Crime and Punishment: How the Left Weaponized Our Government - Victor Davis Hanson podcast,

Quote du jour

If something is wrong, fix it if you can. But train yourself not to worry. Worry never fixes anything.”

― Ernest Hemingway

Free Book Tuesday

We've been running new stories and reprints by Mary M. Isaacs for the last couple of years, and most of the comments have been very positive. Some of you may be tired of Free Gun Friday. Well, tired of not winning anyway! So we thought we'd improve the odds a little. This is a contest for readers of Proof Positive and fans of Mary. M. Isaacs' short stories! The odds are in your favor! I want you to send me an email, telling us which is your favorite story of Mary's and why. I will forward the comments to Mary and she will choose a winner, who can select an autographed copy of one of Mary's books to be sent to you free of charge. I won't even tell Mary your full name!

If you need to refresh your memory, type "Mary M. Isaacs" in the search bar to review the work she's posted here. Send your emails to Proof (dot) Positive at Hotmail (dot) com. Your information will NOT be sold, you will not be put on any list, it's just a little more reliable than the Disqus comments these days. Disqus comments will be eligible, too! Winners will be restricted to those who READ Proof Positive, but not those who WRITE Proof Positive. That narrows it down in your favor! It's like they say, "You can't win if you don't enter!"

Quote du jour

"Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it."

- Henry David Thoreau

Scott Atlas: Ordeal and Triumph - Victor Davis Hanson podcast,

Quote du jour

'Do something wonderful, people may imitate it.''

- Albert Schweitzer

A Little Sunday Night Music

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day ~ Casting Crowns

I heard the bells on Christmas Day

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

I thought as now this day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rung so long the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;
"For hate is strong, and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men!"

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
For Wrong shall fail, and Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men!"

Based on a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. In 1863, Longfellow's wife had died two years before in a fire. He had become badly burned himself trying to save her. His son, wounded in the Civil War, was partly paralyzed and required constant care. On Christmas Day in 1863, he listened to the bells peal from a distant church and wrote a poem of hope. 

Best of the Web*

*…that I have seen all week!

(BTW, if you wonder where any of the links will take you, hover your cursor over the link.)

Political/SocioEconomic

Woman Calls 911 for Help, has Firearms Confiscated by Police
Sociaism Almost Killed the Pilgrims
Yet Another Inconvenient Mass Murder Destined for the Media’s Memory Hole

Culture
Feel Good Friday
School Attacks: The High Cost Of Virtue Signaling




Photoshops/Cartoons/Graphics
Sunday Funnies
Sunday Funnies For 11-20-22






Science/Technology
Electric Vehicle Wonders And Lies
NASA’s Orion Makes Closest Lunar Approach




Linkfests:
Larwyn’s Linx: Special Counsel Investigating Trump Was Key Figure In IRS Targeting Scandal
In The Mailbox: 11.21.22
Larwyn’s Linx: The Untold Story Of Poll Worker Data, Chinese Servers – Only The FBI Knows The Truth
In The Mailbox: 11.23.22 (Afternoon Edition)
Larwyn’s Linx: Free America: We’re already dealing with a fascist regime
In The Mailbox: 11.23.22 (Evening Edition)
Larwyn’s Linx: “Shove It Down Their Throats”: Rep. Roy Goes Off on Inaction on Border Security

Quote du jour

“I soon realized that poets do not compose their poems with knowledge, but by some inborn talent and by inspiration, like seers and prophets who also say many fine things without any understanding of what they say.”

- Socrates

The Culture of Wealth and a Selma Thanksgiving - Victor Davis Hanson podcast,

Free Gun Friday

Hey, kids! Do you know what time it is? It's Free Gun Friday time! A black gun for Black Friday!

 

Grand Prize Package 

ATN Thor 4 384 4.5-18x 

Daniel Defense DD4 RIII 

Franklin Armory BFSIII AR-C1 

Franklin Armory BFSIII AR-S1 

Franklin Armory BFSIII 22-C1

You can enter here.

Quote du jour

''What matters most are the simple pleasures so abundant that we can all enjoy them...Happiness doesn't lie in the objects we gather around us. To find it, all we need to do is open our eyes.''

- Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Quote du jour

"Every day we should hear at least one little song, read one good poem, see one exquisite picture, and, if possible, speak a few sensible words."

- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Quote du jour

"Conceal a flaw, and the world will imagine the worst."

- Marcus Aurelius

Post-Election Announcements and Investigations - Victor Davis Hanson podcast

November 22, 1963 - A Remembrance

From the archives (updated) :

Today marks the 59th. anniversary of the passing of a great man. One who left his mark on his country and his culture. One who is still quoted to this day. On November 22, 1963, the world little noted his passing in the shock and outpouring of grief over the assassination of JFK. That man was Clive Staple Lewis…oddly enough, like JFK, ”Jack” to his friends.

C. S. Lewis, author of The Screwtape Letters, Mere Christianity and The Chronicles of Narnia, was a contemporary and friend of J. R. R. Tolkien. He was also an atheist who came to Christianity, in his own words, “kicking and screaming”, who became one of its strongest apologists.

You must picture me alone in that room in Magdalen, night after night, feeling, whenever my mind lifted even for a second from my work, the steady, unrelenting approach of Him whom I so earnestly desired not to meet. That which I greatly feared had at last come upon me. In the Trinity Term of 1929 I gave in, and admitted that God was God, and knelt and prayed: perhaps, that night, the most dejected and reluctant convert in all England.

-Surprised by Joy

His books have been translated into dozens of languages and sold millions of copies over the years. Anthony Hopkins portrayed him in the movie Shadowlands (1993), the story of his romance with American poet Joy Gresham, who died of cancer a mere handful of years after they met.

His life was rich and varied. His sorrows deep and vast. His legacy is enduring.

In our remembrance of those who passed this day, one might do well to remember what can be accomplished with just a pair of Jacks!

Quote du jour

"Ask not what your country can do for you -- ask what you can do for your country."

- John F. Kennedy

The Streets of San Francisco - Victor Davis Hanson podcast

Quote du jour

When the Liberals said they were going to create a million new jobs, I didn't think they were all going to be tax collectors. If you can't convince them, confuse them

- Harry S. Truman

A Little Sunday Night Music

St Michael's Singers - I Know That My Redeemer Lives

Rosemary for Remembrance

 Continuing our retrospective of Mary M. Isaacs' short stories...This one was published here Nov 29, 2020

A short story by Mary M. Isaacs

___________________________________________________________________________________

     She looked at her table, which she had just finished setting. The burgundy tablecloth was one of her best; there were matching burgundy candles in the crystal candlesticks. She had spent over an hour polishing the silver and washing the best china, after getting it down from the cupboard over the refrigerator. Now she straightened the silver at each place setting and made sure the water glasses had no spots. She wanted everything to look perfect tonight. The dining room had been cleaned and dusted earlier, the windows washed, and the chairs polished. It looked as lovely as she remembered from all Thanksgiving dinners past. 

     Suddenly the doorbell rang. She turned away from the table expectantly, whisking off her apron as she hurried to the door. She looked through the peephole and then opened the door with a welcoming smile. A man in uniform stood there, holding a small arrangement of flowers. “Holiday delivery for Andrews?” he asked. 

     “Yes, that’s me,” she said, looking at the flowers closely. Red and pink carnations were mixed with small tea roses, with fir, rosemary, and dried statice scattered throughout. 

     “Kind of an unusual combination, isn’t it?” the delivery man said. “But it looks pretty, and it sure does smell nice.” 

     “Thank you,” she smiled warmly as she took the arrangement from him. “Wait a minute…” and she picked up a twenty-dollar bill from the small table by the door and handed it to him. 

     He looked surprised. “Twenty bucks?” he asked, looking at her. 

     “It IS Thanksgiving Day,” she said. “I really appreciate your being able to deliver the flowers fresh today.”  

    “Well, thank you! And Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!” he said, smiling broadly, and then he turned to walk back to his van. 

     She closed the door while admiring the flowers. They were just right. Carrying them carefully to the dining room, she placed the arrangement in the exact center of the table. It went beautifully with the tablecloth and the candles in their holders. She knew she had chosen well, even though she had ordered them sight unseen. 

     All at once she remembered the food cooking. While putting her apron on again, she hurried out of the dining room and into the kitchen. Her track record for cooking turkeys was uneven at best, so for this special occasion she played it safe by ordering a fully cooked one. She had picked it up earlier at the grocery store, during its shortened hours, along with ready-made gravy from the deli. 

     She checked the potatoes on the stove and the sweet potatoes in the oven. The pie had been made the night before and was sitting on the sideboard, ready to be cut and served. The pouches of frozen petite peas were boiling away on the stove–everything was nearly ready. All she needed to do was pull it all together at the last minute… 

 * * * * * 

     At last everything was ready. She carried in the turkey, on its platter, and set it on the sideboard in the dining room. The bowls of mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and peas she set on the table, each with its own silver serving spoon. Cranberry jelly glowed in a cut glass dish. The gravy was in a small pitcher, ready to be poured out. Everything was in its place. 

     She hung up her apron behind the kitchen door, smoothed down the skirt of her best dress, and sat down at the table. After glancing at the empty armchair at the head of the table, she bowed her head and spoke her father’s favorite prayer aloud. In the silence that followed, she could almost hear her mother’s voice echoing the final “amen”. 

     As she sat alone at the table, she felt the memories of many Thanksgiving dinners wash over her. The smells were right, the food looked perfect, and the table decorations were as beautiful as ever her mother had arranged. The only difference was the flowers–and she had chosen those specifically for this day. Rosemary for remembrance…she thought. Other years would be different, but for this first Thanksgiving meal without her parents, she wanted to honor and remember her loved ones in her heart, by herself. 

     As she lifted her glass in thankfulness for their lives, and toasted her parents silently, she felt again the warmth of their love and affection for her; the close family circle that remained unbroken in her memory, even though they were no longer there. 

     That was something she would remember every day, not just at Thanksgiving. ___________________________________________________________________________

 Mary M. Isaacs — copyright, 2018 

Rosemary for Remembrance is a part of the Christ Child's Lullaby collection, featured on the sidebar

Quote du jour

“Human history is the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy.”

- C S Lewis

Best of the Web*

*…that I have seen all week!

(BTW, if you wonder where any of the links will take you, hover your cursor over the link.)

Political/SocioEconomic

Poll Pads Caught Adding *Hundreds* of Voters in Real Time as Poll is Being Closed
Fix the Republican Party
New York lawyers disbarred for firebombing police car during George Floyd protests - Can I get an Amen?
Biden's frequent Delaware trips have cost taxpayers at least $11 million



Culture
Feel Good Friday
Mexican government uses footage of Philadelphia streets in anti-drug PSA
97-Year-Old Man Eats At Arby’s Each Day, But Why?





Photoshops/Cartoons/Graphics
Sunday Funnies
Sunday Funnies For 11-13-22






Science/Technology
Dangerous Use of Serial Numbers Found Unconstitutional
Chemists create an 'artificial photosynthesis' system ten times more efficient than existing systems





Linkfests:
Larwyn’s Linx: Republicans Need To Figure Out Mail-In Voting Now
In The Mailbox: 11.14.22
Larwyn’s Linx: Arizona on my Mind
In The Mailbox: 11.15.22
Larwyn’s Linx: America’s Fourth World Election System Is A Global Embarrassment
In The Mailbox: 11.16.22
Larwyn’s Linx: Competence, Not Chaos
In The Mailbox: 11.17.22
Larwyn’s Linx: Another Perspective on Early Voting Laws, 2022 Ballot Collection and the 2024 Election Geography
In The Mailbox: 11.18.22
Larwyn’s Linx: Yesterday's conspiracy theories are today's legacy media news reports…

Quote du jour

Watermelon smashing comedian Gallagher has died at the age of 76.
St. Peter thumped him on his side and determined he was ripe!

- Mike B

Bonus Free Gun Friday

Our Bonus Free Gun Friday today is a bolt action 6.5 Creedmore!

DELTA 5 PRO 6.5CR 18" BLACK 42-159-06238 6.5 Creedmoor 

1-6X24mm, First Focal Plane DWLR-556 Reticle,

.2 MRAD, 30mm Main Body Tube, Matte Finish, Flat Dark Earth

Includes 1.535" ALPHA4 Titanium Mount, Removable Throw Lever and Lay Flat Flip Back Lens Covers, 

US Military Over Run Units 

A total prize package worth $4,700.00!

You can enter here.

Free Gun Friday

This week's Free Gun Friday is a Browning 6.5 Creedmoor, with ammo and a target!

Browning X-Bolt Speed Suppressor Ready  

Caldwell Portable Range Kit  

Black Hills Ammo 6.5 Creedmoor

You can enter here.

Quote du jour

“Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself.”

- Eleanor Roosevelt

Our Military and Our Meritocracy - Victor Davis Hanson podcast,

Quote du jour

“Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.”

- Charles W. Eliot

Quote du jour

"The educational success of these charter schools undermines theories of genetic determinism, claims of cultural bias in the tests, assertions that racial "integration" is necessary for blacks to reach educational parity, and presumptions that income differences are among the "root causes" of educational differences."

- Thomas Sowell

Hurdles Republicans Need to Jump to Win Races - Victor Davis Hanson - podcast

Quote du jour

That some should be rich shows that others may become rich, and hence is just encouragement to industry and enterprise. Let not him who is houseless pull down the house of another; but let him labor diligently and build one for himself, thus by example assuring that his own shall be safe from violence built.

- Abraham Lincoln

Quote du jour

Amicus Plato — amicus Aristoteles — magis amica veritas"

- Isaac Newton “Plato is my friend, Aristotle is my friend, but my greatest friend is truth.”

A Little Sunday Night Music

Coming Home - National Christian Choir

Cars

(A new short story by Mary M. Isaacs)

 ________________________________________________________________________________

     It was the 31st. He had some miles left for the month, so he went for a longish drive. No reason to waste those miles—if he didn’t use them, he’d lose them.

     It was nice to just ride around in the car. It was a day off from work, he’d picked up his grocery allotment boxes for the next month, and he wasn’t due for any medical or dental check-ups. He could drive anywhere he wanted and enjoy the free feeling for a while.

     He’d carefully calculated how far he could safely go in order to be home before the gauge read zero. So he just relaxed and drove for a while, admiring the scenery he seldom had the time to really look at. Going anywhere for no particular reason happened very rarely now. He found it delightful. All too soon, though, it would be time to go back—he checked the gauge and realized that that time was now. As he was looking for a place to turn around, something caught his eye at the side of the road. It was an awkwardly shaped lump, but it looked like it was moving. He slowed up as he got closer, and then saw that it was a person lying next to the curb, surrounded by a few scattered belongings. He knew he was supposed to ignore such things and pass on by, but he just couldn’t; he pulled over and got out of his car.

     It was an older woman, conscious but looking dazed. He asked her what had happened.

     “A car--travelling really fast and making a lot of noise. I turned quickly to see what was happening and then I stumbled off the sidewalk. I guess I hit the curb,” she added vaguely, as she tried to straighten up.

     “Are you sure you should move?” he asked her.

     “I think I’m okay… Where are my things? My cane—my purse?” she looked all around as he helped her sit up slowly. She started to reach out for her purse, which was lying close by, and then cried out in pain. “My arm, oh my arm!” she moaned. He saw that it didn’t look quite right.

     “You’re NOT okay,” he said decidedly. “You need to see a doctor—or better still, go to the hospital.”

     She shook her head. “No, it’s too far away, it’s the end of the month--you can’t possibly have enough miles. I made that mistake a couple of months ago.” She looked up at him. “It isn’t easy when you don’t have a car. But you get used to walking…”

     “Well, you can’t walk there with a broken arm and who knows what else. I’m driving you to the nearest hospital.” He helped her up and steadied her as she wavered on her feet. She took a step or two and then drew in her breath sharply. “Your ankle? Leg? Hip? Do you need me to carry you?”

     “I can make it,” she said faintly, as they moved slowly to his car. “Please…I don’t want you to get in trouble.”

     “Never mind about that—we just need to get you to a doctor,” he replied, while opening the front passenger door of his car. After assisting her to sit down, and buckling her in very carefully, he picked up her purse and cane and put them by her on the front seat. He checked the ground to make sure he’d gotten everything and then closed her door. He walked around to the driver’s side and got in.

     He checked the GPS, hoping there would be a hospital back the way he came, but it showed nothing. There was one but it was ahead of him, adding rather significantly to his miles. He felt uneasy about that and glanced at the woman to reassure himself that he was doing the right thing. Her eyes were shut and her face was twisted in pain. That cemented his decision. They should excuse this, he thought. I’m helping someone who’s really hurt; I’m not just driving around recklessly…

     They drove in silence for some time until they reached the hospital. He helped her out of the car and into the emergency room, standing by while she spoke to the intake nurse. Then he handed her over to an orderly who appeared with a wheelchair. As she was ready to be wheeled away he touched her gently on her uninjured arm. “Good luck,” he said and then turned to leave the hospital.

     The old woman watched him go with a look of uneasiness on her face. “And to you…” she said quietly.

     He got back in his car and started for home. After one quick glance at the gauge, he avoided looking at it again. It was crazy, but a part of him felt that if he didn’t watch it, it wouldn’t change. That maybe he could make it home. That if he drove quickly enough, all would be well. Crazy thinking, but what else was there? He tried to ignore the feeling of foreboding inside.

     A sudden thought occurred to him. While keeping one hand on the steering wheel, he leaned over slightly and opened the glove box. Reaching inside, he grabbed what he could, in handfuls, and pulled it all out onto the passenger’s seat. Then he felt in the seat pocket beside him. Not much there, but he took out what there was. The console was next. Things began to pile up on the seat. He pushed them around, some falling on the floor on the passenger’s side, and made some decisions—those particular items went into his jacket pockets. He knew there was nothing on the back seat but tried to remember what was in the trunk. Would there be enough time when he got home?

     Suddenly there was a harsh buzzing sound. His eyes went immediately to the gauge—it was the five-mile warning. He looked up at the road and the cross streets and his heart sank. He’d never make it home in time. And realized that he’d known that all along, since he pulled over to help the hurt woman. Should he park the car and stay where he was until the next morning, the 1st? No—that would only cause other problems. There was no way he was going to escape this.

     Long before he turned down his own street, the buzzing sounded again, but this time it was accompanied by flashing lights on the dashboard. The car’s horn also went off, repeatedly. He suppressed the urge to drive off wildly in any direction, knowing that it would do no good. He just continued heading for his home, trying to remain calm.

     By the time he pulled into his driveway, there were unmarked cars on both sides of the street—and a tow truck. He left the car running and popped the trunk. He got out of the car and walked toward the back, but before he got there he was hailed by a voice speaking through a loudspeaker: “Stop where you are.” He obeyed. What else could he do? “Turn off the engine, leave the keys in the ignition, and step away from the vehicle.” When he hesitated, the voice said,

     “NOW!” He did as he was told but then turned to face where he thought the voice originated.

     “I had to drive further than I thought. There was a woman on the road—she was badly hurt. I took her to the hospital, to the emergency room. That’s what took the extra miles—I had to help her!”

     “Step away from the vehicle.” He did so reluctantly. “This is your third infraction. According to Federal Penal Code #763, you have now forfeited use of a motor vehicle.” The tow truck’s motor started up and it moved into position on his driveway. Two men in brown jumpsuits got out; one reached into the car for the keys while the other began hooking a tow chain to his car.

     The man watched, stunned, then asked wildly, “Can’t I get my stuff from the trunk?”

     “This is your third infraction. According to Federal Penal Code #763, you have now forfeited use of a motor vehicle. All contents become the property of the state.”

     The men in jumpsuits finished preparing the car for towing. They got back in the tow truck and started to move away. The man made an involuntary movement, reaching out to his car as it rolled out of the driveway, but the voice stopped him. “Return to your home before you violate Federal Penal Code #545.”

     “But how will I get to work tomorrow? Or go shopping? Or go to the doctor?” he asked desperately. But the old woman had told him, hadn’t she…

     “Return to your home, NOW.”

     The man stood absolutely still for a moment. Then he turned and went into his house.

_______________________________________________________

 Mary M. Isaacs — copyright, 2022 (from a forthcoming book)

Quote du jour

Our Lord favours us with a famine in the land that it may make us seek after himself the more. The best position for a Christian is living wholly and directly on God's grace—still abiding where he stood at first—"Having nothing, and yet possessing all things."

- Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Is it Real? Or is it Memorex?

Elections Unwind and a Homage to Our Veterans - Victor Davis Hanson podcast

Best of the Web*

*…that I have seen all week!

(BTW, if you wonder where any of the links will take you, hover your cursor over the link.)

Political/SocioEconomic

Seeking Light Amid the Gloom: Thoughts on the Brain-Damaged Election Results
Electric Vehicles Cost More To Insure: Here’s Why
US deployment of nuclear-capable B-52 bombers to Australia’s north likely to fuel China tensions


Culture
Feel Good Friday
After the Dobbs decision was leaked, there was over 22 times more violence directed against pro-life groups than pro-choice organizations.




Photoshops/Cartoons/Graphics
Sunday Funnies
Sunday Funnies For 11-06-22






Science/Technology
Space Force’s secretive X-37B plane has spent more than 900 days in orbit
Too Stupid To Survive, #71
China grew a plant on the moon — it sprouted two leaves, data indicates




Linkfests:
Larwyn’s Linx: Biden Brags About Shutting Down Coal Plants Even as MA Power Rates Jump 64%
In The Mailbox: 11.08.22
Larwyn’s Linx: The New Collectivism of Big Government Elites
In The Mailbox: 11.10.22
Larwyn’s Linx: The Jesters Are In Panic As The Midterms Draw Near
In The Mailbox: 11.11.22 (Afternoon Edition)
Larwyn’s Linx: Big Picture, 2020 Midterm Elections Highlight the Distinct Difference Between Ballots and Votes
In The Mailbox: 11.11.22 (Evening Edition)
Larwyn’s Linx: Republican Leadership Failed The Voters





Dave's Rule Five Roundup can be found here, as the Rule 5 Saturday LinkOrama. Dave's been compiling the links for about the last three years. Bookmark his site and visit him for your Rule Five links! If it's not at the top of the page, scroll down to "Blog Archive" on the sidebar and look for "Rule 5 Saturday LinkOrama".

Quote du jour

As I opened my bottle of carbonated soda this afternoon, and heard that little fizz escaping, I wondered how many tons of carbon dioxide are humans putting into the air through their consumption of carbonated drinks, consumed worldwide 24/7? Forget going after their private jets! Tell the world you're going to take away their carbonated beverages and see how fast they storm the castle!
- Mike B.

Double Bonus Free Gun Friday

This week's Double Bonus Free Gun Friday is firearm adjacent!

(1) Compound (OWB) Holster - Arc Angel Edition - $84.99 MRSP 

(1) Underground Carry Belt - $89.99 MRSP 

(1) Adjustable Magazine Pouch - $29.99 MRSP 

Total Value of $204.97!

You can enter here.

Free Gun Friday

This week's Bonus Free Gun Friday is a Gen 5 Glock!

· GLOCK 19 GEN 5 · GUNSKINS PISTOL SKIN · TALON GRIPS PISTOL GRIP

To enter, click here.

From Defeating the Left to Lab Rats - Victor Davis Hanson podcast

Free Gun Friday

This week's Free Gun Friday is a Springfield Armory Hellion Bullpup 5.56 NATO Rifle!

Springfield Armory Hellion Bullpup 5.56 NATO Rifle - 16" - $1,999.00 Value 

Primary Arms SLx 1X MicroPrism with Red Illuminated ACSS Cyclops Gen 2 Reticle - $269.99 Value 

Primary Arms 36" Double Rifle Case - Black - $64.99 Value 

SureFire M640U Scout Light Pro Weapon Light - 1000 Lumens - Black - $323.00 Value 

DURAMAG Aluminum 5.56 NATO AR-15 Magazine - Gray - 30 Round - qty 5 - $74.95 Value 

Haley Strategic Dragonfly Logo Hat - $25.00 Value 

Haley Strategic Strategic Dragonfly T-Shirt - $25.00 Value

To enter, click here.

Quote du jour

"I've always believed that no officer's life, regardless of rank, is of such great value to his country that he should seek safety in the rear...officers should be forward with their men at the point of impact."

-Chesty Puller

Election Epilogue- Taking Back Civilization - Victor Davis Hanson podcast

Free Gun Thursday

This week's Free Gun Thursday is because Friday was getting too crowded! Win a Sig Sauer Cross rifle package worth over four grand!

You can enter here.

Quote du jour

A man must know his destiny… if he does not recognize it, then he is lost. By this I mean, once, twice, or at the very most, three times, fate will reach out and tap a man on the shoulder… if he has the imagination, he will turn around and fate will point out to him what fork in the road he should take, if he has the guts, he will take it.

- George Patton

Quote du jour

''There never was a good knife made of bad steel.''

-Benjamin Franklin

The Misinformation Racket - Victor Davis Hanson podcast

Why We Need to Vote - Victor Davis Hanson podcast

Quote du jour

“Victory is sweetest when you've known defeat.”

- Malcolm Forbes

Quote du jour

Whoever survives a test, whatever it may be, must tell the story. That is his duty.

- Elie Wiesel

The White Bird

Continuing our retrospective of Mary M. Isaacs' short stories...This one was published here Apr 25, 2021

 (A modern, yet timeless fairy tale... -Ed.)

      Once there was a Princess who thought too highly of herself. 

     Her mother, the Queen, had adored her little girl—her first child—whom she called “Rosabel”, after the hundreds of perfect rosebuds the King had brought to her at the child’s birth.

     The Queen was a gentle and loving woman, and planned to raise her daughter to be generous, good, and humble, as befits a princess. Unfortunately, she died before Rosabel was a year old. Although her father, the King, was an intelligent and effective ruler, he had no idea how to raise a child. In addition, he had a barely-realized fear of also losing his little daughter, the only reminder of his beloved wife. Rosabel was indulged in every way, therefore, and allowed to have anything she wanted, no matter how foolish or selfish. As a result, she grew to be a self-centered, headstrong, spoiled young lady, as could have been predicted by anyone with an ounce of sense. But there was no one to prevent it from happening, so the Princess grew more and more difficult and contrary as the years passed by. Nothing was good enough for her: food, clothing, entertainments, her father’s regard, the courtiers’ deference, the people’s respect—even the daily weather always fell short. She was never satisfied with anything.

      When she came to marriageable age, her father despaired of finding a suitor who would be acceptable to her, his only child. She found something objectionable about each one: they were all too short, too fat, too plain, too ugly, too rude, too boring, too anything else that occurred to her. The king, who wanted grandchildren to enjoy in his old age, became more and more annoyed as time went by.

     One day, as the Princess amused herself by doing nothing useful at all, she became drowsy and lay down to sleep. As she slept, she dreamed—and in her dream, a figure surrounded by shimmering light came walking toward her from a long distance away. As the person drew closer, the Princess’ dreaming heart began to beat faster. It was a man, but a man like none she had ever seen before. This man did not approach with arrogant pride or fawning servility, as had the myriads of suitors she had rejected. This man walked in calm strength, sure of himself, with clear eyes and a noble face. The Princess trembled a little at his approach, sensing for the first time in her life that she herself might be judged. It was a completely unfamiliar feeling for her.

     The man came as close as a few arms’ lengths, and there stopped. The bright light faded until it was just barely there. He looked at Rosabel with steady, measuring eyes, eyes that held a mixture of pity, love, and regret. The Princess, usually never at a loss for words, even in her sleep, was struck with silence. She could only look at the man, waiting for him to speak.

     Which he did. “I came to ask you to be my wife,” he said, while gazing directly at her, “but the time is not right.”

     Rosabel’s heart, which had leaped at his first words, now sank within her. “Not right?” she said, stretching out her arms to him. “Why isn’t it right? I will go anywhere with you!”

     The man repeated sadly, “The time is not right. I am under an enchantment which I cannot explain, and you are not ready. I must leave now.”

     A sharp pain, such as she had never felt before, shot through the Princess. “Please don’t go!” she pleaded, as dream tears gathered in her eyes and fell to the ground.

     “I will not leave you completely alone,” he said and turned to the side, raising his hand into the air. As Rosabel watched, a small white bird appeared and landed on his finger. He gently lowered the bird, smiled at it, and then held it out to her. “This bird carries my love for you, and will always be with you; it will also bring you your greatest desire in an hour of need. But guard it well—if you lose it, you lose me.”

     The Princess held out her hand toward him; the bird flew the short distance between them and settled upon her finger. She drew her hand back and looked for a moment at the little bird. When she looked up again, she saw that the man had turned and was walking away from her. Sorrowfully and silently, she watched him until he vanished in the shimmering veil.

     When she awoke from her dream, the bird was resting beside her. 

*****

     From that moment, Rosabel and the little bird were never apart. She carried it, cherished it, it was her constant companion. Every time she looked at it, she remembered the man’s gesture as he held out his hand to her—the movement of the bird from his hand to hers was a bridge linking them together. “It will bring you your greatest desire,” she recalled, and indeed it seemed to do that. Because it was a gift of his love, she felt him always with her whenever the little bird was close by. When she was awake, she thought of him; when she was asleep, she dreamed of him. “My love will always be with you”—the bird’s constant presence was a guarantee of that promise.

     Because of this, the Princess became totally self-absorbed, and was more thoughtless and dismissive of others than ever before. She now cared nothing for everyone and everything around her. She refused to even see the suitors who came to the kingdom, seeking her hand. The King finally lost all patience with her. As he actually did have some wisdom—in everything other than child-rearing—he saw that continuing to present suitors to her was a complete waste of time. He determined to teach his daughter a lesson, one way or another; he soon came up with a hastily-conceived, drastic plan to force her obedience.

     One late afternoon he put his plan into action. Calling Rosabel to him in front of the assembled court, he formally banished her from his presence and commanded her to leave until she had come to her senses and agreed to choose a husband. The Princess looked at him blankly, not comprehending what he had just said, until two guards appeared and grasped her by her elbows. Gently, but firmly, they escorted her to the main entrance to the castle, thrust her through it, and barred the doors behind her.

     For a shocked moment she stood immobile. Then she remembered her dream lover’s words: “…if you lose it you lose me.”  “My little bird!” she shrieked, whirling around and pounding at the barred castle doors like a madwoman. It did no good, of course but she kept at it until she heard a soft sound overhead. The Princess looked up and saw something high in the sky. As joy filled her heart, she turned away from the gate, raising her hand into the air. The small white bird descended and landed upon her finger.

     Rosabel drew her hand close to her cheek and closed her eyes, feeling the light touch of the bird’s warm, feathery body against her skin. For a moment she thought of her dream lover—and in that instant, she saw his face in her mind. With a challenging look, he spoke to her: “If you journey, you will find me.” And then his image faded away.

     Journey? What did he mean? The Princess had never set foot beyond the royal quarters in her life, and now she was outside the castle walls. Where should she journey?

     With the bird perched on her arm, she looked around, seeing the city at close quarters for the first time ever.

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Quote du jour

"There He lay, sleeping that grand sleep of death for us. When He woke, He unwound the napkin and the grave-clothes, and laid the napkin in one place and the grave-clothes in another, for He was in no hurry. He folded them up, and laid each in its proper place; and then, when all was quite finished, He, in the splendor of His resurrection life, went to the open doorway where stood His servant who had opened the gate for his Lord, and out He came in the majesty of His resurrection body. He was risen from the dead; and in that momentGod set His seal to the clearance of every soul for whom Christ was the Substitute."

- C H Spurgeon

Best of the Web*

*…that Dave and I have seen all week!

(BTW, if you wonder where any of the links will take you, hover your cursor over the link.)

Political/SocioEconomic

7 Biden-Harris quotes that will come back to haunt them in midterm elections
DEMOCRAT INCUMBENT MARK KELLY HAS REPEATEDLY VOTED AGAINST AMERICAN ENERGY PRODUCTION
Democrat WI Senate Candidate Mandela Barnes Praises Iran’s Supreme Leader For His ‘Black Lives Matter’ Tweet
Tucker Carlson Deconstructs Joe Biden’s Democracy -vs- Autocracy Midterm Election Speech
The Left Were The Mad Scientists – We Were Their Lab Rats - VICTOR DAVIS HANSON
Democrats, Not Democracy, Are Threatened




Culture
Feel Good Friday
Dana Pico Schools Jen Rubin (But Trump Derangement Syndrome Is Incurable)
‘Unexpectedly’! - Racial hostility on cable TV



Photoshops/Cartoons/Graphics
Sunday Funnies
Sunday Funnies For 10-29-22






Science/Technology
GREEN NIGHTMARE: Electric Vehicles Are Horrible For The Environment


Linkfests:
Larwyn’s Linx: 7 Biden-Harris quotes that may haunt Democrats in midterms
In The Mailbox: 10.31.22
Larwyn’s Linx: We really need to talk about Democrats' efforts to pre-delegitimize our elections
In The Mailbox: 11.01.22
Larwyn’s Linx: Big Brother’s Playbook
In The Mailbox: 11.03.22
Larwyn’s Linx: Tucker Carlson explains why the Democrats must rely on censorship to maintain political viability.
In The Mailbox: 11.03.22 (Evening Edition)
Larwyn’s Linx: Warning! Crime Deniers on the Ballot in All 50 States!
In The Mailbox: 11.04.22
Larwyn’s Linx: The Democrat War on Fossil Fuels and American Prosperity




Dave's Rule Five Roundup can be found here, as the Rule 5 Saturday LinkOrama. Dave's been compiling the links for about the last three years. Bookmark his site and visit him for your Rule Five links! If it's not at the top of the page, scroll down to "Blog Archive" on the sidebar and look for "Rule 5 Saturday LinkOrama".

Quote du jour

For Democrats, voting is a grave responsibility!

-Mike B

Double Bonus Free Gun Friday

Our Double Bonus Free Gun Friday is a sweet AR-15!

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Bonus Free Gun Friday

This week's Bonus Free Gun Friday is $17,000 worth of guns, silencers and ammo to build your own gun room!

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Free Gun Friday

This week's Free Gun Friday is a Faxon ION-X pistol and lots of goodies!

Faxon ION-X Pistol Retail Value: $1,595.00 

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Hornady One case Hornady Black Ammo Retail Value: $300.00 HRT 

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Holosun Technologies HE509T-RD X2 + 1.63 Riser Mount Retail Value: $576.45 

Refuge Medical The ARK Retail Value: $269.00 

Cloud Defensive REIN 2.0 Retail Value: $379.99 

One Off Coating Cerakote Application (applied) 7H Outfitters $100 

Digital Coupon Retail Value: $100

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Quote du jour

"To others, I give the right to be as they are. To myself, I give the duty to be better every day."

- Chico Xavier

From Feminism to Twitter - Victor Davis Hanson podcast

Bonus Free Gun Thursday

An FN SCAR 16S, a silencer (tax stamp paid), sights and body armor! Classic Firearms first silencer giveaway!

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Free Gun Thursday

On purpose this time, a chance to win a classic Colt Python revolver!

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Quote du jour

Education is when you read the fine print. Experience is what you get if you don't.

- Pete Seeger

Young and Latino Voters: Democrats Worry - Victor Davis Hanson podcast

Left Strategies: Delay, Distract, Delude - Victor Davis Hanson podcast

Quote du jour

"If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair."

- C S Lewis

Quote du jour

"...voters are voting in droves. (in Georgia) Voting is so suppressed that turnout records are being broken on a daily basis. Do not look for President Joe Biden or those who echoed his words (about Jim Crow 2.0) to apologize. That's not going to happen."

-Byron York