My, how the standards for old women have slipped in Michigan since I was a child.

My Grandma Vanderboegh would have ridiculed this woman. Godzilla the wild turkey stalks Commerce Township woman. Once upon a time in my youth, there was a summer my Michigan farmer grandparents drained a boggy area to add to their berry fields in Baroda Township, Berrien County. It happened to be infested with water moccasins. Previously we had all been warned to stay away from the bog and the poisonous snakes. But if the land was going to be put into cultivation, the moccasins, needless to say, had to go along with the muck. The solution? My little bitty barely-five-foot grandma waded into the muck and, barefoot as I remember, because the mud sucked her shoes off, killed 9 of the serpents with her hoe. Single combat. Just her and the snakes. The moccasins lost. Grandpa ran over another two from the safety of his tractor seat after she flushed them out up onto the road. I'll never forget the scene. The idea of being fearfully stalked by a turkey would have been as alien to her as a socialist in the White House.

This seems to be the day for even more Orwellian language.

First, "exporting security" and now citizen disarmament as "protection for women."

The things I never knew.

Folks,

I have search engines keeping track of various keywords to let me know when stories pop up that may be of interest. "ATF," understandably, is one of them. There are a number of meanings for the acronym ATF, of course, including the Asian Tennis Federation. But I must confess I never knew that ATF also stood for "Alaskan Thunder F-ck." You never get too old to learn something new.

Anecdote from my beloved Winston County. So was the pipe bomb placed in the toolbox before or after it was stolen? And how, exactly, do you "diffuse" a pipe bomb?

Aunt Jenny Brooks, the patron saint of Winston County. She cut the head off the Confederate Home Guard leader who murdered her husband and oldest son, put it in a tote sack, took it home, threw it in the lye boiling pot and cooked it down. She used the the skull (minus the jawbone) as a soap dish for the rest of her life.

The things you got to watch for when processing evidence in Winston County, Alabama: "Pipe bomb diffused (sic) at Winston County Courthouse."

Winston County Courthouse was abuzz with activity this afternoon after an active pipe bomb was discovered, Sheriff Rick Harris told FOX6.

In an investigator's room, a theft victim was identifying his stolen tool box. When they opened up the tool box they discovered the bomb.

Winston County authorities called in the ATF and the Jefferson County Bomb Squad to diffuse the bomb. There were successful in disarming it and no one was hurt.

Sheriff Harris said the tool box was seized after authorities busted a theft ring during a raid earlier this week at the Natural Bridge Motel.

Well, there's a question: was the pipe bomb placed in the toolbox before, or after, it was stolen? Here's another question: Is English the native language of the WBRC6 Birmingham affiliate staffer who wrote that the bomb was "diffused" rather than defused? How does one "diffuse" a pipe bomb exactly? And "media elite" in Birmingham (including, presumably, the idiot who wrote this story) think Winston County folks are "backward." Sheesh.

Making a desert and calling it peace. The "export of security." Newspeak in the White House.

"Auferre, trucidare, rapere, falsis nominibus imperium; atque, ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant." -- Tacitus.

Translation: "To ravage, to slaughter, to usurp under false titles, they call empire; and where they make a desert, they call it peace."

"Let's export some more security, companero!"

Dan Restrepo, the Admiral Poindexter of the Gunwalker Scandal (assuming his deputy Kevin O'Reilly to be the Oliver North) says War is Peace.

The White House has been floating a new concept in its war on drugs — Colombia as an “exporter of security.” The phrase has popped up in government statements several times just over the past week. . .

Next up was Dan Restrepo in a March 1 press briefing for VP Joe Biden’s visit to Mexico and Honduras this week:

We've also continued to work, for example, with our partners from Colombia, who have become a very significant exporter of security to Central America -- work to ensure, for example, in the last few weeks, the head of the National Police of Colombia traveled to Guatemala as part of the new Guatemalan government's effort to revamp the national security strategy in that country to ensure that it is facing what we all recognize to be a growing challenge in the region.

Now we now what "Gunwalker Bill" Newell was doing, he was just a local shipping manager for the "export of security." I'm sure agents Terry, Zapata and the hundreds, if not thousands, of Mexican citizens -- victims all of the Gunwalker Conspiracy --would agree. They're all "secure" right now. Nothing will ever happen to them again.

Who says that there's no place for concealed carry in St. Louis?

"'Knockout game' case shocked St. Louis, then fell apart." Felony assault which could easily have been a murder. It is truly better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6.

Future for government-strangled speech -- literally.

Speech-jamming Gun.

New speech-jamming gun hints at dystopian Big Brother future.

Right, well, we'll see what happens to the first government SOBs to try this out on an American crowd. Now there's a quandary. Shoot the technology? Shoot the operator? Both? Decisions, decisions.

Maryland, their Maryland. Kurt Hofmann reports some good news.

"Maryland ruling in favor of defensive firearm carry likely to survive appeal."

It's that time again. The Southern Preposterous Lie Center wants liberals to send them money.

"Look out wealthy eastern liberals, Militia Power's Gonna get yo momma! (Send us money if you believe that crap.")

"Number of U.S. anti-government groups rises for third year." To quote the Bard, "Who hath measured the ground?"

And remember my exchange with press scumbag Bill Morlin? Well, this is the propaganda piece he was working on when I told him to "piss off."

"Killing" Vanderboegh, one test at a time. ;-)

David Codrea's illustration of my stress test:

Well, I survived my stress test and ain't dead yet. They haven't told me that I've passed so I can be cut on next Tuesday, but I suspect I will be shortly. Again, God bless you all for your prayers and support. Actually, I have a feeling that God ain't done with me yet. My son called me from Germany yesterday and told me "Drink water, drive on!" So I guess it isn't time to lay down and die.

Wait! Why didn't they just buy them at an American gun show or gun shop?

"Mexican woman sentenced in drugs-for-military weapons conspiracy."

Nolo Contendere continues to do a first class job on the Friesen Case shenanigans.

Links to many court documents.

Nothing to Panic About, But Be Advised: "Solar storm headed toward Earth may disrupt power."

"The largest solar storm in five years is racing toward Earth, threatening to unleash a torrent of charged particles that could disrupt power grids, GPS and airplane flights."

The sun erupted Tuesday evening, and the effects should start smacking Earth between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. EST Thursday (0600 GMT and 1000 GMT), according to forecasters at the U.S. government's Space Weather Prediction Center. They say the storm, which started with a massive solar flare, is growing as it speeds outward from the sun. . .

"This is a good-size event, but not the extreme type," said Bill Murtagh, program coordinator for the space weather center.

The solar storm is likely to last through Friday morning, but the region that erupted can still send more blasts our way, Kunches said. He said another set of active sunspots is ready to aim at Earth right after this.

But for now, scientists are waiting to see what happens Thursday when the charged particles hit Earth at 4 million mph (6.4 million kph).

NASA solar physicist Alex Young added, "It could give us a bit of a jolt." But he said this is far from a super solar storm.

Collectivist Congressman Adam Schiff, who is supremely uninterested in pursuing the truth of the Gunwalker Scandal, is upset about gun smuggling to Mexico.

"Rep. Adam Schiff seeks new penalties for gun traffickers." More gasoline and matches for the arsonists of the Obama administration.

Paranoid, schmarinoid. More collectivist mental health quackery.

Rick Holmes opined on "Guns and paranoia" and later "Guns and paranoia, continued." To which Mr. Higgins replies, "Holmes’ column on guns shows ignorance." With all the box-top diagnoses of "paranoia" on the part of "journalists" and "columnists" like Holmes out there, the only thing I can ask is "Who's really being paranoid?"

Kurt Hofmann: Perhaps there's something to the claim that guns alone cannot rein in government.

Kurt's got a point.

Well, at least there's somebody that remembers there is a Gunwalker scandal.

Calls for Holder’s resignation heating back up as six more congressmen join the surge.

Well, here's a big surprise.

Hacker "Sabu" was an FBI plant for months.

SITREP: the GIST of it.

Well, that was interesting. Had a long chat with my new surgeon (who actually I had met before when I was going to the wound care clinic for my foot) and tells me I have a Gastrointestinal stromal tumor, or GIST for short.

Bottom line: 1 in 5 chance of not surviving the surgery and convalescence. Will involve at least a partial gastrectomy with possible involvement in the pancreas, spleen and the main artery that serves the spleen. Minimum hospital stay two weeks. Maximum, two months, if I make it. The Doc led Rosey and me in a prayer at the end of the visit, which I appreciated greatly.

There is also a designer drug for GIST, Gleevec, which the Doc says I must have but is more expensive than my divorce. That will be required post op and for a while after discharge. Lord knows how we're going to pay for that, but then it is all in His hands anyway.

Things like this remind you of what you haven't gotten around to, and how much you need to. For example, Rosey and I still don't have a will, so we'll have to see to that in the next couple of days. Stupid, I know, especially when I never expected to live past the mid-Nineties. We've never had much of anything, especially since I had to quit work with the congestive heart failure, but we still need to do it, and quickly. Same for a power of attorney.

While I was writing this I just got a call from the surgeon's office telling me my cardio guy wants to put me through some kind of stress test to see if I'm okay to go under the knife, which sounds to me like they're trying to kill me off before I get to the OR. Anyway, if everything works right, I'll be admitted to the hospital on Monday and cut on Tuesday. So now you know what I know.

I want to thank all of you who have had me on your prayer list and humbly and gratefully ask you to continue to keep me and my family in them. I'll continue to post as I can.

LATER: So, cardiac stress test arranged for tomorrow and so it will likely be Tuesday when I'm carved on. And in answer to the comment below, yes, the PO Box still works for that. May God bless you all.

Sipsey Street Exclusive: "I would like to draw your attention to Mr. Erb's expert witness list." One more torpedo before I take a surgery break.

I have this day sent the following email to Henry Kerner, Darrell Issa's major domo on the House Oversight committee, and Brian Downey, Senator Grassley's right hand guy in the F&F investigation.

-----Original Message-----

From: georgemason1776

To: henry.kerner ; brian_downey

Sent: Wed, Mar 7, 2012 6:30 am

Subject: Regarding what line United States Attorneys can, and cannot, do.

Gentlemen,

I would like to draw your attention to a story of mine from yesterday on the strange events surrounding a civil suit subsequent to the ATF's failed case of U.S. vs. Friesen. Link: http://sipseystreetirregulars.blogspot.com/2012/03/sipset-street-exclusive-little-jimmy.html

Doug Friesen, an Oklahoma attorney and machine gun collector, was targeted for prosecution by the ATF. The case blew up over several issues, the most important being the accuracy of the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFRTR). The defense presented expert evidence that the NFRTR was in fact not accurate, that the ATF knew it was not accurate (although it routinely sends people to prison based upon its supposed accuracy), and sought more discovery material from the U.S. Attorney and ATF. (Problems previously noted with the NFRTR can be found here: http://www.nfaoa.org/documents/NFRTRdocpack.pdf) For its part, the ATF was chided by the trial judge for failure to produce Brady material which the defense demonstrated existence. In the event, some discovery material turned over to the defense by ATF attorney James P. Vann was later found to contain viruses which infected defense counsel computers. The ATF and DOJ were evidently relieved to offer a deal to Mr. Friesen on a minor paperwork violation rather than proceed with such a fatally flawed case. (This wasn't for lack of trying since this was the second time ATF had sought to prosecute Mr. Friesen on the same charges.)

Subsequent to the deal, Mr. Friesen, who had suffered great economic damage from this wrongful prosecution, sought to recover from Charles Erb, the manufacturer of the machine gun at issue in a civil suit. The ATF and DOJ have reacted very strangely to this civil suit and seem to have decided that they have an identity of interest with Mr. Erb, although exactly why is a bit murky.

I would like to draw your attention to Mr. Erb's expert witness list. (Linked in my story and found here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/84019250/Pl-Expert-Designation) You will note that it is made up entirely of current and former ATF and DOJ employees, all participating on the taxpayer dime, presumably.

You will further note that it includes the name of Ed Kumiega, Assistant United States Attorney in Oklahoma City. I mention this because Mr. Kumiega is one of that protected species that Attorney General Eric Holder has been holding forth at great length about what DOJ line attorneys can, and cannot, do when it comes to your investigation of Fast and Furious. I am not an attorney, but attorneys have told me that this designated expert witness list made up ENTIRELY of government employees IN A CIVIL SUIT IN WHICH NEITHER THEY NOR THE GOVERNMENT IS NAMED, not only is unprecedented in their experience, but that it must have been approved at the highest levels of the Justice Department.

Another curiousity of the list is that it does not include the ATF's NFRTR Custodian, who could testify under oath as to the accuracy and completeness of the NFRTR with particular regard to the specific firearm(s) brought into evidence at Friesen's original trial. Were the ATF case legitimate, this would be an obvious addition, yet this is evidently a place they do not wish to go.

I commend this strange behavior in the case of Doug Friesen (and the similar case of U.S. vs. Clark in Phoenix which involves some of the same federal actors as Fast and Furious as well as James P. Vann) for your consideration and further investigation. The scandals of the ATF and DOJ are not limited to Fast and Furious and you are both -- through the elected public servants you represent -- uniquely positioned to get to the bottom of this curious behavior on the part of Eric Holder's employees.

Mike Vanderboegh

PO Box 926

Pinson, AL 35126