting who makes the cut and how they are deployed, with an eye on a 25,000-person force.

American and NATO officers would lead the mercenary army, and the U.S.A. would also provide logistical support, basing the first-trained soldiers in Kurdistan.

The force would be called "the anti-terror army," and the cost paid by the coalition that President Obama is trying to put together.

That means all countries that want intelligence and protection from the U.S.A. and NATO would have to chip in.

If you don't pay, you get no help.

[read more]

Not a bad idea. Sort of like an international Impossible Mission force. I think there was a video game done on this idea. It was also a book by the late Tom Clancy. I hope the rules of engagement of this international task force allow shooting at terrorists who shoot at you inside of Mosques. I mean if the terrorists don’t care about their own Mosques why should the soldiers?

It’s good that the people over in Iraq and Syria are breaking things but I want to see more dead terrorists.

Meet Khorasan, the Terrorist Group That Might Be Scarier Than ISIS

From The Daily Signal.com (Sept. 20):

As the Islamic State terrorist organization commands attention with its cold-blooded tactics of rape and murder, another group of violent extremists in Syria considers itself tougher — and actually may have more ambition to attack the United States.

The group, known as Khorasan, was acknowledged and named publicly for the first time Thursday by National Intelligence Director James Clapper.

Clapper confirmed that Khorasan may pose as great a threat to the U.S. as the Islamic State, also called ISIS or ISIL. “There is potentially yet another threat to the homeland, yes,” he said at an intelligence conference in Washington.

Phillips: The Khorasan group is a cell of veteran terrorists belonging to the al-Qaeda core group — the high command of the al-Qaeda network that relocated to Pakistan after the 2001 defeat of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.

Osama bin Laden’s successor, Ayman al-Zawahiri, reportedly dispatched the Khorasan group to Syria to link up with al-Qaeda’s official franchise in Syria, Jabhat al-Nusra — which means “the Victory Front.”

The Khorasan group currently poses more of a threat to the U.S. homeland, because of its greater experience in transnational terrorist operations and access to more sophisticated bombs.  [read more]

Great. Another freakin’ crazy Islamofascist group popping up. They are breeding like cockroaches. I wonder if Obama is not going to call them Islamic either.

Islamic State Fighters Reportedly ‘Run Away’ from a Certain Type of Soldier

From The Blaze.com (Sept. 21):

Radical Islamists who decide to embark on suicidal missions often do so with the expectation they will be rewarded with 72 virgins if they die in battle; however, it turns out there is one major caveat to the scenario, according to a U.S. lawmaker.

That is, if they are killed by a woman, the deal is off.

Rep. Ed Royce (R-Calif.), chairman of the House International Relations Committee, told the New York Post, “These ISIL [Islamic State] soldiers apparently believed that if they were killed in battle, they went to paradise as long as they were killed by a man.”

The issue is of some relevance, especially in Iraq, where female recruits are among the ranks of the Kurdish peshmerga forces, now fighting the Islamic State jihadist group.

“[T]hese female soldiers were communicating their satisfaction with the fact that they had taken the fight to ISIL and had stopped the advance, turned back the advance — slayed a number of these fighters, who would then run away,” Royce said adding that the female fighters have been fighting “very bravely.”

Royce said heard at a meeting with the Kurdish foreign minister that female fighters were “laughing” when they saw Islamic State jihadists flee from them. [read more]

Interesting. Where are the Amazon warriors when you need them? Ha! Or maybe a team of female special forces like in Brad Thor’s novel The Athena Project.

Since a Muslim guy is supposed to turn his head away from a woman who is inappropriately clothed I wonder if those Islamic State soldiers even saw the woman soldiers. The Islamic Static is such Daesh cockroaches.

Al Qaeda's quiet plan to outdo ISIS and hit U.S.

From CBS News.com (Sept. 18):

WASHINGTON -- The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) may be dominating the headlines and stealing attention with its prolific propaganda, but CBS News' Bob Orr reports, another group in Syria -- one few have even heard of because information about it has been kept secret -- is considered a more urgent concern.

Sources tell CBS News that operatives and explosives experts from Osama bin Laden's old al Qaeda network may again present an immediate threat to the U.S. homeland.

At two dozen foreign airports, U.S.-bound passengers are undergoing enhanced security screening. Agents are searching for hidden explosives. Laptops and phones with dead batteries have been banned from flights.

Great Britain raised its national terror threat level, and the FBI is tracking American jihadists who may return home.

Sources say it's due to the emerging threat in Syria, where hardened terrorists loyal to al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri are working on new, hard-to-detect bombs.

In testimony Wednesday, the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Matt Olsen -- who warned that U.S. agencies are unable to effectively track Western jihadists inside Syria -- seemed to make a vague reference to the threat.

Sources confirm that the al Qaeda cell goes by the name "Khorasan."

Unlike ISIS, which is believed at present to be largely engulfed in its fight for territory. Khorasan is developing fresh plots to target U.S. aviation, and it's trying to recruit Westerners who have flocked to the fight in Syria, some of whom have joined the al Qaeda franchise in the country, known as the al-Nusra Front.

The fear is that U.S. and European passport holders could more easily smuggle explosives onto airplanes.

[read more]

All the more reason for America to get control of her borders. Anyone who is for open borders is just crazy. Mexico isn’t for it. Neither is Canada. Then again the open border people really don’t care if other countries want open borders just America. If you have open borders (which is basically saying no borders at all) then a country isn’t sovereign anymore. Saying if states have open borders then America as a whole should have open borders is two different things. A guest on Stosell actually said that states have open borders why shouldn’t America?

Another thing is that the Left really doesn’t get evil. They think everyone crossing the border wants to do good for America. Here’s a wake up call. Not everyone does.

The Four Reformers by Robert L. Stevenson

FOUR reformers met under a bramble bush.  They were all agreed the
world must be changed.  "We must abolish property," said one.

"We must abolish marriage," said the second.

"We must abolish God," said the third.

"I wish we could abolish work," said the fourth.

"Do not let us get beyond practical politics," said the first. 
"The first thing is to reduce men to a common level."

"The first thing," said the second, "is to give freedom to the
sexes."

"The first thing," said the third, "is to find out how to do it."

"The first step," said the first, "is to abolish the Bible."

"The first thing," said the second, "is to abolish the laws."

"The first thing," said the third, "is to abolish mankind."

Source: Fables (1902) by Robert L. Stevenson.

Written in the past sounds like the Left today. The first line sounds like a radical gay rights activist. The 2nd and 6th lines sound like the militant atheists. The last line sounds like environmental fascists. Abolishing property is a Marxist idea. Reducing men to a common level well, that’s what the Left wants to do altogether so the masses can be dependent on big gov’t.

What would Reagan do?

Below are excerpt from an imaginary address by Ronald Reagan written by Newt Gingrich:

My fellow Americans:

We have all been saddened and outraged by the vicious videotape of ISIS terrorists beheading an American journalist. Our hearts go out to James Foley's family.

However, anger and sympathy are not solutions.

We, the American people, must come together in a righteous determination to defend freedom and civilization from barbarism, savagery and terrorism.

We must calmly, methodically and with the same grim determination we brought to winning World War II, implement strategies that eliminate the growing worldwide threat of radical Islamists prepared to kill us as individuals and our values as a civilization.

ISIS and its worldwide terrorist allies have become the focus of evil in the modern world.

We were saddened but not surprised by the vicious, barbaric video of the killing of James Foley. Back in January we noted that ISIS leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, gave a speech in which he warned America, "Soon we'll be in direct confrontation, so watch out for us, for we are with you, watching." They have promised to raise their black flag over the White House.

The 12,000 terrorists from over 50 countries should understand that they can surrender or we will hunt them down. Terrorists who videotape beheadings operate outside the rule of law and in the tradition of eliminating piracy they will be dealt with as outlaws.

In confronting an evil that seeks to kill us and destroy our civilization, our goal must be complete and decisive victory.

America and the forces of freedom need your prayers in this daunting campaign.

Together, civilization will prevail and barbarism will return to the dustbin of history.

[read more]

Like I said these are extracts from the imaginary address. In the address Gingrinch has Reagan go into a little bit of history of radical Islam which would now days would bore the low-info voter and Reagan’s strategy. Reagan would use the word ‘evil.’ I sincerely believe that. He would not state that ISIS is not Islamic or even a state. If ISIS is not Islamic then why are different Muslims in England and America are joining these cockroaches? Surely, they wouldn’t join them if they weren’t. I guess ISIS could be lying about who they are but I doubt it. It’s good that Obama said we are going after ISIS. Now if he would only execute the plan.

Here is what Reagan really said about peace and war:

[P]eace is not obtained or preserved by wishing and weakness.

I’ve called for whatever it takes to be so strong that no other nation will dare violate the peace. If that means superiority, so be it.

And here’s what Glenn Beck said Obama should have said (an extract):

This is not some long protracted war, America has had enough of war. We’ve had enough of playing footsie, of saying, ‘Let’s embrace and understand.’ There is no understanding or tolerating evil. Period. You’re chopping the heads off of people. You’re selling people into slavery. You’re saying you can use woman any way you want. America, it doesn’t look like we have many standards, but we have a few basic standards. Slavery is wrong. Sexual slavery is wrong. Beheading people is wrong. Forcing them to submit to your ideology is wrong. And America will stand united on that, and we’re coming for you. Don’t screw with us.

We will not rebuild you. We do not want your resources. We do not want part of your religious war. You are trying to separate the Middle East, Sunni against Shia. You are trying to take over the movement of a once great and powerful religion, one that gave the world so much. … We have no fight with the Muslim people. But you want to bring it to our shores, you want to bring it to our people, you want to bring it to our journalists? Make no mistake: we will pound you into glass. And then we’ll take our airplanes and we’ll go home.

[read more]

Beck makes an interesting point. He says Obama at first says he didn’t have a plan. Now, he does. So, where did the plan come from? And can we trust the plan’s creators?

Here’s the deal: ISIS thinks of themselves as warriors in a holy war. Therefore the only people they understand as adversaries are other warriors. Talk ie speeches is cheap to them. Action on the other hand, especially action that threatens them—that will get their attention. That will make them nervous. The ancient radical Muslims understood the Knights Templar. They might have even respected them as warriors. But respect for a community organizer? Even one with a Muslim-sounding name? I don’t think so.

How to Lose a Constitution—Lessons from Roman History

From Fee.org (Aug. 29):

The history of ancient Rome spans a thousand years—roughly 500 as a republic and 500 as an imperial autocracy, with the birth of Christ occurring almost precisely in the middle. The closest parallels between Roman and American civilizations are to be found in Rome’s first half-millennium as a republic. We in our day can derive the most instructive lessons from that period. The tyranny of the empire came after the republic was destroyed and that’s the truly awful consequence of decay that America can yet avoid.

Upon winning their freedom, Romans split the top position of power between two men—the consuls. One was to be a check upon the other and neither, except in emergency situations, was to serve more than one year. Legislative bodies—the Senate and assemblies of elected representatives—were established. Incidentally, the Senate was retained in name, though not in power, for the entire thousand years of Roman history. Even as freedom vanished, the later tyrants couldn’t quite bring themselves to abolish the symbols of republicanism. So if America ever loses its Republic, it wouldn’t be surprising if it kept its House and Senate. As in the case of Rome, our legislative bodies may even formally ratify the final extinction of the freedom they’ve been voting against for decades.

Let me share with you what I call, “The Three Most Stubborn Lessons of History,” and then I’ll go back and briefly relate each to the Roman Republic:

Number One: No people who lost their character kept their liberties.

Number Two: Power that is shackled and dispersed is preferable to power that is unrestrained and centralized.

Number Three: The here-and-now is rarely as important as tomorrow.

Now to the first of the three: No people who lost their character kept their liberties.

Character, as I am using the term, embodies the trait of virtue, which is from the Latin virtus, meaning courageous honesty. Above all, it was esteemed by the early Romans of the republic. It was routinely taught in the home by mothers and fathers. Indeed, all formal education took place in the home in the first two and a half centuries of the republic. Schools didn’t appear until the third century B.C. and even they did not receive government funding until well after the Republic faded.

I guess the lesson there is that government funding is not necessary for civilizational decline, but it can sure help it along.

Other traits of character stressed in early Rome were gravitas (dignity), continentia (self-discipline), industria (diligence), benevolentia (goodwill), pietas (loyalty and a sense of duty), and simplicitas (candor).

The connection between character and liberty is powerful. Liberty—by which I mean rule of law, respect for and protection of the lives, rights, property and contracts of others—is the only social arrangement that requires character. No other system, especially socialism, asks much of you other than to keep quiet, pay your taxes and go get yourself killed when the State so directs. The absence of character produces chaos and tyranny. Its presence makes liberty possible.

Rome rose from nothing and sustained itself as a great entity for centuries because of its strong character.

When Romans allowed the temptations of the welfare state to erode their character, when they abandoned responsibility, self-discipline, self-reliance and respect for the property of others and began to use government to rob Peter and pay Paul, they turned down a fateful, destructive path.

In the waning years of the Republic, a rogue named Clodius ran for the office of tribune. He bribed the electorate with promises of free grain at taxpayer expense and won. Thereafter, Romans in growing numbers embraced the notion that voting for a living could be more lucrative than working for one.

Candidates for Roman office spent huge sums to win public favor, then plundered the population afterwards to make good on their promises to the greedy mob that elected them. As the republic gave way to dictatorship, a succession of emperors built their power on the handouts they controlled. Nearly a third of the city of Rome received public relief payments by the time of Christ.

It’s frightening to consider how easily a sturdy people, when they let their guard and character down, can be bought and paid for by the welfare State. And once they sell themselves for that mess of pottage from politicians, it’s not impossible to turn back, but it’s not easy either. [read more]

Yea, his lessons are very true back then as today because the basic nature of man hasn’t changed that much.

Homeland Security Bulletin: Islamic State Can Attack U.S. Overseas With ‘Little to No Warning’

From The Blaze.com (Sept. 8):

The Department of Homeland Security and FBI have put out a joint intelligence bulletin to all federal law enforcement that the Islamic State has the capability to mount attacks on U.S. targets overseas with “little to no warning.”

While the bulletin, obtained by TheBlaze, states that the FBI and DHS are unaware of any “specific, credible threats” against the U.S. homeland, they urge law enforcement to be vigilant about social media postings by Islamic State supporters within the U.S. calling for attacks against America.

The warning was dated Aug. 22, less than a month shy of the 13th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and as U.S. intelligence registered a spike in chatter from jihadi websites ahead of the anniversary.

The rise of the Islamic State — which shares Al Qaeda’s core beliefs — and its recruitment capability have come because of significant intelligence lapses in more than a decade of war, current and former U.S. officials told TheBlaze. The officials charge that the West was blindsided by the establishment of the Islamic State because the intelligence community lacked necessary human assets that would have helped expose the terror group before it could hit its stride. [read more]

Well, isn’t that nice. As for “little or no warning” what terrorist gives warnings? I mean there was no warning before the 9/11 attack. That’s why America has to stay vigilance. And defining these cockroaches as Jihadists ore even radical Muslims doesn’t help anything. You have to define evil and then deal with it. Evil doesn’t really care about political correctness. Calling them what they are doesn’t offend them. Being a Jew or a Christian is what offends them. Actually being anything but a fundamentalist Muslim is what offends them.

An Example of Crony Capitalism

Henry Tuttle was, for much of his life, president of the Hush-A-Phone Corporation, manufacturer of a telephone silencer. Apart from Tuttle, Hush-A-Phone Inc. employed his secretary. The two of them worked alone out of a small office near Union Square in New York City. Hush-A-Phones signature product was shaped like a scoop, and it fit around the speaking end of receiver, that no one could hear what the user was saying on the telephone.

The company motto emblazoned on its letterhead stated the promise succinctly: “Makes your phone private as a booth.”

One day late in the 1940s, Henry Tuttle received alarming news, AT&T had launched a crackdown on the Hush-A-Phone and similar products, like the Jordaphone,a creaky precursor of the modern speakerphone, whose manufacturer had likewise been put on notice. Bell repairmen began warning customers that Hush-A-Phone use was a violation of a federal [my emphasis] tariff and that, failing to cease and desist, they risked termination of their telephone service.

The company was referring to a special rule that was part of their covenant with the federal government. It stated: No equipment, apparatus, circuit or device not furnished by the telephone company shall be attached to or connected with the facilities furnished by the telephone company, whether physically by induction, or otherwise. 

Tuttle hired an attorney, who petitioned the FCC for a  modification of the rule and an injunction against AT&T’s threats. In 1950 the FCC decided to hold a trial (officially a “public hearing”) in Washington, D.C., to consider whether AT&T could punish its customers for placing a plastic cup over their telephone mouthpiece.

Source: The Master Switch. The Rise and Fall of Information Empires (2010) by Tim Wu.

Now, the author of the book is making AT&T into a bully. Possibly, you could see them that way. But here’s the thing. They wouldn’t have any standing if it weren’t for the tariff that was put in by the federal gov’t. So, you could say, it was AT&T and the federal gov’t who were the bullies. AT&T probably lobbied to have that provision put in but Congress could have voted it down or completely ignored the lobbying efforts. They had that choice. AT&T was just looking out for itself like most companies do. That’s not bad thing necessarily. But so was Congress looking out for themselves. And that is a bad thing. My guess is AT&T promised campaign donations if they had that provision put it. The provisions only helps AT&T—no one else. It certainly doesn’t help AT&T’s customers.

Crony Capitalism (or crapitalism as John Stossel calls it) is a sinister partnership between Big Gov and corporations. It takes two to tango.

Just so you know, according to Wikipedia, Tuttle did win his injunction.

Talking about crapitalism, here’s an article by FEE.org about Big Business and Big Gov: CLICHES OF PROGRESSIVISM # 19: “Big Government Is a Check on Big Business”

And an article by The Daily Signal.com (Aug. 22): This Program Epitomizes Government Cronyism. It’s about the Big Gov protecting and subsidizing catfish farmers.

The St. Louis Tea Party’s BUYcott

From The Blaze.com (Aug. 27):

The story won’t spark controversy or make many front pages, but there is some good happening in Ferguson, Missouri, in the aftermath of the unrest following the police-involved shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown.

Many local businesses in Ferguson were vandalized, looted, and even set on fire as demonstrators took to the streets to protest the shooting. Sadly, innocent business owners have been left to foot the bills. This is where the St. Louis Tea Party realized they could help.

The group spread the word of the “BUYcott” event on Facebook, hoping to get at least 20 people to show up and spend their hard-earned money at local Ferguson businesses on August 21. They apparently ended up with a group of about 40 “(mostly) white people” — and something amazing happened.

They reportedly targeted small businesses who “were hit hard by violence–violence committed (mostly) by out of town agitators, criminals, vandals, and hooligans.” [read more]

Yea, I didn’t hear this on the lame-stream-news. I searched the internet and did not see this story on NBC, CBS, CNN, or ABC’s websites. Just on blogs and other sites.

It is nice and decent that the Tea Party group did this.

Seven Rules to Live By

These are Walter Anderson’s Seven Rules:

1. Know who is responsible. “I am responsible.” When you begin with these three words, you can build a new life, even a new world.
2. Believe in something big. When we commit to to high ideals, we succeed before the outcome is known.
3. Practice tolerance.
4. Be brave. Remember, courage is acting with fear, not without it.
5. Love someone. Because you should know joy.
6. Be ambitious. No single effort will solve all your problems, achieve all of your dreams, or even be enough—and that’s okay.
7. Smile. Because no one else can do this for you.

So, who is this Walter Anderson person? He is a friend and hero of Dr. Ben Carson. He is also the CEO and Chairman of Parade Magazine.

Source: The Big Picture.

11 Reasons Why ISIS Might Be More Dangerous Than al-Qaeda

From the Daily Signal.com (Aug. 28):

ISIS is not just the terror group de jour. They are a hugely successful movement with an apocalyptic, nihilistic philosophy. When they say “convert, join us, or die”, they not only mean it, but they follow through with horrific effect.

But let’s look deeper. What else makes them such a real security threat, to Iraq, to the region, to the world, and to the U.S.? Here are 11 reasons.

1. ISIS is more media sophisticated than al-Qaeda and excels in using social media as a tool of terrorism. The group’s twitter and YouTube postings in English show that the West is often their target audience.
2. ISIS is flush with cash. ISIS’ territorial control allows for consistent stream of funding, and they‘ve developed an extensive extortion racket, as well as selling electricity and exporting oil and gas.
3. Because of ISIS rise to prominence, many al-Qaeda-linked groups are now pledging allegiance to al-Baghdadi’s ISIS, including elements of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Ansar al-Dine (Tunisia) Boko Haram, and al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), giving ISIS access to a global network of terrorists.
4. ISIS controls territory the size of Maryland in the heart of the arab world, which is important for a predominantly Arab revolutionary terrorist group. The al-Qaeda core group along the Afghanistan/Pakistan border controls no territory and is dependent on Afghan and Pakistani Islamist militants who act as hosts.
5. ISIS has evolved into a proto-state, with its own army, civil administration, judiciary and a sophisticated propaganda operation. Al-Qaeda core leaders are fugitives who are forced to live a clandestine existence under the constant threat of drone strikes or commando assaults.

[read more]

The author of the article might be right if you go by these stories:

The Blaze.com (Aug. 27): Prof’s Chilling Warning: Islamic State Will Carry Out ‘Mass Slaughter’ in the U.S. if Not Stopped Soon

The Blaze.com (Aug. 30): Islamic State Has ‘Increased Interest’ in Exploiting Southern U.S. Border for Attack: Local Law Enforcement Bulletin

The Blaze.com (Aug. 30): Journalists Got Their Hands on an Islamic State Computer. What They Found in the ‘Hidden Files’ Is Terrifying

I think Ollie North has the right strategy for dealing with the coach roaches as Mark R. Levin calls them. Go after their command, control and communications. The only problem, if you call it that, is that their CCC³ is in Syria.  But they have to be stopped.

As for the second headline this is why America needs to get its border under control. Not everyone coming from Mexico or other southern countries are benevolent to the US.