Chicago’s Great Gun “Turn In” Scam

Chicago, IL—The Windy City’s Political Gadflies will be out in force once again.  They are hosting another so-called Gun Turn In for guns, bb guns and toys. 

People once again will be enticed with immunity from arrest and gift cards to turn in virtually anything that even looks like a gun.

These events bring people in from suburban areas, Indiana and Wisconsin who are able to sell Chicago some completely unserviceable and worthless firearms.  The truth is that area firearm dealers (remember Chicago has no firearm dealers) go out of their way to collect junk to bring in for substantial profits. 

Chicago's gun-rights hating political and religious advocates will all sing and hold hands while they convince each other that they are somehow saving lives.  The problem here is there exists no data whatsoever, anywhere that can even provide a shred of empirical evidence that a single injury or death is prevented by these efforts.

One thing for sure, is that anyone wanting a serviceable weapon can use the proceeds obtained at the Gun Turn In to buy a working gun and live ammunition. 

This is not going to lower the vast numbers of senseless shootings that almost exclusively happen in Chicago’s ghettos.  This will not save lives.  This is nothing more than a very extravagant and expensive effort at symbolism over substance.

This will however cost taxpayers a bundle for media ads, manpower and the cash paid out.  We can continue to wonder how many additional burglaries and gun thefts will take place because of this heavily promoted Chicago fencing operation?

As usual, Chicago’s worthless members of the media will ask no questions or talk to nobody from the NRA or Illinois State Rifle Association.  They will never ask who pays for this fiasco or how much it really costs taxpayers.   That’s because Chicago’s media has become nothing more than public relations agencies for local incumbent Democratic political campaigns. 

Chicago’s political incumbents can always count on lots of valuable face time courtesy of local media by simply repeating the same failed and money wasting programs like the Gun Turn In. 

Having Fun In Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA—The best part of our lives is spent with friends we make along the way. While working on a friend’s film I ran in to an elementary teacher who is also a talented performer. Jack Fry and his pal, Hollywood, were in the film.

I have some dear friends in Berlin and one of them is coming to L.A. next week and I thought that I’d create a buzz with a video staring Jack Fry and Hollywood.

Some background on these ladies shown above: Andrea Fleckenstein is affectionately called “Strudel” by me. Christine Fleckenstein, her daughter is likewise been named, “Baby Strudel”. Both of these ladies are incredibly fun, elegant and gorgeous. Baby Strudel is not just pretty, but also a well-regarded dentist in Berlin.

After Jack and Hollywood appeared in the film they were gracious enough to tell me what they thought of my lady friends and the specter of an impending visit.

Jack has a website and tours the nation with his show. With any luck you may be able to coordinate a time and place to catch his act at www.theycallmemisterfry.com sometime soon.

On a side note I can’t imagine how lucky Jack’s students are to have a real showman that can captivate their attention. What American teachers seen to always lack is excitement and showmanship. Droning on like Ben Stein’s character in Ferris Buhler’s Day off as he calls out, “Buhler? Buhler?” is what kids expect these days.

Here is that welcome video Jack and Hollywood made for Strudel and Baby Strudel.

Chicago’s Father Pfleger, a Priest or a Political Firebrand?

Chicago, IL—The Reverend Michael Pfleger stood at the helm of the African-American attended St. Sabina Church. He’s currently suspended and can’t preach there after he was insubordinate and disobedient to Cardinal Francis George.

Pfleger is a political gadfly preaching his ideology. Rather than to save the souls of his parishioners he has an agenda of ministering their political beliefs. He’s 99 percent political and only one percent religious. Pfleger never met a TV camera he didn’t love and when he talks it’s about political and social issues of the lunatic Left.

Pfleger, a gun control zealot targeted DSA Arms in Barrington. They make high end rifles and carbines for a law enforcement and military market. They simply don’t sell their products to the general public. Pfleger brought a busload of parishioners there to picket and parade in front of media cameras. The rub here is DSA Arms does not make an affordable product that would interest Chicago’s street gangs. I guess it’s all about symbolism and not substance.

Pfleger had reportedly threatened to leave the church altogether if he could not play into Chicago’s politics. That’s hardly in keeping with a catholic priest’s vows. Pfleger has even tried to enlist parishioners in his fight with the church leadership. Ugly does not begin to describe Pfleger’s conduct here.

The Pfleger mess is not going to go away anytime soon. The presence of Pfleger behind the pulpit may well be at a needed end. In Pfleger’s world only Socialists can go to heaven. I don’t think that’s what God had in mind…

Los Angeles Gun Buy Back Program Makes Fools Feel Good

Los Angeles, CA-- Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa with his appointed police chief, Charlie Beck along with other city politicians seem to love the silly idea of gun buy backs.

The program was recycled Saturday here at six locations by city officials. They offered gift cards from Ralph's Supermarkets or Visa. A mere handgun would fetch $100.00 while a so-called assault rifle would garner $200.00. As always, there were no questions asked as they handed over the plastic currency to the anonymous participants.

As always, most of the guns collected are worth far less than what officials paid for them. These buy backs attract gun dealers from everywhere who see the opportunity to make a small profit unloading what they can’t otherwise sell.

In some cases burglars were paid for the proceeds of their crimes turning the LAPD into an illicit fencing operation.

Close examination of the junk collected always shows rusted, broken and totally unserviceable firearms. Toys always somehow turn up in the collections. There are only a few exceptions where decent and even collectible firearms are turned in for the bounty.

Yes, there were cases of departed grandfather’s old guns being sold off. You could make a very weak argument that fewer guns are in closets that could be later stolen and misused.

The big question I always have that the media refuses to ask is, who pays for this expensive feel-good scam? The taxpayers nearly always eat this cost in most jurisdictions where these things are done. Of course this only happens in parts of the country where governments are run into bankruptcy by Liberal politicians. Any claim of corporate sponsorship rings hollow when you take into account their “charitable” tax breaks for their less than generous participation.

Do taxpayers still have the money for such meaningless and extravagant programs in this tough economy?

I Brought My Gun to High School, Nobody Died!

Chicago, IL—The do-gooder and government nannies have prevailed to make America into a police state. They have increased violence through a series of laws that have made drugs and gun violence fashionable by simple prohibition.

In our world anything that’s good is fun, fattening or illegal. The law steps in and makes things more desirable through simple curiosity. Guns, drugs, sex and violence become glorified as the status of these things are raised by those in government with wild imaginations that believe freedom is somehow dangerous.

It was West Side Story, the great Jerome Robbins musical not reality that caused a massive legislative movement that outlawed switchblade knives. Simply think, what’s more dangerous, a unsheathed hunting knife or a little switchblade? That switchblade must first reliably open to be deployed. Which would have the stronger and more deadly blade? The answer is obvious this was a non-problem “fixed” through unnecessary law.

I brought my rifle and a box of 50 rounds of ammunition to Chicago’s Senn High School every week and no animals or children suffered. When I was drafted into the Army to defend my country I was better off for being a member of my Jr. ROTC rifle team.

What would happen today if I took two CTA buses with a cased rifle and entered my old high school? It would make national news for sure.

Finally! Meet the Big Bopper’s Girlfriend, Chantilly Lace!

Los Angeles, CA— February 3, 1959 will always be known as the day the music died. Three talented young lads suddenly shot up to fame in 1958.

They were all beginning lives of fortune and fame as their music was being played all over the world. J. P. Richardson, also know at The Big Bopper, Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens boarded a four seat plane for their next engagement in Minnesota.

There was a fourth lad I met many years later in Phoenix who was supposed to be on that plane. He was none other than the late great Waylon Jennings gave up his seat to Richardson who was suffering from the flu. Jennings was Buddy Holly’s bass player at the time. Holly's guitarist, Tommy Allsup, agreed to a coin toss with Richie Valens for the remaining seat. Valens won. Several miles from Clear Lake, Iowa the plane went down in a blizzard taking four souls including the 21 year-old pilot, Roger Peterson.

Richardson was a D.J., song writer and now a singer who’s somewhat silly but entertaining song Chantilly Lace was a big hit. Richardson acted out that song on stage by singing in to a telephone.

I just spotted Richardson’s girlfriend, Chantilly Lace time-traveling into the present, wearing a wild looking pair of leggings! She was actually on the cell phone with Richardson. Who else could it have been? I was lucky and caught her on video before she disappeared into the past for yet another date with the Big Bopper.

YouTube lost the video...

Name Chicago’s Cool Coyote

Chicago Animal Care and Control has been dispatched to a dog park at Huron Street and the Chicago River, where this coyote showed up today. (Nancy Stone/Chicago Tribune)

Chicago, IL--This cunning and majestic creature deserves to be the Wind City’s new mascot. He deserves a special name and I will leave that up to my visitors.

Unlike a hapless mountain lion that showed up by Lane Technical High School a while back who was cut down by police gunfire, this critter is safe and sound and most likely on his way to re-settlement somewhere.

As for that rogue mountain lion police claim they found a gun not far from his paw. That was the cop’s story and they’re stickin’ to it! That killing was finally ruled as a Justifiable Homicide.

The Most Important Word in our World

Today the simple use of the racial slur, nigger by someone can result in a national newspaper headlines. That word seems to be one of the most powerful words in the entire world. To me this is the sign of a very fragile and sick society.

Whatever your race, religion, gender or gender variation may be there is a derogatory slur just for you.

Americans, at least in theory subscribe to the proposition that all men are created equal. The truth is that we are not equal because some of us are born healthy, attractive and rich and others are not. The reality is basic humanity dictates that we treat each other as equal.

There is a long history of competitive behavior between races, religious or sexual groups. Too often that history has a very dark side.

Our assigned race, sex and religion generally is fixed. There are those who chose to change one or more of those assignments or at least their orientation, preferences and culture. In the end we are all really quite different.

Some of us are ashamed of what we are. If we are not ashamed there are those that want to assign shame to us. Perhaps they need to feel superior because of their own perceived inadequacies.

Because of some people’s disagreeable nature they like to insult others different then themselves. That’s where the slurs were born.

The slurs only have an impact if we are not comfortable in their own skin. If you have a sense of identity shame the slurs will make you angry or cause emotional pain.

I have met people of every race and persuasion that are proud of what they are or have become or at least not ashamed. You can call them by any slur and they will only think less of you. They won’t be hurt or angry just disappointed in their detractor.

Slurs have been used in jokes for as long as there have been slurs. Jokes are not designed to do anything but evoke laughter. There has never been a great comedian that has bombed before an audience. Every joke is not funny despite the best efforts of the jokester.

Getting angry or emotional disturbed over a slur, gives the insult far more importance than it deserves. Failing to react or more importantly over-react to the slur neutralizes it.

The display of an emotional response to a slur gives that insult and the persona making it absolute credibility. I’d call that counterproductive.

I have spent too much time on gun ranges and my hearing is somewhat impaired. Sometimes that disability is a gift since I’m positive that I’ve been spared from many insults accordingly. I’m sure my lack of response has struck a nasty blow to someone’s relevance and self-esteem.

Nazi Group Battles LA Today

Los Angeles, CA—A group will demonstrate and celebrate the April 19th birthday of Adolph Hitler in downtown L.A. under the swastika. They seem to admire Hitler and his National Socialist movement, or do they?

It appears they have no clue just what National Socialism is. They apparently only like the master race aspect of Hitler’s disaster. These Nazi supporters are incoherent about what they really want from government. I guess these folks feel disenfranchised, frustrated and pushed to second class behind illegal aliens, and Blacks that are invited to suck up government entitlements. They do have a legitimate point.

Racial hatred is nearly always a two sided affair. Racial hatred in America is politically correct as long as the targets are heterosexual Caucasians.

If these people want to form a group demanding White rights and end reverse discrimination they would be better advised to create their own icon and flag rather than plagiarize on Adolph Hitler’s failed Third Reich. There can be no question that the Nazis had the snappiest uniforms, symbols and graphics of our time.

Hitler may have killed six million Jews but we must always remember his efforts cost nine million German lives along the way. National Socialism was a really bad idea.

National Socialism was just that a classic form of Marxist inspired Socialism.

Equally intellectually challenged are the whack-jobs that will show up violently confronting the confused Nazis. They are giving the Nazis far too much importance. I imagine we will see some great combat video of two equally stupid groups proving, Darwin’s theory of Evolution. Darwin wins again!

This Is A Great Country!

Laguna Niguel, CA—It all began 30 years ago as a silly prank that was a product of a wager. People lined up by the Amtrack train and mooned the train passengers.

Every second Saturday in July, thousands show up for a chance to display their bare butts to hapless train passengers passing by. With the introduction of alcohol some of the celebrants have been known to get carried away and display more their buns.

Reports of flagrant displays of sex acts and drunken excess have caused the city fathers to find ways to ban the event. I guess they don’t want people having too much fun. I’d like to think the city fathers worry about some real problems like their budget and let the silly cavorting clowns have their fun.

Perhaps the members of the City Council need to take a little field trip and participate this July before they destroy a tradition.