Gun Control Laws in America are on Life Support.

Washington, DC--It all but went unnoticed in June of 2022 when the Supreme Court of the United States decided in a six to three decision that declared some 20,000 local, state and federal gun laws as unconstitutional.  Frankly, the mainstream media that religiously supports gun control and did not want to publicize or talk about this at all.  

The case is titled, New York State Rifle and Pistol Association vs. Bruen.  It was a 135-page opinion that returned the Second Amendment into meaning exactly what it said.

 

Since the Bill of Rights was promulgated in 1791 the Second Amendment has evaporated.  The most damage was done during and after, Post Civil War Reconstruction.  Politicians made numerous laws that precluded newly freed slaves from owning firearms.  In the infamous Dred Scott case, the Supreme Court went so far as suggesting that they were horrified of the idea that these former slaves might possess firearms. 

 

The politicians suggested that public safety demanded curbs on gun possession and carrying. That mindset continued, until finally the High Court lowered the boom.  The High Court for over two centuries has had very little to say about gun laws until the last decade.  Today those, “what about the children” and “we are all going to die” arguments are no longer relevant.  

 

The Heller, McDonald and now Bruen case has absolutely changed everything. 

 

The Bruen case was about the refusal of New York to simply issue concealed weapon permits to law abiding citizens.  The court held that New York was being arbitrary, capricious and totally unreasonable with their handling of the permits.

 

Particularly in the past 50 years lawmakers have restricted gun rights claiming that modern public safety demanded such action.  They've made every excuse that they could to ban every type of weapon possible.  Until now our courts have done a very poor job of protecting American’s gun rights. 

 

Just to put the militia argument where it belongs you need to understand that the militia was never part of the government. The militia is, we the people. As for the government they already had a robust ability to keep and bear all the arms they wanted including nuclear bombs.

 

In Bruen the court held that only 1791 era text, history and tradition could be used to impair the right to keep and bear arms. 

 

Laws and requirement for serial numbers, registration, red flag seizures, accessory prohibitions, age restrictions, carrying arms in public, out-of-state firearms purchases, gun dealer licenses and federal or state gun purchase forms did not exist and therefore were and are unconstitutional today. 

 

There was a half dozen other gun cases that the High Court accepted jurisdiction over including so called assault weapons, ammunition magazines.  The court simply reversed earlier court rulings and remanded them back to the trial courts with the instructions that they must make new rulings that conform to Bruen.  

 

You need to know that most American lawyers have not even read the Bruen case because they practice family law, bankruptcy, contract disputes and other matters not involving criminal law. 

 

The gun rights hating politicians, prosecutors and judges that know about Bruen are doing all they can in a futile effort to slow down the demise of their precious gun laws.  However, they can be facing State Bar problems along with being named in malicious prosecution lawsuits.

 

We are seeing various federal and state courts following the law of the land every week rendering decisions consistent with Bruen. 

 

Even Governor Newsom of California finally recognized that the only way he can succeed with gun bans, is to repeal the 2nd Amendment with his idea of a 28th Amendment.  That effort will never succeed in our lifetimes without a successful war. 

 

Perhaps now we can toughen up soft targets like schools, deal with mental illness and keep those cruel and dangerous criminals in locked cages.   

Is Obtaining a Gun for Self-Defense a Political Choice?

 Los Angeles--Self-preservation should never be a political issue.  It’s one of our most primal and basic instincts.  We were born to always feel the need to protect ourselves and loved ones from injury and death. 

 

However most governments are afraid of their own people and have made significant efforts to propagandize and convince people that their benevolent government will competently take over these responsibilities.  As we should know from history, Democide by government is the most prolific form of murder ever conceived. 

 

 

Even under the best of circumstances our police are dispatched only to arrive in time to clean up the mess and make reports.  They may or may not, apprehend the killers later.

 

We’ve also learned shocking lessons from both the Columbine High School and more recent Ulvade elementary school massacres that police refused to confront the deranged killers until long after our precious children have bled out from their wounds.  Even under the best conditions we’ve learned that police were unable to, or simply refused to do what’s expected of them. 

 

Another problem is that should the police arrive interrupting in-progress crimes they are not clairvoyant and within split-seconds they must figure out just who are the good and bad players.  Far too often police make tragic mistakes during this process. 

 

Hollywood has bombarded us with thousands of stories where the police arrive instantaneously, never make mistakes, the bad guys are arrested or killed, and the good guys live happily ever after.  Most every American has grown into believing this is somehow reality.  

 

Ineffective police work is not the exception but the norm.  It makes no difference who should be blamed politically.  The fact is we live in a dangerous world where thousands of criminals and mentally ill people are out there waiting for opportunities to inflict harm on innocent victims.  

 

If like many people you’ve lived your life in relative safety, thoughts self-defense or fear is not part of your life.  Fortunate people live in safe neighborhoods traveled in nice automobiles to safe places where you attended school or work at your job.

 

Because of today’s superior public transportation the crime plagued ghetto has suddenly found its way to even the best neighborhoods.  Internet chat has brought like-minded criminals together where they plan and conspire to commit crimes.  Today they are also much more likely to work in teams rather than alone. 

 

Because of current prevailing political attitudes dangerous prisoners are being released from prisons by the tens of thousands.  People arrested and accused of crimes are allowed to remain free without posting cash bail. 

 

At the same time government has shut down mental institutions leaving the mentally ill on our streets left to their own devices. 

 

You now ask, what can you do?  There is no simple answer other than you must become your own first responder. Yes, you must take the law into your own hands because there may be no one else to do this for you.  

 

You are not Superman, nor do you possess any significant extra-terrestrial powers. You are a mere mortal and without weapons and training you are basically helpless.

 

Government sometimes, not always offers you non-lethal weapons like pepper spray or electric stun guns that have various defense capabilities. Frankly, most of these things will get you into much more trouble and danger. 

 

Lethal weapons however, somewhat level the playing field.  If properly employed they will either interrupt an attack or stop it cold.  But first you must make the commitment to use deadly force without hesitation.  Never forget Your goal is not to kill, but to simply stop any further harm being waged against you or your loved ones.  

 

Yes, let there be no doubt that should you shoot or stab somebody, death can result.  What most people don't know today is its modern emergency medicine save nearly 90% of the people who are shot by various firearms.

 

By now you're deciding whether to take advantage of your Constitutional Right to possess and carry firearms.  It is a heavy choice, followed by a commitment that you will get the proper training and develop the skill to effectively use a firearm.  You can trust me when I say this is not going to be a difficult learning curve if you pay strict attention to your trainer. 

 

The only thing I implore you to do, is to never allow politicians to interfere with the basic survival of you and your loved ones.   Survival always trumps obedience to the gun bans of our land.  Either you will give yourself a fighting chance to survive or not. 

 

 

There's a Crime Crisis in Sherman Oaks

Things Just Got Serious in Paris, Have We Learned Anything?

Paris, France—One again Islam has spread its gut wrenching, deadly poison on totally innocent people that were defenseless soft targets.

My European friends have all been brainwashed their entire lives that law-abiding people will instantly become murdering bloodthirsty fiends if they were allowed to keep and carry firearms.

In Europe the propaganda war against gun ownership has been won with lies, half-truths and by spreading fear.  Political correctness in Europe today begins and ends with gun rights hatred.

The 12-year death grip that Nazis had on Europe was facilitated by European gun bans.   The established military organizations had no back up.  Instead there are endless unarmed millions of meek sheep waiting to suffer or die at the hands of tyrants.

Thankfully in the United States there are millions of well-armed, trained citizens that will fight for they and their family’s lives.  If the police or military become overwhelmed there is a back up of citizens that will be led by retired cops and veterans. 

Thankfully Barack Obama’s hatred for gun right has caused millions of more smart Americans to obtain and get training with firearms.  It was not fear of a gun ban that caused this but fear of Obama and his Leftist minion’s power grabs. 

The Islamic style attacks such as in Paris could only succeed in the gun ban enclaves like New York, New Jersey California and Chicago.  If they tried that crap in Houston, Phoenix or Atlanta a terrorist attack would be challenging to say the least.

Along with gun rights there is a mindset that was gallantly exhibited by three American lads who happened to be on a train traveling from Amsterdam to Paris earlier this year.  They first fought for their own lives and saved countless others in the process.

Europe has opened its arms to a “refugee” invasion from Syria.  With an onslaught of millions of military aged Islamic men in a peaceful and unarmed Europe what could possibly go wrong?

It’s a grand recipe for disaster.  Europe is about to change forever.

I began this asking, what have we learned?  Sadly gun control is a political issue rather than one of simple survival.  Politicized by politicians seeking absolute control form their governed.  I doubt anyone has learned much. 

Obama and His Media Lapdogs Trolling Against Our Hard Won Liberty and Freedom and Very Lives, Yet Again.

Roseburg, OR—We now know that Christopher Harper-Mercer was a lone wolf, copycat,  wannabe,  Islamic terrorist that targeted Christians for murder.

Harper-Mercer found his hapless and defenseless victims to execute here at Umpqua Community College.  They were supposed to somehow be protected by a single unarmed and equally helpless security guard. 

With security like that, what could possibly go wrong?  That was considered a wise decision made by overpaid, politically left leaning bureaucrats.  They gambled with the lives of these students and lost.  Unfortunately these bastards will escape punishment for facilitating and enabling the terrorism.

Islam is in a constant state of war with infidels and the nations they are invading unimpeded while claiming refugee status.  We must take every precaution to resist terrorist incidents and train to stop incidents like what happened here.

While we are under attack by lone wolves and are under protected by our law enforcement agencies Barack Obama wants to disarm America’s law-abiding citizens. A fat-fetched conspiracy theory you might suggest?

Obama never saw a gun ban he didn’t support and vote for in his political life.  His claims that he wants only minimal changes are disingenuous and phony. 

Gun laws like all laws only impact the law abiding.  More restrictive gun laws have been found to actually enable violence as every large American city run by Democrats lave learned. 

Americans are currently under siege by crime and a massive amount of Islamic and assorted illegal immigrants.  Asking Americans to disarm is like telling us to stop using seat-belts and to throw away our smoke alarms and fire extinguishers.  

We need armed police or security at every school in America supplemented by trained and armed civilians.  Without the right tools we are helpless and always ripe for mass murder.

Obama knowingly lied to the American public about so-called Gun Violence statistics.  They include thousands of justifiable shootings by police and intended crime victims.  They include suicides and accidents including those in our military and police organizations.

The crimes are solid evidence that Americans must be responsible for the protection of themselves and families.

Obama's Lapdog media let him ramble on unchallenged for two days relentlessly parroting his lies and misinformation at every opportunity.

We must at all cost resist those Leftist politicians that will enable and facilitate violent criminals and terrorists by infringing on our right to keep and carry arms.  Our lives absolutely depend on our ability to defend ourselves!

Uber Ridesharing Service and Their Laughable New Gun Ban

Los Angeles, CA—Uber has taken the taxi business to new highs or perhaps lows.  The convenient but overpriced service you order and pay for on your smartphone has suddenly banned firearms both drivers and passengers.

The right of self-defense is not something politicians or corporate suits can abridge. Our creator gave us the gift of fear and the instinct for survival. We are all alive because most of us understand  threats, danger and that injury or death is no option.

Some of us have had charmed lives always living and working in safe places where behavior is civilized.  Others have had to live and work where rape, robbery and murder is a reality.  Some of us understand the need to be prepared for self-defense much better than others. 

Uber decreed their fleet of vehicle as “Gun Free” with a press release and a prayer.  Do they really think their policy is somehow enforceable?  I suppose if they find out a gun somehow was in possession of a passenger or driver they can try and retaliate somehow.  If a gun was used by a driver or passenger to end a violent crime, who would give a rat’s ass what Uber thought about it?

Simply Talking About Gun Rights With Europeans Can Ignite a Raw and Emotional Response.

Berlin, Germany—I have some very dear friends in this beautiful and sophisticated city.  I love Europe for may reasons, primarily its civilization, elegance and art.   I am very fond of the European people. 

Most Europeans were not alive between 1933 and 1945.   It’s safe to say that they all lost family members in the Second World War that extinguished 70 million lives before it ended.  At least historically, Europeans know well about government tyranny and violence.

As the European nations were resurrected from that horrible war the new leaders understandably feared armed citizens.  Like their Fascist predecessors they continued to ban or at least severely restrict gun ownership. 

All dictators and politicians love their governing power.  They all seem to fear the people they rule.  They usually seek to disarm the people so they cannot be overthrown when they fall out of favor.

In America our founding fathers realized this and established a Constitutional Right that allows citizens to keep and bear arms.  This is unlike any other nation in that regard. 

America had its problems.  Slavery, a Civil War along with a huge population of people from every kind of competing race, religion or culture pushed together in our largest cities. 

Multiculturalism has been a failed experiment everywhere it has been tried.  People are simply unwilling to adapt to the nation where they or their parents sought to live.  When the cultures clash it generally results in both violence and majority oppression against the minority.

The large American cities all became and still are hotbeds of multiculturalism-fueled violence.

Europe is beginning to learn about the dark side of multiculturalism with the massive migration of Muslims.   Violence has been going on in France, Germany and the UK but it’s being swept under the rug.  Crime statistics are what the government says they are, and as always they are never candid.

The United States has nearly 350 million residents.  But for our largest cities we have a crime rate as low as any European nation.  

The gun ownership rate outside of the major cities is always substantially higher but without any of the big city violence.  

Multiculturalism is problematic, but we’ve allowed the African-American population to create their own lawless society.  All of the brawls happening on streets and in malls these days are posted on YouTube and they exclusively showcase African-American savagery. 

Our prisons are filled with an excess of African-Americans that have committed the most cruel and despicable crimes imaginable.   They have created an unabated culture of ignorance, drug dependence and violence.  This is a very real form of genocide.

Guns are not the problem.   It’s a failure to keep known, violent people behind bars.  It also stems from a grotesque form of tolerance for bad African-American behavior by the guilt-ridden White society. 

In recent years there has been study after study that has shown that the more guns in the hands of law-abiding people the lower the rate of violent crime. 

In the USA the right to not only own firearms but to carry them concealed in public is the practice in all but a few places.  Violence has been reduced as a direct result.

Amazingly Europeans are actually afraid to even discuss gun rights!  If one dare suggest a person should have the right to use a gun to protect, home, business or family there is Hell to pay.  It’s not politically correct.   Free speech in Europe is not nearly as acceptable as it is in the USA. 

As for private gun ownership in Europe, it still exists.  In most places it’s difficult and heavily restricted.  However in the Scandinavian nations one can obtain a license to carry a concealed handgun with a silencer!

In March there will be the huge annual IWA Outdoor Classics fair for Hunting Guns and Outdoor Equipment in Nuremberg.  Tens of thousands will descend on the convention center to see the latest and greatest firearms.  It’s one thing to own them and another to dare suggest gun rights.

European must understand that government has won a propaganda war against gun ownership and rights.  They have been brainwashed into believing that guns not criminals cause crime.  They are somehow convinced that a cop on the phone is somehow better than a gun in their hands.

The Muslims are a violent lot and the body count of their victims grows daily.  They can simply suffer or learn that training and guns will deter the violence or stop it should it begin. 

Europe needs their own National Rifle Association and an honest dialog about how guns actually save lives must begin.

Emotion must give way to reality before the multiculturalism-fueled violence will end.  Self-Defense is a basic human right. 

My Dear European Friends Have Grave Concerns About Gun Liberty

Los Angeles, CA—I have a deep and unending love for Europe especially, Germany, The Netherlands, Austria and of course Switzerland.  The culture, art and elegance of Europe are only matched by their terrific and productive people.    

The 18 months I spent in Aschaffenburg, Germany in my youth serving as an Army medical corpsman as part of my compulsory military service was nothing less than pure joy for me. 

Many of my European friends don’t understand my position on gun freedom.  Some perhaps think somehow I’m perhaps violent because I own, carry and shoot guns.  For me guns insure that there is less violence at least within my eyesight.   My gun is a tool that serves as deterrence rather than a danger. 

As a Chicago cop and as a private investigator my gun has saved many lives including my own.  Criminals for the most part are cowards and they nearly always have ended their assaults, robberies, home invasions and such the second they saw my gun.  I’ve arrested hundreds of criminals for crimes like murder, rape and robbery without violence because I had a gun. 

Police are given guns because it has been proven that lives are saved as a result.  If that was not the case they’d all be disarmed.

My European friends must remember their own past to understand the future.  Between 1933-1945 Europe was on fire because of the political ambitions of Fascist and Nazi politicians.  Tens of millions of good people were needlessly killed.   Few families were spared from lost husbands, sons and brothers.  They helplessly watched the destruction of their homes and businesses.  That massive heartbreak and misery today is only a sad memory.

Since the beginning of time the leaders of nations have turned violent against their own populations killing millions.  Politicians are often deadlier that all the criminals in the world.  These are the same politicians that falsely lie to their people promising better public safety through bans on weapons.  Sooner or later every government goes bad.

I shudder as my own presidents Bush and Obama have allowed the tyrannical privacy invasion by our spying as revealed by brave heroes risking all such as Assanage, Snowden and Manning.  Why are we spying on our fellow Americans and European friends without warrants and court orders? We have become a criminal nation that routinely breaks the law!  Why can’t we seem to stop this behavior? 

Ambitious politicians like Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini could not survive without first spying upon and disarming the honorable people of their nations.  The more dangerous politicians are, the larger the bodyguard army they must maintain.  Armed honorable people are always very dangerous to criminal politicians. 

The amount of murders by common criminals can’t begin to compare to that of politicians.  Politicians always begin with lots of smiles and handshakes.  They make lots of promises of hope, prosperity and peace.  After a trusting population hands them the power too many of them quickly change into tyrants. 

This is simply about politicians empowering themselves to simply plunder the property of their own population.  What always follows are informants, secret police, torture and murder under color of law soon replaces Liberty and Freedom.

One European nation has avoided this kind of disaster.  Switzerland has managed to prevent ambitious politicians from gaining too mush power.  A Swiss president for example serves for only a single two-year term.  Political corruption is much more difficult to survive this way. 

The Swiss people have the real power.  It’s in the form a fully automatic military rifle and stockpile of ammunition required by law in virtually every home.  Switzerland has a real Minuteman style defense system.  Because of this you have not, nor will ever see masses of Swiss refugees moving about like frightened and starving sheep.  

The Swiss stay out of efforts to colonize or otherwise invade other nations.  They’ve become trusted to protect much of the world wealth in their banks. 

In recent years the Swiss too have been poisoned with propaganda into ending gun freedom.  This through the lies of the world’s politicians that know guns will control their own rogue behavior. 

Every sane, sober and law-abiding man and woman on earth has a duty to train with and bear arms for the safety of their families, community and nation.  

Those clever politicians that demand gun bans for “public safety” are always up to no good.  Gun bans are the needed tools of Nazis, Communists and other Fascists.

I believe like the late and very wise, Anne Frank that most all people have good hearts.  We must believe in and trust each other.  If we do that we will never let another tyrant lead us into another government-sponsored bloodbath.

Please think about what I have written here and spread it around.  This is why I believe that plenty of guns in the hands of the well-behaved masses are the best way to insure public safety.

Why the No Guns Signs in Restaurants and Shopping Malls are Unenforceable

Chicago, IL—As thousands of concealed weapons permits are being issued here some people running local businesses apparently fear anyone law-abiding that is also armed.   They are putting up signs prohibiting guns.

Illinois politicians opposed to gun rights have offered up a feel good solution allowing businesses to ban guns on their property that’s otherwise open to the public.   Some of the businesses are following corporate mandates others are ignorant and perhaps frightened by the idea of guns. 

Of course all armed and dangerous criminals can be counted upon to ignore the signs.  Adding to the madness the business owners utilizing the signs are telling criminals that they can rob, kill or rape without encountering armed resistance! 

These days in most safe appearing neighborhoods finding armed security guards not involved in money transportation is nearly impossible.   No local business would dare begin TSA style frisking.  If they tried doing that, it would guarantee a trip to the Bankruptcy Court.  

Putting up the signs sends a political message that will bring more than enough customer loss and economic damage.   Frankly you have a choice and can avoid doing business where such signs are displayed.   It’s simply one more good reason to use amazon.com, skipping the brick and mortar Gun-Free Zones altogether.

First and foremost concealed weapon arrests are made almost exclusively during vehicular traffic stops.  Occasionally some arrests are made incident to unrelated arrests for shoplifting, street disturbances or trespassing cases.  Shoplifters that carry guns find out the hard way that packing heat may raise a misdemeanor offense to a much higher-level felony crime in many jurisdictions.

Thankfully none of us have ever seen police enter businesses and restaurants and begin searching patrons.  There is still a shell of the Fourth Amendment protection from unreasonable search and seizure preventing that kind of police nightmare.  The fact is entering a sign posted business with a No Gun sign carries almost no risk of discovery.  That may and should change with a breach of the peace.

If a permit holder were discovered armed, they’d have to prove that the sign was not obstructed from view.  Often I’ve seen the signs posted on glass doors that were actually propped open and not facing where people could reasonably be expected to see them.  Did the patron enter behind a large person blocking view of the sign?

One thing we can all count on thugs, robbers, rapists and killers will never obey these or any signs or laws.   Why put yourself at risk simply to obey a stupid sign?   

If there was the rare situation where a violent crime occurs like a robbery and a patron was armed and actually displayed or otherwise used the firearm judiciously I think an arrest would be highly unlikely especially of a violent crime was halted.

The signs have no real impact but to divide businesses from customers.  A concealed weapon permit guarantees that the holder is a sane and law-abiding citizen.  Felons, the insane and otherwise troublesome people cannot be barred from businesses without fear of bringing the wrath of the ACLU and government regulators. 

If you have a concealed weapon permit and you are armed you need not fear arrest provided that you are not intoxicated or disorderly.  If something happens and you either display or otherwise deploy your weapon do not answer questions but instead ask for a lawyer.   

My advice is to not patronize any business with these ridicules signs.  If for convenience, you feel the need to give them business they don’t deserve you should simply ignore the signs.  Never let some politician or law deter you from protecting yourself or someone you love.  Be safe, not sorry! 

Why Most Gun Permit and Registration Laws are Unconstitutional

CT Gov. Dannel Malloy signs new gun ban and registration law

Los Angeles, CA—In the not so golden state of California politicians never met a gun ban, restriction or tax they did not absolutely love.

Aside from the guarantee of the Second Amendment politicians here and in the other Leftist run jurisdictions of this once great nation regularly trample on the rights of citizens.

Permits and registration requirements all come with serious legal baggage.  First and foremost gun permits and registration come with special tax assessments or fees. 

The cost of fingerprint screening and administrative matters are forced on every gun owner.  Second is that gun owners are forced to surrender their privacy by answering personal questions on the gun permit and registration application documents.

In many states the gun registration and permit records are considered public and the media often publishes some of these records.  Newspapers have even gone so far as to map out the homes of gun owners in an effort to humiliate and shame them!  Home invaders and burglars were provided with a wealth of personal information endangering those entire communities!

The fact is gun registration is in no way an effective crime-fighting tool.  Convicted felons and mental patients have long been absolutely exempt from obtaining permits or gun registration laws on self-incrimination grounds. 

Guns are never left at crime scenes unless the offenders are killed, incapacitated or arrested at the crime scene.  Accordingly tracing gun ownership does absolutely nothing to solve crimes. 

Gun registration does nothing at all to deter crime or improve anyone’s behavior.   Gun registration’s real purpose is to unlawfully tax gun owners and to provide government with a database of targets for later gun confiscation tyranny.

By imposing special any fees and taxes on gun owners they are forced to purchase a Constitutional right.  That right then becomes reduced to a privilege granted only to those who can afford to pay for it. 

The now outlawed Poll Taxes of the Deep South are the best example of the rationale demonstrating why gun permit and registration fees are also unconstitutional. 

Forcing special taxes and fees on gun owners violates their rights to due process under the Fifth Amendment by imposing a fine.  The gun owners were never charged, tried or convicted but are in effect punished with a fine.  

The fees too often victimize the poor when they can’t afford them; they are denied their rights under the 14^th Amendment’s equal protection clause.  Should any American be forced to choose between food, shelter or the need for self-defense?  Simple survival depends on all three.  

The state of Connecticut’s politicians have put their population in a dangerous crisis with a new registration law.  They required owners of certain rifles and ammunition magazines to register them.  So far over 100,000 have openly defied the law risking felony arrests.

Over 250 CT state police officers risked their job by signing a document that proclaims they won’t participate in enforcement activities under the new law.  You can be sure that hundreds of other officers have similar mindset did not have the courage to sign that very public document.

What it boils down to is that any officers foolish enough to enforce the new law will not have needed backup and their lives will be at risk. 

This is a crisis that undermines basic respect for law.  It’s a slippery slope that leads to chaos and even insurrection. 

The politicians in CT need to revisit their new registration law and learn about pragmatism.  They must ask themselves honestly, what are the benefits if any of their registration goals?