Saturday, March 10, 2012

Hera, Greek Queen of the Gods

Hera is the Greek Goddess of marriage, childbirth, women and Queen of the Greek Gods. Wife to Zeus and daughter to Rhea and Cronos, she was often depicted as a beautiful woman wearing a crown and holding a staff. She was one of the twelve Olympians and was the eldest of her siblings, she was said to be one of the most beautiful Goddesses, and her brother Zeus chased after her for sometime.

In the myth of how Zeus tricks and seduces Hera into becoming his wife, Zeus decides to disguise himself as a cuckoo to win Hera's affection. He appears on Hera's staff one day, and she decides to make him her pet. He was then able to change back to his natural form, seduce Hera and make her his bride. They had many children, some of which are Ares, God of War, Eileithyia, Goddess of Childbirth, and Eris, Goddess of discord. Zeus was known to be quite an unfaithful husband, having well known affairs was such Goddesses as Metis, Themis and Alcmene to name a few. This enraged Hera and made her very jealous. Many of her myths involve her torturing and persecuting many of the woman Zeus seduced, as well their children.

For example in the myth of Herakles, which is the son of Zeus and Alcmene, after Herakles is born, Hera sends two serpents to his bed at night. Alcmene is terrified and cried out, but Herakles woke up and strangled both serpents to death. Another myth is one that accounts for the creation of the Milky Way. It is said that Zeus tricked Hera into nursing the infant Herakles, and when she realized who he was, she quickly withdrew Herakles from her breast, and sprayed her breast milk across the sky. Which became the Milky Way. As Herakles grew older, Hera's jealousy, and her continuous acts of trying to be rid of him didn't end, and they had a very adversarial relationship.

When Herakles had to fight the many headed serpent water beast known as Lernaean Hydra, Hera sent crabs to bite him in order to distract him. In another myth, when Herakles was returning from retrieving the bull of Geryon, Hera sent the cattle a type of fly to give him a disease, and Herakles shot Hera in the breast with an arrow. Eventually Hera and Herakles patched up their differences, when Herakles saved Hera from the rape of the giant Porphyrion.

Zeus's affairs never seemed to end. One in particular involving Semele, the mortal daughter to the King of Thebes. Zeus fell in love with her the moment he saw her, and he impregnated her. When Hera found out, she disguised herself as the Semele's nurse and convinced her to have Zeus show himself to her in his true form. So when Zeus showed up with his loud thunder and bright lightning, he ended up killing her by the power of those forces. He was able to save her aborted baby, their son, Dionysus. Hera also had one other of Zeus's many lovers, Lamia Queen of Lybia, turned into a monster and murdered her children.

Hera's jealousy and wrath was well known. One can imagine the pain and suffering she went through at her husbands endless selfish affairs. Embarrassing and humiliating the Queen of the Gods, Hera was not going to stand for that. So one day, with the help of some of the other Gods such as Poseidon an Athena, she planned out a way to trick Zeus. She secretly drugged his drink one night and then bound him while he slept. When he awoke we was filled with anger, but could do nothing. Until the many handed giant Hekatonkheires came to his rescue and untied all the knots, setting him free. Zeus was so angry with Hera, that he took one of his thunderbolts and hung her in the sky with golden chains. It is said she wept until Zeus finally freed her.

To me Hera is a powerful and vengeful Goddess who is not afraid to fight for what is right, even if it means she could be putting her own life in danger. She embodies the strength of the Matriarch and courageous feminine energy. Hera was a very loved and respected Goddess, and she had many temples through the Greek world.

Her sacred animals are the peacock and the cow. The apple, pomegranate and poppy are also sacred to her. Lapis lazuli would be a good stone for Hera, and her colors are blue, white and black. Call on Hera when you need the powerful force of the Queen of the Gods, to fight for what is right in your own life.

Photo courtesy of

  1. Fabulous! I loved this, especially how the milky way got it's name (I always wondered). That Zeus was a bit or a rotter tho :-)

  2. Merry Ostara !
    Let's celebrate the return of the spring goddess from her long season of dormant sleep.♥
    Bliss and light

  3. I love Hera. she is teaching me so much. Particularly in the myth of her retreating to where she was raised and Zeus had to woo her to come back by having a fake wedding. She is soooo much more than the jealous bitch so many people equate her with. Thanks for the article!

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Archive for September 2015

Camp Lone Star – Down to the Wire – Ninth Amendment Rights

Camp Lone Star — Down to the Wire

Ninth Amendment Rights

Gary Hunt
Outpost of Freedom
September 27, 2015

As was explained in “The King Can Do No Wrong, or Can He?“, Massey’s attorney had brought two matters up in his Second Motion to Dismiss Indictment. They were the Tenth Amendment and Intrastate v. Interstate commerce. The government, through their apparently novice attorney, Corley, argued that Massey did not have standing to challenge the government’s prosecution of him (sort of a “bend over, we will take care of everything” mentality).

This past Wednesday (September 23rd), Judge Andrew Hanen filed his Opinion and Order, addressing all three of the sought actions.

First, he addressed the government’s, stating that “Massey makes a… claim – that § 922(g)(1), as applied to him, impermissibly regulates intrastate activity. Therefore, he has standing to challenge § 922(g)(1).” So, we have dispensed with the government’s feeble effort to claim that Massey had n standing to challenge the government’s interpretation of the law he was charged with violating..

Next, he addresses the Tenth Amendment claim. Unfortunately, being a District Court, the Judge is bound by previous decisions of the Fifth Circuit, to which it is subordinate. Justice, perhaps not, but still the rules of the corrupt game for what passes for justice, in these times.

However the final ruling, this one has, apparently, not been addressed by the Fifth Circuit, at least to the extent that Massey’s attorney, Louis Sorola, has taken it. In what Hanen has described as “The Purely Intrastate Claim”, he states:

“Since the Government bears the burden of proving this element, and since the trial has yet to be held, the facts upon which Massey’s claim stands have not yet been established one way or the other. Until evidence has been presented, the Court is unable to evaluate this claim.”

“Therefore this argument is denied without prejudice because it is not yet ripe. Massey may reassert it at trial should he conclude that the evidence supports this claim.”

So, it appears that Judge Hanen is willing to venture into a substantive argument with regard to the difference between Interstate and Intrastate commerce. He has also placed the burden on the government to prove its jurisdiction. This leads us to review some things that have been brought up in discussion, though, perhaps, not in Court. We will revisit a previous article, “Massey is Protected by State Law” to put this argument before the people, if not the Court.

To begin with, the State of Texas has granted authority for federal agents certain powers with the enactment of Texas Penal Code, Art. 2.122. SPECIAL INVESTIGATORS. From that law (pertinent portions only):

(a) The following named criminal investigators of the United States shall not be deemed peace officers, but shall have the powers of arrest, search, and seizure under the laws of this state as to felony offenses only:

(1) Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation;

(3) Special Agents of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement;

(4) Special Agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives;

(9) Marshals and Deputy Marshals of the United States Marshals Service;

 (c) A Customs and Border Protection Officer or Border Patrol Agent of the United States Customs and Border Protection or an immigration enforcement agent or deportation officer of the Department of Homeland Security is not a peace officer under the laws of this state but, on the premises of a port facility designated by the commissioner of the United States Customs and Border Protection as a port of entry for arrival in the United States by land transportation from the United Mexican States into the State of Texas or at a permanent established border patrol traffic check point, has the authority to detain a person pending transfer without unnecessary delay to a peace officer if the agent or officer has probable cause to believe that the person has engaged in conduct that is a violation of Section 49.02, 49.04, 49.07, or 49.08, Penal Code, regardless of whether the violation may be disposed of in a criminal proceeding or a juvenile justice proceeding.

So, the extent of the authority to arrest, which would also include detaining a person, is only “the powers of arrest and search and seizure as to any offense under the laws of this state [Texas].

Though the Tenth Amendment argument has been denied, there can be little doubt that the above enactment, by the State of Texas, is an assertion of the State’s rights (not the individual’s right, as per denied motion) to limit federal authority within the State.

So, it would be rather interesting to discover if the government’s witnesses are aware of this grant of authority, and the limitations imposed upon them, by Article 2.122. If they are not, was the government remiss in advising them, or did the government hope that they would assert authority not granted to them so that the federal government would have a broad reign over activities within the State, in the hope that case law would help affirm authority beyond that which was left to them by the State grant?

So, if the federal authority is limited by “any offense under the laws of this state”, they exceeded their authority by the detention of people who were not witness to any crime that might have been a felony under state law, and the only possible violation of that law was committed by the BPS shooter, and, perhaps even those who illegally detained (kidnapped) Massey and Varner.

Let’s revisit state law regarding firearms. From Texas Penal Code Section 46.04 Unlawful Possession of Firearm

So, this law makes it illegal to possess “at any location other than the premise”. However, apparently exception was made in another provision, Texas Penal Code, Sec. 46.02. UNLAWFUL CARRYING WEAPONS (again, pertinent portions):

(a-2) For purposes of this section, “premises” includes real property and a recreational vehicle that is being used as living quarters, regardless of whether that use is temporary or permanent. In this subsection, “recreational vehicle” means a motor vehicle primarily designed as temporary living quarters or a vehicle that contains temporary living quarters and is designed to be towed by a motor vehicle. The term includes a travel trailer, camping trailer, truck camper, motor home, and horse trailer with living quarters.

(a-3) For purposes of this section, “watercraft” means any boat, motorboat, vessel, or personal watercraft, other than a seaplane on water, used or capable of being used for transportation on water.

Since Massey is no longer prohibited from possessing a weapon, and where we have a definition of “premises” (re: 46.04) and the ability to transport a weapon, then it is clear that Massey was not in violation of state law, and if in violation, it would only be a misdemeanor, unless he was in a place that sold alcoholic beverages, then clearly the state has no objection to his possession of a firearm under the circumstances surrounding Massey, throughout this entire ordeal.

Now, the enumerated right is the right to keep and bear arms. The government argues that 18 USC 922(g)(1) includes any firearm that is:

(g) It shall be unlawful for any person –

Intrastate Commerce

Now, let’s look at how 18 US Code defines “interstate commerce”:

18 U.S.C. § 921 : US Code – Section 921: Definitions

(a) As used in this chapter –

However, I find no definition of “Commerce” in 18 US Code, so we will look at the legal authority, Black’s Law Dictionary (5th Edition):

“The exchange of goods, productions, or property of any kind; the buying, selling, and exchange of articles…”

So, commerce is the exchange of goods, barter, sale, trade, or any other means, to be “in and affecting commerce” would require that one be involved in such a transaction.

Defining that even further, we have “interstate or foreign commerce” specifically excluding “intrastate” commerce, to wit:

So, if Massey had purchased (commerce) a firearm within the state, it would take a real stretch to include “interstate”. However, Massey never purchased (commerce) any firearm, he merely possessed a firearm. Even if Massey had received it as a gift, it is inconceivable that this could create the necessary nexus to interstate commerce that the statute addresses. However, the government cannot even prove that he owns a firearm, and that is the burden that is placed upon them, by Hanen’s Opinion.

Now, that is twice removed from the apparent extent of the charges brought under 18 USC §922(g)(1). No interstate, and, no commerce.

Since the Fifth Circuit has ruled on the Tenth Amendment, and it is no longer a legal defense for Massey, it does not preclude the state from passing laws that are consistent with the Tenth Amendment, which, obviously, they have done.

So, let’s refer to this as the Ninth Amendment argument. The federal government has raised no objection to the state laws referred to above, so they must be constitutional. The Ninth Amendment reads:

The question is whether Massey has the right, under the Ninth Amendment, to possess a firearm, if he is totally in compliance with state law, and has not been involved in interstate commerce.

The Rise of Islam in Our Children’s Minds – Is This the Destruction of America?

The Rise of Islam in Our Children’s Minds
Is This the Destruction of America?

Muslim teacher

Gary Hunt
Outpost of Freedom
September 23, 2015

A friend sent a copy to me of the current assignment in Social Studies for her Seventh Grade son. Since the truancy people have threatened her if he doesn’t go to school, he has simply been instructed to face the back of the classroom and ignore the instruction. However, that solution is problematic, and what we are seeing is a program of enforced indoctrination.

Hitler arranged the educational system to propagandize the Nazi philosophy, and dwell on certain aspects of the German culture. He did not instill a foreign culture into the minds of the children. What country would even consider doing such?

The student’s previous historical education included California history, primarily the early Spanish portion with the Missions and Spanish settlement; Ancient history centered on the Mediterranean Sea (Byzantine Empire, Romans, etc.), and the Rise of Islam (current studies). No America history, no European history, no government studies.

So, before we look into just what is currently being studied, let’s think a bit about the near future. The students who have taught very little of our own history, but have been indoctrinated (I can’t think of a better word) in Spanish settlement of California, and Islam’s role in the world, including how badly the White Europeans treated them, will leave them with a foundation of culture that excludes that which they were born into, believing that their roots are from a Spanish and Muslim heritage.

They will object to any subsequent instruction that might dwell upon the settlement of the “New World” by English and French adventurers –those that brought civilization rather than chaos — because it would be foreign to the foundation that had been implanted in them. The “Great Experiment”, the first, and only real, government created by the people of the country, for the purpose of self-government, will be spurned as inconsequential, even though it laid the foundation for the freedom of those invaders (yes, that is the correct word) who have used those protected freedoms (which do not exist where they came from) to destroy the very structure that has led the world to the advanced society it has become. The result will be a regression of society back into a barbaric age, which should have been left to the dustbin of history.

Some of the atrocious effects of this program include:

  • Teaching that Muslims pray five times a day, implying that this is acceptable within the school, yet the same school will not let Christians pray, even once a day.
  • Teaches and honors a religion that has their five pillars, though they won’t allow the Ten Commandments to be displayed or spoken of.
  • Teaches support of a religion that dictates both social and political behavior, though they limit that teaching to only the Sunni sect of that religion, the sect that is the primary elements of ISIS/ISIL, but disallow any discussion of the Christian religion or the Judea-Christian moral foundation of our country

It has become abundantly clear that the federal government, under the current administration, supports this effort by requiring such teaching in our schools, and funds that denigration of our educational system.

The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) was created in 1953. In 1979, the educational aspect of governmental control of education (that used to belong to the local School Board) was created and named the Department of Education, while the remainder of HEW was renamed the Department of Health and Human Services. It is that Department of Education that now dictates policy (curriculum, including Common Core) and provides the funding for the local schools.

Since the Department of Education is an Administrative Agency under the Executive Branch (the President), we can expect no change in this policy, except possibly getting worse, until January 2017, when a new President will take office.

If the new President chose to change the policy, it would probably not go into effect until the beginning of school in September 2017.

That would leave this school year and the next of total indoctrination of our children into the benefits of Islam as a state religion, and it would be very difficult to undo the mental damage to our children, since it is the parents who willingly send their children to the government schools, telling them that school is where they will be taught what they need to know to get along in life and in America.

This country was a “Great Experiment” in self-government. It has turned into an oligarchy that is not responsive to the will of the people, and often is beyond the ability of Congress, our chosen representatives, to retain control of what they have willingly passed on to the Executive Branch.

If this is to change, and if we are determined not to allow these two school generations to be taught that Islam is great, and then probably vote for Muslims running for office, then we must, as the Founders did, determine to take upon ourselves, regardless of the laws but consistent with the Constitution, the responsibility and the task of removing this cancer from our society. And, that, by any means necessary, with no restrictions.

* * *

The following is the study guide for the Seventh Grade at:

  • Canyon Lake Middle School
  • Lake Elsinore Unified School District
  • Principal: Dr. Preston Perez
  • phone number: 951-244-2123
  • webpage:

The source for the instructional material:
Society for Visual Education, Inc., 1345 Diversey Parkway, Chicago, Illinois 60614,
Society for Visual Education, Inc., 6677 North Northwest Highway, Chicago, Illinois, 60631
phone: (800) 829-1900; fax number: (800) 624-1678

* * *

The future of this country is now in your hands. If it is to continue as we have believed, and as many have fought and died for, then the call to act is greater than any other time in our history. Contemplation, procrastination, and delay, have become our enemy. The time is now, and the necessity is, again, by whatever means.

It is Time for Grave Concern
It is Time for Action

R Scan 1

The handwritten portion is the due dates for the various assignments.

R Scan 2

Five Pillars of Islam? Where are the Ten Commandments?

Quran & Sunnah (the Word of God &teachings and attributes of Prophet Muhammad)?

What about the Old Testament and the New Testament?

Mecca? A city for only Muslims?

Mosque? What about Church., Temple, and Tabernacle?

R Scan 3

Take the time to read the words in the list and see which ones, if any, are and should be a part of a student’s vocabulary.

Also, look at the lack of care in putting this together, for example the absence of a space before the entrees 10, 16-24, 26, 29, 30, 32-34, & 37. It shows a very poor attention to detail by those who wish to indoctrinate our youth.

R Scan 4

Well, at least Europe gets a bit of attention.

Why would they want someone to know the routes of the four major Crusades? And, Israel had to be handwritten in — I wonder if someone might get in trouble for that.

R Scan 5

Shouldn’t Americans first learn where the Mississippi, Colombia, Ohio, Potomac, and other American rivers are?

Why simply the geography of Islamic nations on untended conquests?

R Scan 6

This, apparently, is the map that the elements of Page 5 are to be drawn on.

R Scan 7

More Muslim geography. Only one European country. However, they fail to suggest that we should keep it that way. And, this whole exercise tends to suggest that they want the United States to, eventually, join the list of Muslim countries.

R Scan 8

Now, we have some “fill in the blanks”. Not that “male” is included, however, “female” is not.

R Scan 9

Who gives a damn where Islam was first preached?

They ask what countries Islam spread rapidly through, though they fail to ask why it spread rapidly, and how much blood was shed.

R Scan 10

Now, they must learn all about Mohammad, but there is nothing about George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, and the scores of truly phenomenal, peace loving, Americans — that helped form this great country that we live in.

R Scan 11

Now, we get into the religious foundation of Islam, in a school that outlaws the Bible.
That should be sufficient to justify burning the school, and some of the teachers and administrators, to the ground.

R Scan 12

Now, we have a structure of government under Islam, but the students have yet to learn the structure of government in their own country.

R Scan 13

That last question is the real kicker. I wonder what the acceptable answer might be.

R Scan 14

Nothing about baptism, but very much about a very foreign, and strange, religion.

It seems that the student is supposed to learn, and perhaps participate in, the five pillars, though neither the Bible, or Christian prayer, are allowed in the school.

It also seems to support only one branch of Islam, the Sunni, since the Shia branch has twelve pillars.

R Scan 15

So, conquest, and demonstration of a few basic practices that we have evolved into our more progressed society. They are not, however, demonstrative of something that would not have occurred without Muslims, and are probably more substantially developed than Islam could very have achieved.

R Scan 16

Now, we have the Christian persecution of the Muslims, though we simply ignore the fact that the Muslims persecuted not only Christians, but Hindus, Buddhists, most of Africa, by execution, or committing them to slavery — which they still practice.

R Scan 17

Now, at least, we see what happened in Europe (Spain, in particular) as a reaction, after the expulsion of the Muslims, to those who were not of the Catholic faith.

KC Smile

Gary Hunt
Outpost of Freedom
September 13, 2015

In citing from McCulloch:

10 U.S.C. § 311: Militia: composition and classes

(b) The classes of the militia are –

10 U.S.C. § 312: Militia duty: exemptions

(a) The following persons are exempt from militia duty:

(1) The Vice President.

(4) Customhouse clerks.

(7) Pilots on navigable waters.

Rule of Law, or, Rule of Man – An Analysis of the Kim Davis Fiasco

Rule of Law, or, Rule of Man
An Analysis of the Kim Davis Fiasco

Davis Bunning

Gary Hunt
Outpost of Freedom
September 8, 2015

The Supreme Court and States’ Tenth Amendment Rights

The Constitution created a Union. That Union was of the several States, and the Constitution was written to join those States into a confederation, with a federal government that dealt only within the powers and authorities defined in the document. The autonomy of states was assured within the Constitution, though doubts arose as to whether the federal government might attempt to secure more power than was intended and granted to it.

The most significant clarification of that intent was laid out in the Preamble to the Bill of Rights. A preamble sets forth the purpose of a document, and that which was ascribed to the first ten Amendments reads, as follows:

The Preamble To The Bill Of Rights

Congress of the United States
begun and held at the City of New-York, on

The last two amendments made even more obvious the limited role of the federal government:

Amendment IX

Amendment X

After the Civil War, a Fourteenth Amendment was ratified (the lawfulness of that ratification may be questioned, though that is not the topic of this article). It stated that no State could “deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” However, it was not intended to, nor did early application of that provision even suggest that there was one set of laws that applied to all, and if the states were in agreement over an issue, or each State had addressed an issue, that the issue in question was not one that was subject to federal approval.

The rights protected by the Constitution would have to extend to all citizens, not all people, as was clear by the wording in the Amendment. Those rights, however, were deemed natural rights pertaining to “life, liberty, and property”. They were not rights which would take from one to give to another.

In 1973, a Supreme Court decision demonstrated that the rights of the States, so solidly secured by the Constitution, would no longer be exercised by the States, if the federal government decided that it wanted to bring any aspect of our lives under its wing. This is clearly demonstrated in the decision that expanded the government’s role in abortion, Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113 (1973). The decision defied previously held limitation of authority, was widely accepted by the public, perhaps not fully understood were the ramifications of the expansion of federal powers.

Justice Rehnquist explained the problem and the ramifications in his dissenting opinion, when he wrote:

So, we have seven out of nine justices expanding the power of the federal government; usurping from the States those rights that were retained by them. And, unfortunately, we had a naive public that applauded, or damned, the decision of the Court, not even considering the affect on our Constitution and the rights of the States.

Now, to get to where we are going, we must address another Supreme Court decision, this being made in June 2015, and bears heavily on the current situation regarding Rowan County, Kentucky, County Clerk Kim Davis, who, as of this writing, sits in Rowan County Detention Center (121 Lee Avenue, Morehead, Kentucky), under a Contempt of Court charge.

This charge stems from another Supreme Court decision, decided in June 2015. That case is Obergefell, et al. v. Hodges, Director, Ohio Department of Health, et al., 576 US ___. It was filed “claiming that respondent state officials violate the Fourteenth Amendment by denying them the right to marry or to have marriages lawfully performed in another State given full recognition.” So, by the simple wording in the complaint, “the right to marry”, we have something that was never considered a right, it was always, at best, a religious or civil choice, converted and accepted by the Court to be deemed a right, having nothing to do with “equal protection of the laws.” There is no “protection” in marriage simply the notification that two people, of opposite sexes, are bound together in matrimony. Or, as Noah Webster described it the first American Dictionary (Webster’s 1828), marriage is “the legal union of a man and woman for life,” which served the purposes of “preventing the promiscuous intercourse of the sexes . . . promoting domestic felicity, and . . . securing the maintenance and education of children.” So, is a legalized union to be considered, now, to be a “right”?

The conclusion to the decision reads:

So, Kim Davis is free “to advocate with utmost, sincere conviction that, by divine precepts, same-sex marriage should not be condoned.” However, “[t]he Constitution… does not permit the State to bar same-sex couples from marriage on the same terms as accorded to couples of the opposite sex.” What kind of double-speak is that? The “right” is a part of the First Amendment. The abomination is the contradiction that the Constitution does not permit. Try as I might, I cannot find that, anywhere.

In an age where the enumerated rights are under fire, we have courts granting rights that were never considered rights, nor were they enumerated, and, if they were rights, the came strictly under the purview of the state.

By definition, this process of expansion of federal power and usurpation of state power is known as the “incorporation doctrine- a constitutional doctrine through which selected provisions of the Bill of Rights are made applicable to the states through the Due Process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.” So, we must ask which provision of the Bill of Rights is made applicable to the states, or, if the description needs to be updated to “Incorporation Usurpation Doctrine”

To exemplify this overarching expansion of federal authority, we can look to Justice Roberts’s dissenting opinion in Obergefell, where he wrote:

Though our very mobile and fast-paced society has had an effect on the “lifelong relationship”, it has done nothing to warrant an extension of that purpose to achieve marriage, for marriage sake, as a right, rather than the original indentation of providing security for the children (posterity).

Whether we are a Democracy, a Republic, or both, we are, without question, to be a self-governing people. At this time, there are over 300 million people in this country. Of that number, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) reported, in 2013, that only 1.6% of the population was queer (homosexual, both sexes). That is not a minority, it is an insignificant number. And, there is nothing that prohibits them from living as they choose. Those laws have slowly fallen to our modern world, where they are not prosecuted; rather, they are allowed to practice their life-style, without legal penalty. Isn’t it enough that the biblical punishment is no longer inflicted, or are we to allow this insignificant group hold sway over our lives, our morality, and our culture?

Of those 300 million plus, they are represented in their respective state legislatures by hundreds of senators and representatives, chosen by the citizens of those states to enact laws. In no state is the court given the right to enact laws, simply, the “power to say what the law is, not what it should be.” ONLY the representatives of the people, and in accordance with the respective State Constitution make the laws.

Likewise, in the federal government, there are 435 representatives and 100 senators, those, also, elected to represent the will of the people, and enact laws accordingly.

So, we have thousands of the representatives of the people who have enacted laws in accordance with the will of the people, and those laws no longer act unfavorably on the insignificant number. That is what was intended, and that is what should continue to be.

However, we find that a simple majority of nine Justices, yes, just five appointed individuals, not chosen by the people, themselves, have established an apparent right to enact laws contrary to the will of the people and their representatives. That is an oligarchy (rule by a small, select group), and, as you will not find “marriage” in the federal Constitution, you will neither find “oligarchy” as our form of government.

Unless, of course, the people will stand idly by as those robed “oligarchs” continue to expand their authority, destroying our whole concept of self-government.

The Road to Contempt of the People

Based upon the Supreme Court’s contradictory decision in Obergefell, et al. v. Hodges, Director, Ohio Department of Health, et al, James Yates, April Miller, and others, filed complaints with the United States District Court, Eastern District of Kentucky, Northern Division at Ashland, against Kim Davis, individually and as County Clerk of Rowan County.

The Complaint by Yates was brought under 42 USC §1983:

Now, “secured by the Constitution and laws” will be addressed, later on. However, we see that the “exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States [Article I, § 8, clause 17].” comes in to play here, notwithstanding the fact that the Constitution and the laws are both supportive of the right of a State to make its own laws, and by the broadest stretch of imagination, does not include marriage, a civil bond.

The Complaint also incorporates a letter from the Governor, Steven L. Beshear, to the “Kentucky County Clerks, dated June 26, 2015. The letter reads, in part:

“As elected officials, each of us has taken an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of Kentucky. The Obergefell decision makes plain that the Constitution requires that Kentucky – and all states – must license and recognize the marriages of same-sex couples. Neither your oath nor the Supreme Court dictates what you must believe. But as elected officials, they do prescribe how we must act.”

“You should consult with your county attorney on any particular aspects related to the implementation of the Supreme Court’s decision.”

So, the Governor first informs the recipients that they had “taken an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of Kentucky.” Then, he provides his solution, whereby “same-sex couples are entitled to the issuance of a marriage license, the Department of Libraries and Archives will be sending a gender-neutral form to you today, along with instructions for its use.”

So, the oath is to the constitutions, and, presumably, the laws made in accordance thereof. And then, he talks about entitlements. What? I suppose he didn’t feel any more comfortable than I do in suggesting that they are “rights”, rather, that queers are “entitled” to a legal bond intended to assure that children are conceived and brought up in a healthy environment.

Finally, he wants to “implement” the Supreme Court decision. So, which constitution provides a directive, or even implies, that a decision must be implemented, if not an enacted law passed in accordance with those constitutions? Does the oath bind them to a Court decision?

The US Constitution provides the authority to enact laws in Article I, § 1, to wit:

“All legislative Powers” means what it says, “All”. Nobody else in the federal government is empowered to make laws. The Court can only rule on the constitutionality of a law. Even without referring to the “Case Law Method”, which has moved the courts away from the Constitution, simply building upon previous decision, without regard to the Constitution, we can see that something is amiss — in violation of the Constitution.

Now, let’s look at the Kentucky Constitution, beginning with the Kentucky Bill of Rights:

Section 2. Absolute and arbitrary power denied. Absolute and arbitrary power over the lives, liberty and property of freemen exists nowhere in a republic, not even in the largest majority.

Section 4. Power inherent in the people – Right to alter, reform, or abolish government. All power is inherent in the people, and all free governments are founded on their authority and instituted for their peace, safety, happiness and the protection of property. For the advancement of these ends, they have at all times an inalienable and indefeasible right to alter, reform or abolish their government in such manner as they may deem proper.

So, the Kentucky Constitution disallows “[a]bsolute and arbitrary power over the lives [and] liberty” of the people. So, just what about the decision regarding the current case (Yates, Miller, et al) and the charge of Contempt of Court (which will soon be discussed) is not “absolute and arbitrary”?

And, if “[a]ll power is inherent in the people” and “founded on their [people] authority”, how can a judge, at the lowest level of federal courts, make a decision, based upon a decision, though not enacted into law, be used to deprive Kim Davis of her liberty?

The Bill of Rights concludes with:

Section 26. General powers subordinate to Bill of Rights – Laws contrary thereto are void. To guard against transgression of the high powers which we have delegated, We Declare that every thing in this Bill of Rights is excepted out of the general powers of government, and shall forever remain inviolate; and all laws contrary thereto, or contrary to this Constitution, shall be void.

Just consider what “inviolate” means.

Now, from the Kentucky Constitution, the Legislative Branch:

Section 29. Legislative power vested in General Assembly. The legislative power shall be vested in a House of Representatives and a Senate, which, together, shall be styled the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Section 55. When laws to take effect – Emergency legislation. No act, except general appropriation bills, shall become a law until ninety days after the adjournment of the session at which it was passed, except in cases of emergency, when, by the concurrence of a majority of the members elected to each House of the General Assembly, by a yea and nay vote entered upon their journals, an act may become a law when approved by the Governor; but the reasons for the emergency that justifies this action must be set out at length in the journal of each House.

So, as in the federal government, “legislative power [enacting laws]” is vested in the General Assembly. Nobody else can make laws.

The Kentucky Constitution makes provision for “emergency legislation”, which, under the circumstances, would have to be done to “implement” the decision, and to protect the County Clerk, who is bound to uphold the laws enacted in accordance with both constitutions. It would appear that Kim Davis suffered in jail because the legislative branch was remiss in their responsibility to the people and the officials of the state.

Finally, absent an impeachment, it would appear that no legal action could be taken against an official of the state. The qualifier, “but the convicted party” would require such impeachment prior to legal action.

However, what we are finding, in this current situation, is that the lowest level judge in the federal system, can, single-handedly, deny an elected official, under the authority of the state Constitution, her liberty.

On September 1, 2015, April Miller filed a Motion to Hold Defendant Kim Davis in Contempt of Court, stating:

“Plaintiffs do not seek to compel Davis’ compliance through incarceration. Since Defendant Davis continues to collect compensation from the Commonwealth for duties she fails to perform, Plaintiffs urge the the [sic] Court to impose financial penalties sufficiently serious and increasingly onerous to compel Davis’ immediate compliance without further delay.

However during a hearing on September 3, Judge David L. Bunning arbitrarily opted to incarcerate Kim Davis, in Contempt of Court. In that hearing, the minute notes show:

“Defendant Davis shall be remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending compliance of the Courts Order of August 12, 2015, or until such time as the Court vacates the contempt Order.”

It appears that the Judge opted for jail time in lieu if the requested monetary damages.

Kim Davis was released, on September 8, during the course of preparing this article. An understanding was made that the marriage licenses issued by the County will not bear her name or title, though the will simply say, “Rowan County, Kentucky” at the line for the Clerk/ Deputy Clerk signature.

Laws on the books

Many people are claiming that Kim Davis violated the law by not issuing marriage licenses to queers that wanted to be married to each other.

We have all been taught that we are a nation of laws, not a nation of men. So, let’s look at what the responsibility of an elected official is, if their job requires that they obey the law.

First source is the Kentucky Constitution, which, in Section 223A states:

Next, we have Kentucky Statutes:

402.005 Definition of marriage. As used and recognized in the law of the Commonwealth, “marriage” refers only to the civil status, condition, or relation of one (1) man and one (1) woman united in law for life, for the discharge to each other and the community of the duties legally incumbent upon those whose association is founded on the distinction of sex.”

Well, Kim Davis has taken a position that requires that she uphold the laws. That pretty much settles it from the State side of the matter. But, since it was a federal judge, maybe we need to look at what the federal government has to say.

I find no reference to (marriage” in the Constitution, though I do find the specific reservation in the Tenth Amendment:

So, we find that since there is no delegation to the federal government, or courts, regarding marriage, in the Constitution, then that authority must be one of those “reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”

So, does the federal government have anything to say about marriage? Yes, they do; however, it pertains ONLY to “administrative bureaus and agencies of the United States”, and has nothing, at all, to do with licensing (legal permission) for marriage. Clearly, that “right” is reserved to the state.

1 U.S.C. § 7 : Definition of “marriage” and “spouse”

So, let’s review the Kim Davis incident. Kim is an elected official, the County Clerk of Rowan County, Kentucky. When she took the position, she also took an oath to uphold the federal and state constitutions and the law of the land.

Both constitutions provide for the legislative bodies (Senate and House of Representatives) to have the sole authority to enact laws. If a judge rules an act unconstitutional, then the legislative body must enact a law consistent with the ruling. That is the only way that it can work. It is not up to the individual to determine what she can, or cannot, do. It is those who have taken the role in government to enact laws, well, to enact laws.

Kim Davis should not be held in contempt of court. If anyone is to be held in contempt of court, it should be those in the legislative bodies that leave on the LAW books laws that are unconstitutional. They are paid far better than Kim Davis is, and their job is to write the laws that she is to enforce. Every member of the state legislature should be willing to sit in jail, in lieu of Kim Davis, for she is the only one that is upholding the law. The same might be said of the Congress, as they, too, recognizing their limited role in the matter of marriage.

As a final thought, Kim Davis has stated that she refused to issue the licenses because of her religious beliefs. Had a law been lawfully enacted that allowed queers to marry, then Kim Davis would have to decide whether she wanted to continue in her job, or not, based upon a law that was properly enacted. To put that in more interesting terms, if any legislative body (not judicial) thinks that they have a right to change a definition this is thousands of year old, based upon the Bible, which defines marriage, then those in that legislative body have placed themselves above God.

Wolf Trap – The Entrapment

Wolf Trap – The Entrapment

Gary Hunt
Outpost of Freedom
September 3, 2015


SUS: Sustainability Studies

SUS 301: Environmental Ethics

Historically, ethical and moral notions have been concerned with the relations of humans to one another. How does the natural world fit into those traditional views about ethical and moral obligations? Do these views need revision? A selection from issues such as the following will be discussed: animal rights; the intrinsic value of nature; our obligations to nature; the "land ethic"; global environmental justice; "deep ecology", and ecofeminism. Readings will include both historical sources, and recent and contemporary authors.

Prerequisite: SBC 104 or PHI 104

3 credits

SUS 302: Integrative Assessment Models

Use, evaluation, and development of integrated assessment models. These model typically integrate environmental concerns with variables from other disciplines for the purpose of providing policy advice to decision-makers. Students will learn about the most frequently used integrated assessment models and what we can learn from them. The models studies will include the World3 model, which was the basis of the famous book "The Limits to Growth."

Prerequisite: SBC 201; U3/U4 status

3 credits

SUS 303: Demographic Change and Sustainability

This course will assess the unprecedented demographic changes and diversity of the 21st century, through an interdisciplinary approach. It will explore themes such as population ageing and decline, migration in population replacement, demographic change and sustainable public health, social welfare programs, environmental degradation, and differential vulnerabilities (e.g., gender, poverty, age, education, ethnicity and race, empowerment and rights).

Prerequisite: SBC 115

3 credits

SUS 305 - F: Collective Action and Advocacy

This course will address the ways in which people act collectively to address social problems or to change social policy. The course will be divided into two sections: a general introduction to the study of collective action, and a set of case studies in environmental activism.

Prerequisite: SBC 111, ENS 101 or GEO 101; POL 102 or SOC 105

3 credits

SUS 306: Business and Sustainability

This course examines the interface between business and sustainability. It considers opportunities for the development and growth of profit and not-for-profit businesses associated with the promotion of sustainability. It also covers how environmental concerns and related governmental regulations influence business operations and profitability. Students will apply career skills and concepts from environmental economics to understand how business functions (e.g., operations, public relations, sales, health and safety, and corporate social responsibility) are influenced by environmental concerns. The course will highlight current issues and cases, provide an overview of theory and practice, and generate research to test students' hypotheses, and generally explore opportunities and threats to business viability. Review of current affairs, case analyses, role plays, field trips, and guest speakers will be included along with required reading in seminal theory and research.

Prerequisite: SBC 206

3 credits

SUS 307: Environmental Economics and Management

This course presents advanced concepts in environmental economics and management through a series of detailed case studies. The cases include those concerning the US sulfur-dioxide permit trading system, the Kyoto Protocol, zoning, coastal fisheries, the use of ethanol in gasoline, tradable development rights in the Long Island Pine Barrens and the conservation of endangered species.

Prerequisite: SBC 206

3 credits

SUS 308: Economic Development

This course teaches students about economic development and its relationship to the environment. Students learn about both the theory of economic growth and the way development has proceeded in various regions of the world. Examples will come from the Asian tiger economies of East Asia and the development disasters in Sub-Saharan Africa. The relationships between the levels and rates of growth of output and various environmental indices will be explored.

Prerequisite: SBC 206

3 credits

SUS 341 - H: Environmental Treaties and Protocols

A multi-disciplinary study of the scientific basis, objective, development, implementation, and intended and unintended consequences of a single major Environmental Treatise or Protocol, such as the Kyoto Protocol. Official documents, secondary literature, as well as commentary on the Treatise or Protocol are studied.

Prerequisite: SBC 111, or ENS 101, or GEO 101; U3 or U4 standing

3 credits

SUS 342 - H: Energy and Mineral Resources

This class will explore the origin, distribution, and importance of energy and mineral resources to modern civilization, with an emphasis on fossil fuels and non-renewable mineral resources extracted from Earth. Geological processes responsible for the formation and distribution of energy and mineral resources, as well as current and future supply and demand are discussed. The environmental implications of the extraction and use of energy and mineral resources as well as techniques to minimize the impact on the environment will be discussed.

Prerequisite: One DEC E course

3 credits

SUS 350: Contemporary Topics in Sustainability

This course deals with the meaning and the application of the idea of sustainability. First, the mathematics of exponential and linear growth, and the concept of stability in complex systems will be developed. The idea of stable equilibrium and the long-term/short term distinction will also be discussed. Then, various subjects of sustainability--populations, species, habitats, ecosystems, resources, cultures, modes of production, economic systems, and political systems will be considered. Various purposes of sustainability for its own sake, for human welfare, for the welfare of nature will also be discussed. May be repeated as the topic changes.

Prerequisite: SBC 111; U3/U4 status

3 credits

SUS 487: Research in Sustainability Studies

Prerequisite: Permission of instructor

1-6 credits, S/U grading


Lesson Objectives:
By the end of this lesson you will be able to:
*Identify the three key economic questions that all societies
must answer.
*Analyze the societal values that determine how a country
answers the three economic questions.
*Define the characteristics of a traditional economy.
Principles in Action- Each society faces three questions about the production and consumption of
goods and services. AS you’ll see, the questions shape our freedom of choice-and also shape what we
have to choose from.
Three Key Economic Questions
Resources are scarce everywhere. As a result, every society must answer three key economic
*What goods and service should be produce?
*How should these good and services be produced?
*Who consumes these good and services?
The way a society answers these three questions defines its economic system. An economic system is
the structure of methods and principles a society uses to produce and distribute goods and services.
What goods and services should be produced?
Each society must decide what to produce in order to satisfy the needs and wants of its people.
While all people need food and shelter, societies face additional important considerations.
*Which consumer goods should we produce?
*How much of our resources should we devote to national defense, education, or consumer goods?
Because resources are limited, each decision that a society makes about what to produce come at an
opportunity cost.
How Should Goods and Services Be Produced?
A society must also decide how to produce goods and services.
*What fuel should we use to generate electricity-oil, solar power, or nuclear power?
*Is education best delivered through public schools or private schools?
Although there are many ways to produce goods and services, all require land, labor, and capital.
Who Consumes Goods and Services?
Societies also make decisions that determine how goods and services are consumed.
*How can people meet their needs for food and medical care? *Who gets to drive a new luxury car
and who can only afford bus fare?
*Who gets access to a college education?
The answer to these questions is determined by how societies distribute income. Factor payments
are the income people receive in return for supplying factors of production (land, labor, capital).
Landowners collect rent, workers earn wages, and those who lend money receive payments called
interest. Factor payments also include the profits that entrepreneurs earn if their enterprises succeed.
Profit is the amount of money a business receives in excess of its expenses.
Economic Goals and Societal Values
Different societies answer the three economic questions based on the importance they attach to
various economic goals. These goals include:
All societies pursue each of these goals to some degree.
Economic Efficiency
Because resources are always scarce, societies try to maximize what they can produce using the
resources they have. If a society can accurately assess what its people need and want, it increases its
economic efficiency. A manufacturer would be wasting resources producing desktop computers if
people prefer laptops.
Economic Freedom
Most people value the opportunity to make their own choices. In America we have the freedom to
buy what we can pay for, to work where we want to work, to own property, and to become
entrepreneurs. Still, people all over the world face limitations on their economic freedom.
Economic Security
Most people do not like uncertainty. We want to know that we can get milk or bread every time we
go to the grocery store. We want the security of knowing that we will get our paychecks every
payday. Ideally, economic systems seek to reassure people that goods and services will be available
when needed and that they can count on receiving expected payments on time.
Economic Equality
Equity (fairness) is defined differently in different society. Each society must decide how to divide its
economic pie.
*Should everyone get the same share of the goods and services a nation produces?
*Should one’s consumption depend on how much one produces?
*How much should society provide for those unable/unwilling to produce?
Economic Growth
A nation’s economy must grow with its population so it can provide jobs for the new people joining
the workforce
When the economy grows and people have more income, that nation improves its standard of living,
or level of economic prosperity.
Innovation plays a huge role in economic growth. Innovation is the process of bringing new
methods, products, or ideas into use. Innovations in computers and networking technology are
changing how people work, do business, find information, and communicate.
Goals in Conflict
A society may value other goals than these (Efficiency, freedom, security, equity, & growth).
Environmental protection, full employment , or protecting national industries may be among a
nation’s chief economic goals.
Sometimes, economic goals conflict with one another. For example, when a society provides a safety
net for all citizens, the added cost may slow economic growth.
To protect the environment, a government may impose regulations on manufacturers. This might
curb economic freedom. Thus, all nations must prioritize their economic goals, or arrange them in
order of importance. Each choice comes with some kind of trade-off.
Traditional Economies
The oldest & simplest of economic systems is the traditional economy. A traditional economy relies
on habit, custom, or ritual to answer the three key economic questions. There is little room for
innovation or change.
The traditional economic system revolves around the family unit (including several generations of
extended family). Work tends to be divided along gender lines. Boys tend to take up the
occupations of their fathers, while girls follow those of their mothers.
Traditional economies are usually found in communities that tend to stay small and close. Often
people in these societies work to support the entire community, rather than just themselves or their
immediate families. In these societies, agricultural and hunting practices usually lie at the center of
people’s lives, laws, and religious beliefs.
Societies with traditional economies are economically successful if they meet their own needs. But
they have few mechanisms to deal effectively with the effects of environmental disaster, such as a
flood or drought. They also tend to be slow to adopt new ideas or technology. They may not have
access to a wide range of goods. In most cases, these communities lack modern conveniences and
have a relatively low standard of living.


Key Personnel

Beacon Environmental has earned an enviable reputation for providing accurate, reproducible data and the team has developed easy to use samplers and techniques for sampling soil gas or air that are provided through BeSure Sample Collection Kits.  The professionals at Beacon have extensive knowledge of adsorbent selection and analytical techniques to sample a broad range of VOCs and SVOCs in soil gas, ambient air, or indoor air, whether characerizing sites, assessing vapor intrusion risks, or monitoring emissions in the air.

BEACON was founded in 1999 by Mr. Harry O'Neill, who is the company president and has managed and reviewed data from 1,000s of projects. Prior to forming BEACON, Mr. O’Neill managed the soil-gas sampling program for Quadrel Services, Inc., an innovative company that led the acceptance of passive soil-gas sampling at the national and international level.

Harry O'Neill was selected as the lead author to write the ASTM Standard for Passive Soil Gas Sampling that was approved December 1, 2011.

  • ASTM D7758-11Standard Practice for Passive Soil Gas Sampling in the Vadose Zone for Source Identification, Spatial Variability Assessment, Monitoring, and Vapor Intrusion Evaluations

Mr. Steve Thornley is the company's Laboratory Director, who is responsible for sample analyses and ensures that all project samples are analyzed and reported following the highest level of quality assurance procedures in the industry. Mr. Thornley has analyzed and reported data from more than 100,000 soil-gas and air samples and follows accredited analytical procedures that allow BEACON to provide accurate, reliable, and defensible data.

In addition, Beacon continues to demonstrate our continued support of the research community by aligning ourselves with several prominent universities and scientists to ensure we contribute to research and development in innovative soil gas and air testing methods.  The following link provides a summary of publications and presentations provided by Beacon over the past few years.


Dutch Silk Road Narcotics Vendor Faces Prison

Dutch Silk Road Narcotics Vendor Faces Prison

The Public Prosecutor (OM) recommended a sentence of fifteen months (five months suspended) in prison for a 37-year-old from Groningen, the Netherlands for selling drugs on the Silk Road Marketplace.

According to the OM, the suspect sold hard narcotics on the infamous Silk Road Marketplace. The 37-year-old used his own room at a residential building on the Oude Boteringestraat in Groningen as his base of operations.

After several anonymous reports to the police, law enforcement authorities raided the house. Officials found different kinds of hard drugs, too much for the defendant’s own use, the prosecution said. According to court documents, “other evidence” were found that indicated narcotics trade. Authorities only provided information on the fact that the 37-year-old accepted payments in bitcoins. That could mean that law enforcement seized electronic devices from the accused, and after a forensic analysis, they found the transactions and the completed orders on the man’s vendor account on the Silk Road Marketplace. However, this is only a presumption.

The Dutch OM considers the case as a “modern sale” of narcotics. According to the prosecution, there is a big difference between street deals and dark web trade since the vendor was not “disturbed by junkies”.

The defendant denied the charges against him. Although, he admitted that he was active on the dark web.

“I was fascinated by what was happening there. I jogged a little,” the 37-year-old said.

Mathieu van Linde, from defense, said that there are suspicions, however, there is no concrete evidence to support these. The verdict in the case is expected in two weeks.

A new law called “Act Cybercrime III” would allow Dutch authorities to find loopholes in the software cybercriminals use and hack with. The motion is currently standing before the parliament.

Martijn Egberts, a digital crime expert, said that cybercrime is growing and law enforcement authorities have a hard time tracking down criminals with the “traditional methods”. Advanced encryption technologies help cybercriminals hide from authorities more efficiently. That’s the reason why the House is discussing the new law proposal, which would give police more power to catch the suspects.

“It [the sector] is attacked continuously. Russian and Ukrainian banks are captured in a series of cyber attacks costing $300 million. I want to avoid similar scenarios in the Netherlands,” the expert said.

The motion already received heavy criticism from opposing parties, including privacy advocates and political parties, such as D66, SP, and Groenlinks. According to them, law enforcement is not authorized to hack software and apps. The opposition argues on the “internet becoming a less safe place” if police abuse the loopholes behind the manufacturers back, instead of warning the companies.

In the new law, supporters of Act Cybercrime III say that police can hack the software suspects use, and reach their devices as well, including computers and smartphones. For example, the prosecution would be able to install a spyware on the devices, which tracks the daily activity on the suspects’ keyboards.

The post Dutch Silk Road Narcotics Vendor Faces Prison appeared first on Deep Dot Web.


Summary: Nick Hayden presents a collection of five of his favorite short stories. Holding the collection together is a sense of wonder, desire, and mystery–a sense that something exists that we haven’t quite found yet.

Features the Stories:

The Memory – It was a memory more precious than any other she had, and it drove her to attempt what none had ever done.

Lunatic Pandora – One day, the sky began to fall. And that was only the beginning.

The Empty House – While looking through her dead father’s old journals, Susanna discovers a secret his dementia could not erase.

A Madman’s Tale – Mad scientist Victor Von Victorstein explores alternate dimensions for wealth, beauty, and knowledge–with spotty results.

The Vision of Prince Frederick – A childhood meeting with a girl changes the Prince’s life forever.

Ebook: Smashwords / Amazon