"As democracy is perfected, the office of President represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be occupied by a downright moron."
--- H.L. Mencken, The Baltimore Evening Sun, July 26, 1920  ~ He was right!

Make SURE you read below the line!

Me at my home office computer, blogging & grogging.

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NEACA.net

OK, the libs finally got to me...

I am all in favor of gun control like this;   Gun Control My Way!

SAUGERTIES GUN SHOW REPORT

June 17, 2014 ~ Dave Petronis

  After threats of protest, a Friday thunderstorm of drenching rain followed by extreme humidity and deep pools of rain water our Saturday morning crowd at the Saugerties Ice Arena Arms Fair was only a trickle.   I thought we were in for another slow show continuing the trend of bad weather during the week with gorgeous weekend sun that was keeping our crowds doing outdoor activities.

But the trickle became a steady flow and we ended up with a decent public attendance.   I sold two military WW II rifles within the first hour and continued on with buying and selling until about noon when the traffic became light again.   The beautiful spring weather won out and with lots of things going on, the public stayed outside in the sun instead of coming inside to buy our guns.

Reports from other gun shows confirmed that the light public attendance was spread completely throughout the circuit and that trend seems to have begun in mid April.  Naturally, some dealers had excellent shows, some just good, while others did poorly; the nature of the beast even though gun and ammo sales are still hot.   Supply of what attendees want, however, is still tight, or even non existent while prices are high.

Regardless of rosy economic forecasts by this current and morally corrupt administration in Washington, there is not a lot of disposable cash in the hands of middle class Americans but there is plenty of doom and gloom to go around.   The weekend news of Bagdad potentially falling to radical hoards of Muslims resembling the scourge of Genghis Khan spurred on talk of wasted American lives and incompetence in the White House.   It also spurred the renewed urgency of buying a gun and some ammo.  

The Hunter Mountain Country Fest also brought some celebrity singers to our NEACA Arms Fair in Saugerties; Travis Tritt and Brad Paisley were said to be seen Saturday at our show but not by me!   I must have been busy doing business and was quite disappointed considering I had a cased Travis Tritt Commemorative Single Action Army revolver among my display; I wonder if he saw it?   Also, one dealer reported speaking with Willie Nelson and his Manager! Then on Sunday we had Hank Williams Jr. stop by; I did manage to talk about some antique Smith and Wesson Schofield revolvers with him and converse about an old friend of mutual acquaintance.   A few of the exhibitors had photos snapped with Hank and one even managed to get three front row seats for Sunday night’s concert and even a back stage invite!   Way to go Hank!   Still wish you bought that Schofield, call me!

All in all, the Saugerties Arms Fair was an overall nice event, no protests, and as usual no problems; the concession stand and arena personnel were terrific and the show was another NEACA success.   Some of our New Eastcoast Arms Collectors Associates had a great show while others didn’t quite manage a good profit but we all had fun and an opportunity to meet new people and some celebrities to boot.

If all goes well in our future, we will return next year amid lots of offers of help in getting the word out to the surrounding gun clubs and gun enthusiasts so our exhibitors can afford their own return to a great little village and our second Saugerties Arms Fair.   Thank you to all who contribute support of NEACA and your Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.

NEACA, Inc.

June 6, 2014 ~ Press Release for:

  NEACA Arms Fair and Sportsmen’s Expo at the Kiwanis Ice Arena in Saugerties, NY

  June (13*) 14, 15, 2014

  See the local news poll at :

http://www.saugertiesx.com/2014/05/21/poll-gun-show-kiwanis-ice-arena/

  Amid the controversy of our NEACA Arms Fair I present the following;

          Let Dad do what he really wants to this Father’s Day Weekend … let him go to the “Gun Show”!  That’s right girls and boys, mom’s and wives … daddy wants to peruse the exhibitor tables at this weekend event being held at the Kiwanis Ice Arena in Saugerties, NY. And go along with him because not only are there guns but rather there’s something for everyone.        

          But, there certainly will be investment and collectable firearms like Colts and Winchesters and modern rifles from Remington, Savage and Mossberg plus new and used pistols and revolvers by makers like Smith & Wesson, Beretta, Glock, Ruger and many more. Hundreds of guns will be on display to peruse, purchase and parlay the price with a trade or on a special gun show sale. Of course all laws are adhered to and all modern firearms purchasers must go thru the National Instant Criminal Systems (NICS) background check. 

          Also, you may want to bring something in to sell to our collectors and dealers who are always interested in buying vintage firearms, collectable knives or vintage sporting items and war militaria.  Viewing our tables is like a walk thru history or a museum where you can also buy what you see and like.  Knives and swords will be there plus a very fine fellow who can sharpen that dull kitchen knife on the spot.  Want a Damascus blade folding knife?  You can find one at our show. 

          Americana, vintage sporting collectables, Adirondack lore and even a world renowned nature photographer, none other than Dennis Donahue, can be found at our weekend event. As we say, we are so much more than just guns!  But remember, our country was founded, explored and secured because of our ability to have, hold and keep our firearms; it is the American Heritage, our historic way of life, that so many individuals outside our beloved United States can only wish to one day attain. So, we still call our show what it really is, a gun show or an Arms Fair that celebrates our American tradition and our Second Amendment right of gun ownership.  We wish all of today’s fathers the ability to come and celebrate our fore-fathers gift to our nation and our spirit; come to our, no your, gun show this weekend at the Kiwanis Ice Arena in Saugerties. 

          Search the attic for that old military uniform or World War memorabilia, dig out that unused smoke-pole antique rifle or rummage the cellar for those old traps, duck decoys or sporting art no longer of your use and bring it along to sell or trade with our collectors. And, if you are ready to trade that old handgun for something new, or just want a new trap gun or closet shotgun stop by our show this Saturday from 9 AM to 5 PM or even Sunday from 9 to 3 and talk to our dealers about your needs.  Need ammo?  Our dealers have plenty of that ridiculously scarce twenty-two ammunition, lots of shot shells and even hard to find or obsolete ammo at the show.  

          Our local and State representatives who selflessly serve our great country are always invited to our NEACA events and many prominent politicians have stopped by our shows.  For this weekend event Congressman Chris Gibson noted that he would like to be here in Saugerties for our Gun Show and we expect that he will be attending on Saturday.

          From hunting accessories, scopes and sights, gun racks and gun signs, targets or reloading supplies to wartime Lugers and Nazi dress daggers … there is something for everyone at our NEACA Arms Fairs. Come and see for yourself this weekend.

Did I mention the local entrepreneur with fancy pickles and olives or the one with HD-DVR dash cams? Wow, pickles to pickelhaubes, all at our Arms Fair!  Why would anyone want to protest?

*Friday is for Dealer set-up and NEACA early viewing.  Press is also invited Friday after 4 PM to 7 PM or Saturday AM

David Petronis, President

NEACA, Inc.

Military & Veterans Want Obama Out!....

... reported 27 March 2014

Please read ... and forward this to all your e-mail buddies.  It needs to go viral.  If you are not a veteran send this to those that you know who are, or to those who may know veterans.

The 2014 United States elections will be held on Tuesday, November 4, 2014. During this midterm election year, all 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives and 33 of the 100 seats in the United States Senate will be contested in this election. Make sure everyone you know is REGISTERED TO VOTE AND GET OUT and VOTE!!!

A movement has been started by our armed forces to get out the vote in 2014.. They are organizing themselves, but this can be done by all of us. The President, the Commander in Chief, has made the Rules of Engagement (ROE) so difficult, that our troops are often killed before they can even get permission to fight. Nothing has been done to stop our troops from being murdered by the Afghanis they are training, either. Now, the President wants the US to sign on to the UNs International Criminal Court (ICC), which would allow the UN's ICC to arrest and try US troops for War Crimes, without the legal protections guaranteed under US Law, and from which there is no appeal. The President, with his Democratic control of the Senate, has nearly all the power. If the Non-Establishment Republicans, and Conservatives, can take back the Senate in 2014 , our troops can once again be protected from unnecessary danger. Please consider this, and send it on to your mailing lists. Thank You.

Interestingly enough, when GWB was president you heard about the military deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan almost daily. With Obama in the White House, the mainstream media has been strangely quiet. ---   

More than 1,000 American soldiers have lost their lives in Afghanistan in the last 27 months. This is more than the combined total of the nine years before. Thirty have died in August. During the last month, over 50 additional NATO and US servicemen have been murdered, inside jobs by those who are hired to be a force for good in Afghanistan.   

The commander in chief is AWOL. Not a peep, although he ordered the White House flag flown at half-staff for the Sikhs that were killed. There is a deep disgust, a fury, growing in the ranks of the military against the indifferent incompetence of this president.   

It has taken on a dangerous tone. No one knows what to do about him, but the anger runs deep as the deaths continue with no strategic end in sight to the idiocy of this war. Obama has had 4 years to end this futile insanity, during which time he has vacationed, golfed, campaigned, and generally ignored the plight of our men and women in uniform. But, there is now a movement afoot in the armed services to launch a massive get out the vote drive against this president.   

Not just current active duty types, but the National Guard, Reserves, the retired, and all other prior service members. This is no small special interest group, but many millions of veterans who can have an enormous impact on the outcome of the November election if they all respond.   

The one million military retirees in Florida alone could mean an overwhelming victory in that state if they all show up at the polls. It might not keep another one hundred U.S. troops from dying between now and November, but a turn out to vote by the military against this heart breaking lack of leadership can make a powerful statement that hastens a change to the indifference of this shallow little man who just lets our soldiers die.   

When is the US Congress going to Impeach this failure?

No More Tickling of the Ivories

Commentary by David Petronis .... 17 March 2014

    It will soon be illegal to “Tickle the Ivories” in your favorite karaoke bar or by a master pianist in Carnegie Hall if the US Fish and Wildlife Service and Mr. Obama have their way.   That’s correct, no more tunes to sing to from the bar piano or the fabulous grand pianos which set the stage for world endeared pianists; at least no more sounds from those with ivory keys.   Those pianos will soon be illegal to use and quite possibly your favorite artist performing on one could end up in jail!    Hail the regulators and do-gooders everywhere!

    Today, the 17^th of March, 2014, is the final day for written comments to be sent and registered to the Presidential Task Force’s Advisory Council on Wildlife Trafficking so that these comments may be heard concerning their proposed ban on elephant ivory.   The USFWS will be holding their hearing about this very important subject on March 20, 2014.  Any e-mails can still be sent to cade_london@fws.gov .

    Like all governmental agencies in this current administration a plan to ban all elephant ivory in the United States is being concocted by the USFWS under the National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking & Commercial Ban on Trade in Elephant Ivory.   This ban that will go into effect was put in place on February 11, 2014 by the United States Executive Branch of Government, OBAMA, without any consultation with the Legislative Branch, Congress; you know, the ones you elected to make the laws.   That little sidestep about not really having the authority to enact new laws hasn’t thwarted the Obama administration so far, so why worry now?   Any good liberal democrat knows that the end always justifies the means. Watch out knee, here comes another jerk!

    Now we all want to save the darling endangered elephant, even though they kill and injure hundreds of people per year and destroy hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of homes, property and crops, all that should be overlooked because man, Africans, Indians and Asians, are infringing on their territory. I agree, save the elephant from ivory poachers.   The way to do it is not by destroying the ivory trade in the United States, which is not that significant with current ivory supplies, but by destroying the poachers themselves and guarding our borders from traffickers in illegal ivory.   “Hang ‘em from the highest tree” used to be the way to set them poachers free!  Am I being too harsh, again?   I don’t think so!   This ban will only increase the price poachers will get in the future.

    When I said “all ivory” would be banned, let me clarify that I was only referring to … like everything!   Not only piano keys, but also most vintage and current instruments, ivory beads on vintage shotguns, those ivory pistol grips on General Patton’s famous Colts and all of the other ivory grips and stocks that have adorned antique firearms for centuries and are still used by artisans worldwide. Don’t forget pool cues, jewelry, religious objects and carved art; or your chess set, tool and knife handles, or that antique family artifact or heirloom; all will be illegal to own, sell, gift or display.   All will become worthless and the artists who still create these things will themselves become extinct.  Millions of dollars of art, instruments, tools and cherished heritage will become worthless overnight.   And do these regulators actually believe by causing this to occur that they will stop one elephant to be poached? They probably do.  That is because, this is how I believe; a liberals’ mind has a disease known as, “I know best!”

   My solution to the illegal ivory trade, along with hanging poachers in conjunction with an open season on them, is to “give” all the currently live and endangered elephants to the people who need to live with them; again, the African, Indian or Asian villagers.  If they own them, and raise, care and harvest them, they will have a stake in the elephants future well being and can eventually make an income from their crop, or herd.   When one dies or needs to be “harvested” as a rogue or otherwise, the local villagers will be rewarded with an income of a considerable amount. One large old elephant could have a pair of tusks weigh in at 500 pounds or more. With the illegal trade selling in Asia at $1500.00 a pound that could mean an income of over $750,000.  That could be a pretty good incentive for those villagers to protect their investments. Poachers would be shot on sight. But, no, that would be too easy a solution … and we probably wouldn’t need any more liberals to think up ways to irritate the rest of the population they believe they need to protect from ourselves. 

     If you have your own ideas on how to protect African elephants and their ivory or to comment on why the US Fish & Wildlife Service should not be doing what they plan to do, contact your rightfully elected Congressman or woman or US Senator and tell them to take back the job you elected them to do, make laws.   Not to sit by and watch some beaurocratic Agency make them for the Congress! You have only several more days to do so.

    For myself, I have a vested interest in stopping this ridiculous process because of the firearms and antiquities I deal with as a licensed dealer; my ivory stocked guns plus those classic double barreled shotguns with little beads of ivory for a front sight and my ivory embellished guitars, other instruments, tools, knives and even my piano will soon become illegal to own or sell. As usual, as a conservative and conservationist, with us, it’s all about the money and our own greed.   How is it about your cause?

I also Have a Dream!

Commentary by David Petronis ~ January 1, 2014

           I recall an inspirational speech given many years ago in which just a few short words have always resonated in my mind.   The speaker’s words were directed then toward freedoms of choice and empowerment but still today I find power and satisfaction in their simplicity and encouragement.   “I have a dream,” bellowed Dr, King; and today I am going to tell you that for quite some time, I too have had a dream.

          Martin Luther King, Jr. was in the forefront of a cause devoted to freedom so every person could pursue the American dream but also of equality for all.   Certainly, my cause may not be as grandiose as his or others like him, but there is at least a similarity.  Dr. King spoke of equality; my dream is for the same. He sought equality for mankind.  I want an equal playing field in the business community and a halt to the practice of being treated as, at best, a second class citizen or at worse, a pariah or blight on the liberal community.

          Yes, I am a gun owner; a person among many who feels like a target of persecution.   Along with others, I have passed a Federal Bureau of Investigation Instant Background check in order to buy and posses a long gun.   I am one of millions who has passed rigorous background surveillance simply to be able to handle a hand gun within New York State.   Citizens who have demonstrated their mental stability, community worthiness, legal right and simply by being a good and honest person should not be looked at, as a threat, but as an ally.

          I go a step beyond in just gun ownership and being a Second Amendment supporter because I am also a Federal Firearms Licensed Dealer and NYS Firearms Licensed Dealer in hand guns.   I have been an FFL Dealer for nearly forty years regulated by the erratic laws in New York State, ones that govern sales, possession, use, registration, carrying and other restrictions, but are not simply created and voted on by our Legislature, but are entwined among a myriad of agencies, judges and burocrats to do with as they will.   And believe me, if you could discover all which pertain to gun regulations they would fill a book.  Do we seriously need them with all their complications?   I would say, probably not.

          An individual gun owner who may also have a carry permit for a handgun without any artificial restrictions placed upon it, may have a jolt of a “second class feeling” when he sees a sign stating, “No Guns Allowed.” Or perhaps a family’s eight year old daughter who mimics shooting an arrow from an imaginary long bow is scolded and expelled from school.   Or a seven year old boy who bites a cracker into the presumed shape of a handgun is also expelled under the Federal “No Tolerance Law” so the school won’t lose those all important funding dollars.   These are ridiculous circumstances but which have occurred and will continue to occur and ruin a child’s creative and active upbringing.   The school law needs to go. We need to bring our children up with a sense of history and the American perspective.

          But my dream centers on my other gun related business.  Along with my wife and partner, we created, built and run New Eastcoast Arms Collectors Associates, NEACA, Inc., which promotes Gun Shows.   Similar to that individual who is stopped in his tracks with “No Guns Allowed” signs, we too are looked upon as a second class business when it comes to being able to rent a location for our Gun Shows.   This hasn’t always been the case, however.   In the nearly thirty-five years that we have promoted shows throughout the Northeast, in New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, and including Long Island, we had very little difficulties with show venues.

            We rented Armories in New York State and others quite extensively, we ran shows in schools along with other promoters who did the same.   All things changed with Columbine and the crazed kids who lived out their video fantasies.   And several other similar events perpetrated by similar unstable young people have occurred since.   This breakdown of a social issue should be used as a lesson in how to reach and treat people with problems before they engage in carnage but should not be used in a way to discriminate against a legal and legitimate business like ours.   Schools and Colleges need money and renting their common ground facilities like field houses and gymnasiums should not only be for craft fairs and flower shows; they should go back to treating us gun show promoters with equality.   Or, so as to not discriminate against us, rent to no one at all.

          My dream of equality is to recognize that these great United States were only able to be formed, established and grown through the use of firearms.   History may be unsettling to some but both a Pilgrim and a settler needed a gun as much or perhaps even more than a hammer and a saw.   But know this, all those tools were essential then and still are today.   Protecting life and property in our Twenty-first Century may outweigh the primitive need for deer hide clothing and venison steaks, however, the realm of the hunting gun will never be lost.

          It is said that there are probably 300 million firearms in the hands of US citizens.   That is enough to arm the whole populace.   That is enough to wage war on invaders or on an oppressive government, as the Founders of our Constitution envisioned.   It is certainly enough to fuel our Gun Show community through most of our lifetimes.   Guns are never going away.   They will be improved in the eye of the new purchaser or collected in the beholding eye of the historian but never will they disappear.   For them to do so would be the need to make the American spirit disappear; to make the American dream of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness disappear.

          My dream is to pursue my desire to run Gun Shows and of my company’s expansion, or I should say “revival”, of the ways things were when we were not second rate citizens and still may be able to survive in this land of the free. I want to be “un-oppressed” by unelected burocrats and “knee-jerk” legislation.  I want equality in our laws for gun related businesses and equality for gun owners. I can live with “sensible” regulations designed to keep felons and misfits from legally obtaining firearms.   But when these same individuals resort to theft and coercion I want to be free from prosecutors who would rather defend the perpetrator rather than the victim or homeowner who defends his person or property.  

          We gun owners have passed both the test of time and tests of community, it is time we regained our first class freedom and Second Amendment rights.  It is time schools taught right, wrong and individuality again instead of “kid’s rights,” the wrong history and “I deserve to win too” mentality! The world is a cruel place and always will be and survival of the fittest will always be the norm for most people. It is time again to teach children to be fit and how to survive. My dream teaches firearm safety back in schools and shooting classes instead of individual expulsion for a gun impression and ill-perceived safety of the huddling masses.

          We must still endure “Obamacare” until it collapses on itself; we must live with the NY Safe-Act for the time being and we need to grit our teeth when hearing of yet another ridiculous school expulsion for a while longer, but the time will come when we will take back our Country from this “nanny state” the liberals and progressives have reshaped us into.   Start with asking questions of your upcoming school board members vying for election. Remember which Legislator turned their back on you and created a terrible law with the Safe-Act. Reward your pro-gun State and Federal official with funding and your vote and turn-out the turn-coat among us. I want to see our beloved America back in the reins of the God-Fearing and free people whose forefathers created and died for is my dream. I hope my dream resonates as yours.   Register, vote, pray and be free.               

NEACA Saratoga Arms Fair prior to new Safe-Act Law governing ammunition Sales

Commentary by David Petronis ~ January 1, 2014

   Our next NEACA Saratoga Springs Arms Fair is just around the corner, specifically January 11 and 12, 2014.  Our advertising has begun with a direct mailing of over 6000 post cards offering an admission discount to prior attendees.  Last years’ show saw a record crowd come to support our Arms Fair and every citizen’s right to own a gun.   Most of our core NEACA exhibitors, plus new ones, will be back for this terrific gun show and militaria exposition.  Again, we will present to the public and our NEACA Members a walk thru history while they peruse our 200 tables of exhibits.

Our last January Saratoga Springs Arms Fair at the City Center drew in over 7000 attendees of public, dealers, and NEACA Members who showed their support for our show. The Saratoga Show was one of the first events, and one which we did not cancel as other promoters did, after the tragic shooting in Newtown, CT. and just before our own New York State Safe-Act was rushed thru banning most “assault style” weapons and hi-capacity magazines.  All of the foregoing happening while the City Council of Saratoga Springs debated our shows existence and new city regulations about guns.  It was a trying time for my wife, Cathy, and I as well as all of the Second Amendment supporters in the Country.  Add to the debate the anti-gun protestors and petitions to ban our show at the City Center and the scenario became downright vicious in actions and in commentary.  What transpired is world-wide attention to our plight to run a gun show as we had done for over 30 years amid the calls for shutting it down for last January and banning it altogether in the future.

However, the pro-petitions and pro-gun stance by a vast majority of the Saratoga Springs and surrounding area populace came to our support of the Arms Fair and with the overwhelming support of the businesses and people who showed up at the doors of the City Center at 9AM it was simply stunning.  Local news generated Regional news which brought in National and International news reporters and agencies; Cathy and I were inundated with interview requests.  To this day we still get calls from some of these same outlets to express our opinion on gun matters.  Folks still come up to me to shake my hand for just doing what my job is to do; run a good clean gun show.  Our New York State Attorney General, Eric Schneiderman, has critiqued our Saratoga Springs Arms Fair “as the safest place to buy a gun”.  Thank you, Eric!

Last year at this time the hype was mostly about banning “assault guns”, gun shows in general and hi-cap magazines.  The anti-gunners are still out there eager to finish their agenda of gun confiscation and ammunition purchasing.  They say all they want are “reasonable” gun laws, I don’t think that is the case.   This January 15, another section of the NYS Safe-Act goes into effect; the licensing of all ammunition sellers.   To consider this law in a more onerous way it means it is now illegal for any individual to sell, give or transfer any amount, style, type or caliber of ammunition to another individual unless you have this NYS license.  So, don’t give that half-box of shot shells you find in the cellar to your hunting neighbor across the street – you may be ignorant of the law but still a criminal.   I do hope you will all feel safer after January 15. 

Luckily, our Arms Fair comes again to the city of Saratoga Springs, just before this ridiculous law takes effect.  You can still bring any of that hazardous and deadly material (old or new ammunition) to the show for our exhibitors, dealers and personal collectors to trade or purchase.  With this law any Federal Firearms Licensed dealer will be automatically registered as a NYS ammunition seller by the New York State Police.   As soon as the NYS Police get their new and expensive computerized data base up and running any NYS resident who wishes to purchase any amount of ammunition, such as a common, 50 round box of .22 caliber target ammo, must go through a NYS Police background check and do so through a registered ammunition seller or FFL holder.

Folks, we need you again at our Saratoga Springs Arms Fair to show your continued support for our Gun Show and to demonstrate your anti-Safe-Act stance upon the Legislators in Albany who passed this costly and meaningless law last January.   Remember them in November 2014 and work for their ouster, not the continuation of Albany politics as usual.  Perhaps you should join a Tea Party near you and promote a candidate who will work for you.   We hope to see your continued support at the City Center in Saratoga Springs, this January 11 & 12.   Please, also consider joining our New Eastcoast Arms Collectors Associates, NEACA, Inc. as a new member for $50 annual dues and get into all our shows free, early and without waiting in line.   You can visit us for more information at NEACA.com.   We need to save our Second Amendment.        

March, 24, 2013 ... I am posting my thoughts on guns to the Times Union Blog on Guns. If you would care to indulge yourself in commentary from both sides of the issue, stop by and take a look. Click on Times Union Gun Blog .  This is my current post ...

Do You Feel Safer With the Safe-Act?

Commentary by David Petronis ~ March 24, 2013

As of March 15^th, private sales of firearms between friends, neighbors or co-workers are a practice of the past, courtesy of our NY State’s new Safe-Act.  No longer can you give grandpa’s old Winchester to your second cousin who always admired it or sell that single shot break-open shotgun to your neighbor at the garage sale.

However, if you bring the gun and prospective buyer to a Federal Firearms Licensed Dealer, then you can complete the transaction if the FFL holder decides to do a background check on your buyer.   More than likely, he or she won’t.   Why? Because the same Safe-Act mandates what fee can be charged by the FFL holder, a ten dollar bill.   It is simply not worth the time, effort and paperwork for the FFL dealer to do so.

Even more insidious is the simple mandate of setting the fee; FFL dealers are not pawns of Governor Cuomo’s desires.   And, as independent business people, licensed dealers aren’t going to be told what to charge for their services.  Personally, I think all Lawyers should only be able to charge $10.00 for a simple service like (adjusting) my speeding ticket.   It ain’t going to happen if the Governor mandated that scenario and I see no reason why he should be able to control what any individual can charge for their time.

Also, just like most of his gun grabbing Safe-Act, there are completely contradictory statements in the process as outlined.   I am an FFL dealer in Mechanicville and very critical of the Safe-Act and it’s midnight madness passage back in January and then signed into law immediately the next day.   Not a way to run a government in my opinion and there are lawsuits being advanced to curtail the whole law or at least certain portions of it.

To complicate matters, the State never sent dealers any information or notification about the new Safe-Act, so we had no actual written rules to follow, only by reading the published law on the web could a dealer try to make some sense out of the whole misguided approach to end gun violence.   A few days ago we finally received a letter from the Governor’s new army, the State Police, on how we can file on line to be kept up to date on procedures.   What if a dealer doesn’t have a computer?

So, Joe wants to buy this great little .22 caliber rifle from Harry, who just won the chicken shoot at the local gun club, and Joe offers Harry 200 bucks!   Harry says, “Sure, I’ll sell it”, but cute little Shirley hears the sale and offers Harry 300 bucks and he says, “Sure, I’ll sell it to you Shirley”.   Now ol’ Joe gets pissed and calls the Department of Criminal Justice Service Hotline to report an illegal gun sale and asks for his $500 reward.   Is Shirley going to get a visit from the State Police while Joe gets arrested for making an illegal transaction?  That is how the law under the New York State Safe Act now works.

This entire above scenario because, “No one needs twenty rounds to kill a deer, Cuomo” needed to do “something” to pass more restrictive gun laws.   See how banning “assault rifles” trickles down to the gun club lowly .22 rifle. Neighbor against neighbor are now going to be pitted against each other just like the Gestapo tactics in Nazi Germany or by the KGB in the Soviet era.  Do you feel safer?   The DCJS hotline is 1-855-486-7697 to do your duty!

March 8, 2013 ~ Looks Like Rand Paul Saved Our Constitution!

While establishment Republicans called him names. Very SAD!

OBAMA DRONES CAN KILL IN AMERICA

Without Warrant President Can Kill “Extremists”

Gun Craze Commentary by David Petronis ~ March 6, 2013

    Eric Holder says it is “not their choice” but if warranted and if it is the only option, the President can kill a patriot extremist on American soil.   Folks, let me clue you in on one fact, that was never policy in America.   At least not before our US Attorney General answered “Yes” to the above new rule.   Holder responded in a letter to US Senator Rand Paul, “It is possible …. for the President of the United States to authorize the military to use lethal force within the territory of the United States.”   This on March 4^th, 2013.   Rand Paul is responding with a rare and real Senate filibuster.

    Our, rather your, constitutional privileges, which used to be guaranteed for over 200 years, are steadily slipping away.   When a new deal by the Justice Department to purchase 2600, mine absorbing combat vehicles, i.e. small tanks, for use here on American soil, is coupled with Drone attack policy, is it any wonder civilian gun sales are through the roof?   I think firearms and ammunition sales will rise even further; it seems everyone, now wants a gun!  

    I see doctors, nurses, lawyers, judges, business people, laymen, teachers, laborers, and even soccer moms, coming into my Mechanicville gun shop seeking firearms for self protection.  From whom, I sometimes ask; the answer, “Anyone and everyone!”  And, “the government”, also ranks high in answers.   Wow, folks in general are afraid to be without guns for protection!   Then of course, we all need ammunition.   Did you realize there is a very limited supply in shops, marts, malls, or at gun shows?   And prices have increased dramatically with the loss of supply.   One major cause of the ammo shortage is government purchases.   First, is for the military.   Second in line is the Justice Department, including Home Land Security.   A staggering 1.6 billion rounds have been ordered; enough to sustain an Iraqi War for over 20 years of combat.   What is your government getting ready for?   Internal strife could be an answer.

    Not only sales of guns and ammunition are at an all time high but folks are also stock piling food and essential supplies needed in a disaster.  What disaster do Americans think may be coming?   Dooms Day, perhaps!   I see nothing wrong with being prepared to be able to survive the next tornado, earth quake or major hurricane.  I and my family have dealt with the full effects of a tornado and know well there is literally no help within the first crucial days.   There is an awful lot of talk and strategy, a lot of news reporting, but you are basically on your own in the debris with only rain and pain; usually without phones, electricity and perhaps water.   Being prepared for a natural disaster is a good start for any internal breakdown of society.

    The stock market is at an all-time high, right now.   Our economy cannot possibly sustain such a rise; the bubble will burst!   When folks start realizing their tax refunds aren’t as large as they were, that taxes in general are up, coupled with seeing their take home pay is less than it was, they may begin to wonder how the government can always paint such a rosy picture.   Day after day, news bombards our minds of how housing sales have increased, job reports are really great and Wall Street is doing terrific.   Problem is, reality will eventually win; housing sales are still spurred by investors buying foreclosures, and why not, the banks pay less than 1% if they save their money.   If employment is so good why are there still 8% unemployed?   And, I believe, the bulls on Wall Street will soon be shoveling the crap left behind.  

    American’s today are not in an optimistic mood, so I think they seek protection, and that either means getting prepared or just being scared.   My last January Arms Fair at the Saratoga Springs City Center saw a record crowd with vigorous purchases of guns, ammo and supplies … the hording continues.   Most gun shops are out of product to sell, manufacturers are running at maximum capacity while the supply pipeline is barely a dribble.   As fast as product, that is guns and ammo, come in, it is gone!   These facts must be able to tell us something; that something is fear.

    NEACA Promotions, and I as President, have another Arms Fair this March 16 and 17 at the City Center in Saratoga Springs.   Our dealer tables are about sold out; the public is waiting and eager to converge on Saratoga again.   They will come to buy because that is where the product will be.   While doing so they will spend cash in restaurants, at gas stations, in hotels and in toll booths.  They will spur the area economy for another weekend and go home feeling a bit better that they have more ammo, more dry food stocks, more needed accessories or even their first gun.  And to these folks, Wall Street won’t really matter.  Learn more about our Arms Fairs at NEACA.com .

I’m Bringing My Guns to Town!

Commentary by David Petronis ~ March 3, 2013

              Just like everybody out there I woke up this snowy Sunday morning about 7am, went to the early Mass, came home, tried to locate my morning newspaper in the snow bank and had a nice breakfast with my wife, Cathy.   Then wanted to go back to bed and sleep the rest of the day.   Life is busy these days; we have to work hard just to stay ahead of the game. But no crawling back under the covers, I had to see a producer about a possible TV show … you all know how it is when you’re a popular gun guy like me.   Everybody wants a piece of my time but now I am officially, well I will be on the 6 ^th , a septuagenarian (yeh, I had to look up the spelling)   which means I am seventy years old!   But, thanks to God, I don’t feel a day over 69. I kind of thought I’d be on my yacht floating somewhere in retirement … but, no! I still have to “bring my guns to town.”

Sometimes I even dress in all black.   Johnny Cash is singing away in my brain while I pull on my boots and strap on my Colts in shinning black leather, then adjust that Stetson to just the right pitch and swing open the doors to the City Center. I don’t need an announcement; all know who just entered… the Guru of Guns, the Doctor of Gun-Ocolgy, THE man in black, here to bring guns to the waiting hoards of buyers.   Then I’ll count my cash!   Well, that is how it evidently appears to my friend, Charles Samuels.   I met him during his gun protest at my last Arms Fair in Saratoga Springs, then again at the Channel Six News Discussion Panel about “Guns in America” where he endeared himself to all you gun nuts!   I even had my picture taken with you Charlie; I hope you posted it.

If there is someone who doesn’t know who this big BS’er is, I’ll clue you in.   I’m David Petronis of Mechanicville, please don’t confuse me with one of my far off relatives living the hi-life somewhere with the possible same name; I don’t want to start any family feuds. And I was just Googling my name to see how great I was when I found this cute little story in the Times Union about how Charlie was always waiting to get mugged in New York City.   He carried “mug money”; I would have carried Colt Cash, but that is why we are different.   There always seems to be two sides to every story, unless you talk with a bunch of people then there are a bunch of sides to the same story. Whatever your side is on guns I seriously doubt we will ever see the other guys’ side.   But if we do, we certainly won’t be swayed into believing it could be the right side especially if you happen to be on my left!

For an example of conflicting stories let’s look at that little gathering in Albany a few days ago, you know, the one where 117 or so buses came to town filled with devoted gun guys and gun girls, forty to ninety to a bus but only a couple of thousand showed up.   To my gun guy side those buses alone mean about six to seven thousand folks, then there were the hundreds of cars or was it thousands with two to five more folks each; was that another two to five thousand more dedicated gun folks? The fact is, there were ten to fifteen thousand pro-gun rally folks on the grounds to tell the Governor and the Legislature that we are not going to take it anymore!   And hallelujah to ya’!   You folks showed them who was voting them in and who was going out. My Republican friend Senator Skelos and a lot of his buddies’ best be dusting off the resume’s.

After passing one of the most atrocious scraps of so-called legislation in history now they want to tweak or amend it in some appalling vindication of their own stupidity.   No, I don’t want the police or National Guard or Cuomo’s Private Army to have more than seven rounds in their magazines! What is good for the public citizen is good for the government. Or, what the government has the governed should also have.   Better yet, get rid of the stupid requirement of seven rounds to a magazine!   Repeal that provision.

No! Movie producers can’t have banned guns on the streets of our State if we, the civilized citizens can’t have them. Or, simply repeal the section of the “Safe Act” that bans guns with one stupid “Assault Gun Feature.”   Return to the original policy of “ 1994 pre-ban status ” if you like.   At least it had some sanity with it.

No! Background checks are neither reasonable nor necessary for ammunition purchasers.   Why create a new bureaucracy within the Private Army and spend $39 million dollars we don’t have or need to spend?   Creating new jobs in the State Police Unit is akin to Obama’s saving union jobs with your money.   Got money? Share it with entrepreneurs who will use it to create new jobs.   Ammo background checks didn’t work with the Federal Government, but they are pushing them again , and won’t work with the State either; it was useless, will be again and a waste of money.

Not so! It is not true that over 70% or at worst “most” people want more gun control.   If the question is asked, “Do you favor some sort of gun control?” Even I will answer, “Yes.”   If you ask, “Do you favor all the new gun control measures in the Safe Act?”   You will get a much different result; a resounding, “NO!”   Repeal the downright dumb parts and keep the possibly good actions.   As any good democrat will tell you, we should compromise.   Let’s do it here, I hereby compromise that three really dumb, stupid and money wasting parts should be scrubbed and you can keep three other new parts.   First of those being; notification to the FBI that a person may be unstable and should not own a gun.   And, two, that ALL folks should go thru a background check to own a gun.   Also, third, the safe storage of guns if someone in the household is not allowed gun ownership.

So we get to repeal three we don’t like and you anti-gunners get to keep three; isn’t that how these compromises work?   In fact, if the safe storage requirement was actually used in that Newtown, Connecticut household or the requirement that a mentally unstable person was put into custody or even, if after failing to pass the background check when the perp tried buying a gun, somebody showed up at Adam Lanza’s house to question him perhaps twenty kids lives and six or seven more adults would have been saved. The process was already in place but it wasn’t used!

  Now I’ll go a step further: on the Federal Form 4473 , which all buyers of firearms have to fill out and sign under severe penalties if untrue, I propose that a new question be asked. “Do you have anyone living with you in the same household who may be mentally defective and/or a felon who cannot own a firearm? Yes or No.”   So, anti-gunners everywhere, we gun nuts can actually come up with good solutions to hard problems; all you need do is ask, and then listen.  

  And to you, Charlie, my friend, I want you to know that when you were out evading the NYC muggers I brought my guns to town for over 30 years and no one was mugged or shot by any of our responsible Saratoga Springs gun buyers or owners.   And that this last Arms Fair in January saw about seven thousand of them supporting our show and their own Second Amendment Rights, the one that you seem to hold in high disregard. We will be at the City Center again this March 16 & 17 for our 91^st Arms Fair , hope to see you there Charlie.   And just to clue all you anti-gunners in on another strange fact; even with all those wacky hill-billy types that descended on our Capitol last Thursday, literally around twelve to fifteen thousand of them, (many probably armed with their concealed carry guns) nobody got shot or caused any problems or damage.   It is very strange, I know, that when the cream of the crop of New York State get together for a rally no one gets hurt, arrested or shows cause for concern.   Perhaps y’all ought to invite some of them to your party.   We are going to invite some of your ill-informed and re-educated, to ours.  

February 23, 2013 … Controversy Over Safe Act Looming Large...

Civil War?

Are we to repeat a tragic history lesson?

Commentary by David Petronis, 20 January 2013  

             I posed a question to one of the officers now deployed in Afghanistan and have yet to hear an answer. I repeat my question to those of you who hold our Second Amendment dear to heart and also believe in our US Constitution. I asked, “Ever wonder what you guys are fighting for?  I also wonder of you in the National Army or in the National Guard or the Home Police Units, when called upon to disarm your friends and neighbors, who simply wish to exercise their Second Amendment right to KEEP their guns in the face of tyranny, who will be the first to pull a trigger.  Are we repeating history with brother against brother when push comes to shove, and the gun grabbers attempt to take from the gun owners what has been, and should be, their nearly three centuries old law and tradition of being an armed populace?  Each side has vows to uphold and constitutional law as precedents to follow; who will flinch and then who will win?  Ever wonder, ever ask?  I hope we don’t have to find out …. again!”  

My question may sound inflammatory, irrational or downright stupid to some, but to others, it is not farfetched or illogical; my question is also on the minds of millions of Americans. And the other huge query, “What has America come to?”   These United States we now live in is not where we lived before, at least not for us over sixty.   We see a different world, one we don’t recognize.   And then our minds wonder, where has it all gone wrong? And then our minds wander, back to what we loved, back to what we believed in and back to what we recognized.   Living in this day is not what we all expected, not what we worked hard for and not what we wish to leave to our children or now to our children’s, children.  

My grandkids will never know what I have known; they cannot experience what I have done.   Even some of the simple things I did could get them locked-up or at the least, punished.   Could a fourteen year old sling a rifle over his or her shoulder and walk down a highway without someone calling the police?   I did it as commonplace and then scaled a steep incline and walked the old iron railroad bridge, stepping only on the evenly spaced wooden rail ties while looking at the flowing Hudson fifty feet below.   To what insane purpose, one might shriek; to shoot woodchucks and squirrels in the fields and woods beyond the bridge, of course.   I brought them home, skinned and cleaned, ready for the freezer or the cook pot.   Today, a kid relaying that story in school would be cause for suspension! In my day it was cause for bragging rights of the shot I made!   Where have all the good times gone?

That is what a gun was to me years ago and it still swells my chest to remember those fond days. My rifle was a tool to use safely and wisely and because I used a gun I was wiser and safer in all I did … well, mostly. We still all have our skeletons.   But I was taught the use and I enjoyed hunting or just shooting for accuracy.   Some of my friends would shoot baskets or run or play football; I would rather take in the wonders of nature and the beauty of the hills and woods I walked thru. We all got along; we all tried for the same girlfriends we all went to the same school dances and sporting events.   Mechanicville teams hated Saratoga teams, and vice versa; I never thought of shooting any of them, but we did yell a lot … sometimes, a real lot.   Today, we don’t hate each other; it was only at the school basketball games where we all wanted to kill the referees. Today, I don’t think you can yell out, “Kill the ref!”   We are too politically correct, for that.

Who, in school today, could teach a youngster how to be an Olympic Biathlon Shooter?   How many kids in school today even know what one is?   Kids, if you do please don’t draw a picture of a biathlon rifle, you could be suspended.   Isn’t it a shame that our school kids today will never know that one of them could be a national champion in a sanctioned school shooting match?   Or even experience the pleasure of knowing that they could handle a rifle responsibly and actually hit what they were aiming at … our second amendment right view of gun control.   Video games just don’t do the experience justice, my little friends.   Teachers, why not ask your school boards to consider putting firearms training and safety training back into our schools.   Education might be a lot more positive than keeping a kid in the principal’s office for bringing in a photo of their fathers gun.   You know the one they snuck-out from under the bed.

Yes, the world has changed considerably since I was a kid.   We were taught quite a bit about history; ancient, American and modern, it was called “Current Events” then.   I go so far back I can even remember our “Weekly Reader.” I’m sure there is an equivalent today.   We learned about war; we learned about the Civil War or the War Between the States.   We learned how history has a habit of repeating itself, are they teaching that now? I don’t know.   What I do know is that it was a terrible war, even family against family; at times, brother against brother. One hundred and fifty years ago was a time that tried men’s souls.   The repetition of history may now be upon us again, but perhaps aged and experienced against the young and carefree, or gun-owner against the gun-grabber, brother against brother as it was as slaver against the enslaved.   I hope not.  

17 January 2013 ... New  Gun Law

Best New York Citizens May Now Be Criminals!

My Opinion on the New Gun Law ~ David Petronis

      A freight train rolled through Albany around midnight Monday, January 14 and more of our freedoms were loaded aboard bound for points unknown.   I find it somewhat ironic that our New York State Governor and the Legislative bodies still believe that the cream of New York’s society needs to be railroaded and regulated; no, not the socialites and millionaires of Manhattan, but every gun owner and pistol permit holder in our state.   We, who have already passed a background check, have been fingerprinted and vouched for by our peers, passed muster through a sitting judge and filed, signed federal forms stating, under penalty of laws, that each of us is not a drug user, felon, spousal abuser, illegal alien and on and on.   We, the cream of the crop of New York State citizenry are always somehow, singled out, and en mass, to further lose our liberties.   This new gun law now intends to make its best citizens criminals.

    Even having over 6,000 gun laws on our New York State books this latest invasion of our freedom is not only ironic, in that it makes good people feel like they are treated worse than bad people, but also moronic because this new gun ban law won’t save a single life.   I don’t even know if those who passed it actually feel any better.   The current 1994 New York State gun ban law was workable and was tough as it was written, there was no need for a change but now I personally believe our State Senators and State Representatives should be the ones who need to pass background checks, both for intelligence and mental stability.   Rest assured, we gun owners and supporters of our Constitution will remember your vote in November.  

    Years ago when our Governor’s Daddy, Mario, was in charge of New York State, one of his infamous quotes was, “Gun owners drink beer, cheat on their wives and don’t vote!”   That went over like a lead balloon with voters like me.   Now I see his little boy grew up, following in his footsteps, while yelling at fever pitch, “Hunters don’t need ten rounds to kill a deer!”   Evidently, and respectfully Governor, the nut didn’t fall far from the tree.   I actually thought he would have been better than that, fool me twice and that ain’t nice.

    While AR-15s aren’t really the hunter’s choice for deer they are a great gun for varmints, coyotes and woodchucks.   Incidentally Governor, when deer hunting, it has always been a New York State law that only 5 rounds can be in a magazine.   However, ten round magazines are used in specialized shooting matches which have gone on for years.   This new law upsets that balance for no good reason.   But trying to pit hunter against the black gun target shooter is tucked in the liberals agenda under the chapter of divide and conquer.   And, know what?   It works!   Works so well that our ignorant Republican legislators allowed the left to run rough shod over the right – the right for us, the good guys, to lose another piece of our liberty and further erode the Second Amendment to our US Constitution.   Grow some backbone!    All of us good guys will scream from the highest hill, “We’re fed up and we’re not going to take it anymore!”  

    This hunter, shooter and collector does need his AR-15.   And his AK-47, his Mac-90, and Uzi, too!   I collect these guns, I enjoy shooting these guns and I invested a lot of money in these prior, pre-1994-ban firearms.   I also want to keep them all and should not be required to register them and be on a registration list in some bureaucrat’s file.   Over and over again, history has shown us that registration comes before confiscation and wasn’t that a term you used, Governor?   Registration of firearms owners should be unconstitutional.  

    A representative of a constituency needs to listen to the whole of them not just the minority who believe guns are inherently bad.   The anti’s probably have no idea of the extent of gun laws, or of guns in particular, nor have ever fired a gun.   In other words, most anti-gun folks, in my opinion, are ignorant and need to be educated; that is, real education in schools, about history and the American way of life would be a good start and a welcome change to what is taught today.

    Perhaps one lesson to learn is that thousands upon thousands of crimes like burglaries, assaults and murders are actually prevented by legal gun owners every year.   That lesson could begin on how point three, five, seven can be used prior to nine, one, one.   For ignoramuses, in literal English, so all can begin to understand this lesson, a .357 magnum hand gun can be put to instant use prior to or while dialing 911 to summon help in a very bad situation.   When seconds count, help can be only minutes away, sometimes 20 or 30 minutes away.   And, if I am a single woman at home alone at night that .357 should be loaded and readily available as any useful tool should be when needed.   When you need a hammer on the second floor and it is stored in a tool chest in the cellar or garage, you might try to compensate with the use of a hair brush instead.   It could work, but not quite as well.   When you really need a gun to protect life and limb you might just want it ready for use, not locked up.   If we could save just one life, yours, shouldn’t your gun be available?  

    A belief that this new law will protect a person’s right to privacy and not have his or her name outed by the press as a handgun owner, is also a stretch in reality.   Read the law and learn of the hurdles one must overcome to have your name excluded from the rest.   Sure, police and judges, lawyers and state or federal representatives, plus the well connected, can be protected, but not you and I so easily.   Perhaps this same protected group will also get a waiver on the magazine capacity of their handguns.   As a collector I’d like a waiver too, or what we should do is waiver the whole stupid law.   And, as for the anti-gun owners I have a sign I sell here at my shop in Mechanicville which states, “NO Guns Here!”   In fact, I can be so generous as to provide any of you gun grabbers with that sign for free!   Just pay a small shipping and handling charge.  

    How can any responsible and sane person, supposedly like each of our legislators, ever think that 7 rounds in a magazine would ever make a bit of difference to a criminal than 10 rounds in a magazine?    First, I ask, does that mean that I can also have one round in the chamber with 7 additional rounds in my magazine?   Back to education 101, 7 plus 1 equals 8; a difference of 2 rounds.   Class, is it worth spending millions of dollars to create another bureaucracy, drive gun manufacturers’ nuts and also disrupt the lives and well being of millions of New York gun owners?   The correct answer is no.   After all, revolvers, unregulated in this new law, now can be purchased with 7, 8, 9 and 10 rounds in their cylinders.   Are we to think two extra rounds in a revolver cylinder is somehow less deadly than the missing two rounds in my magazine? Besides being crazy this law is probably unconstitutional on grounds of restricting interstate commerce.     Is this law on sound footing or have we gun people just felt another foot up our ass?  

    I’ve read the law and the portions that I can actually understand, without being coached by a lawyer, seem to have some very good procedures in it.   Actually looks like the Senate might have tried to initiate some useful crime stopping measures, i.e.; mental health issues are addressed, which is good and about time.   I’ve covered the portion about banning the exposure of pistol permit holders to the press, which is a half hearted attempt but also good.   Even having all people who purchase guns go through a background check is, with our current society, a measure I applaud.   But eliminating that requirement among family members, I believe, is a mistake.   A law should be a law and applicable the same to all; one of the problems of our laws are too many special loop holes.   If a law is good for me it should also be good for you – or not passed at all!   I know sons who should not inherit their Daddy’s guns.   And with that, my own sons and daughters would have no problem with a background check.  

    With our economy the way it is, creating a large new bureaucracy to regulate ammunition sales and do background checks on honest, law abiding gun owners is almost bordering insanity!   The federal government tried regulating ammunition and gave it up as unnecessary and unworkable.   Our own Governor Andrew Cuomo, before he presumably re-read Mao’s Red Book, actually rid the state of the useless bureaucracy of cartridge collecting for all handguns.   I applaud him for that.   New York State tried it for ten years and spent millions of tax dollars to discover not one crime was solved.   Why do they now believe any crimes would be stopped because we good guys now need a background check to buy ammunition for our legal guns?   And, we Federal Firearms Licensed dealers, or a newly developed group of “ammunition sellers”, are to now execute these background checks, and for what cost?   My time and knowledge is worth money.   Am I to charge a fee from $15 to $55, as some dealers now do for a background check, and apply that onto a $4.00 box of .22 squirrel cartridges?   Is K-Mart, Walmart, Dicks or Cabelas going to provide this service for free and keep new records of ammo coming in as cases and out as a box here and a box there?   I, for one, certainly don’t intend to; I don’t have enough free time now to run my shop.

    Not withstanding, the ridiculous new regulations on ammo, now we FFL holders need to provide background checks for private buyers who purchase through private sellers; their second amendment right just evaporated.   First of all, if a person is buying and selling guns on a regular basis, that person should have a license to do so.   Admittedly, some folks don’t want to be regulated as we FFL dealers are, but some sellers can’t obtain a license because they don’t have a regular store location or have zoning issues.   This is a problem that should be addressed but I don’t have a rock hard position for that outcome.  

    However, I take offense when I am now told that I can only charge a fee of $10 to provide a service; that is simply wrong!   Regardless of the amount, whether it be $10 or $100, I should be able to post my own amount of money I wish to charge and again, not have some ignorant bureaucrat pick that fee out of the air.   By the way, I think state workers should go back to getting $7.50 an hour, I think that is what their jobs are worth.   Why doesn’t it work that way?   Each and every shop owner should be able to charge what they wish for any service and allow the free market to set the optimum price.   I, for one, will not perform background checks for $10 for private sellers.   If all FFL holders refuse to do it, then let the state do it, after all, they will be creating their own massive ammunition background check service on their new and wonderful, soon to someday be designed, computerized system.   It will only cost millions – and all for virtually nothing!

    There are literally millions upon millions of large capacity magazines – those over 7 rounds – and guns that hold more than 7 rounds that are still legal with this law.   And also ammunition, loose or in boxes, which is just lying around in garages, cellars, attics and gun cabinets that will never be sold as part of this law so, in effect, the whole law will be rendered useless and unenforceable while also creating criminals out of otherwise law abiding citizens.  

    Would someone please explain who is going to gun owners homes and check whether they only have seven rounds in their nine or ten round magazines?   Is that even legal or Constitutional?   Or, for that matter, who will be assigned to inspect ones home for magazines that hold more than 10 rounds?   When high capacity magazines are banned and made illegal, and we are required to register with the State the firearms that accepted them, will there then be home inspections and possibly even fees for registration?   Did you Senators even ask these questions?   Did you even read what you voted on?   Or did you call Nancy Pelosi?   After reading this law, I still don’t quite understand what is actually banned and what is not.   First, we had a short list of firearms, now we have a more extensive list published by the State Police, but within the law we have a “fifty year old gun” omission.   At least that was nice; it saved from banning and registration the high capacity, 8 round magazine used in the M1 Garand, our battle rifle that won WWII for us.   Also saved was the British 10 round detachable magazine of WWI and WWII Enfield rifle.   Again, back to basics; this is the year 2013 minus 50 years, equals 1963; so any rifle developed or made prior to 1963 is exempt?   What does the 50 years exemption mean?  

    How about the Russian SKS introduced in 1946 or the Chinese SKS from 1954 or the Russian Dragunov SVD semi-automatic sniper rifle with detachable magazine from 1963?   Is the Russian Simonov from 1936, one of the earliest semi-auto, “assault rifles” also exempt?   And let’s not forget the famous Tommy Gun, developed in 1921 and 1928, of which there are many pre–1986 ban rifles out there made prior to 1963.   The M-14 rifle was produced from 1957 through 1963 and, in my opinion, was and still is the best and most lethal “assault weapon” ever, is that exempt?   But let’s not forget the venerable AK-47 Kalashnikov developed in 1947, the most widely used “assault weapon” in the world; millions made and sold for about $15.00 each and lots of them prior to 1963. The law as written is just stupid.

    Last but certainly not least, one of my favorite collectible rifles, the Colt/Armalite AR-15, developed in 1960, also prior to 1963.   Are those omitted from registration because they are collectible and a great gun for targeting shooting, but also look exactly like the 10 round semi-automatic Bushmaster, which will now be banned?   That same gun that was shown to be used in the Newtown, CT school massacre, but was actually never used, it was in the shooters vehicle while four handguns were actually used in the carnage; and is it to be banned because of the way it looks?   All this history is simply to point out the ridiculous.   But one last fact, the Heckler and Koch, G3 HK, semi-auto, .308 caliber, battle rifle that was developed for Germany from the Nazi WWII MP-43/44 rifles and now sold commercially by PTR Company, made in Connecticut.   This rifle accepts a 10 round, detachable magazine it is, or was, a legal firearm to sell or own without registration a few days ago.   There are literally millions of 20 round high capacity magazines dated from the early 60’s for that one rifle alone, still in warehouses.   Does any legislator think that a ban on these from the American people will make these and other countless magazines disappear?   Line up, if you do, I have a bridge in Brooklyn at a real bargain price.  

    My wife, Cathy and I, just finished producing our 90 ^th Arms Fair, or Gun Show, at the Saratoga Springs City Center this past weekend.   The hype created first by the petitioners and then by the protestors, attracted the media which in turn drew a crowd size that the City Center hasn’t seen at any other event since we opened it with a gun show almost thirty years ago.   The line to show support was, at times, four abreast and an eighth mile long.   The line stretched from the two inside ticket booths to around the City Center, then back to the Old Bryan Inn. Supporters of our Second Amendment rights stood in that line for over two hours.   And, Cathy and I, thank each and every one of you, we are absolutely humbled.   Last weekend you legislators threatened our rights and our supporters turned out; all of us plus more, will turn you all out in November.   All you people had to do was keep the pre-ban law as it was, forget the stupid 7 round, anti-commerce magazine restriction and not even consider the really dumb money pit portion about background checks on ammunition, you could have a good law without much controversy. Why are you legislators so stupid?

    The exhibitors inside were actually exhausted from the experience and many, many deals were made.   I’m also grateful for the support shown by very many prominent business people and area politicians who came to show support, with many taking a membership in NEACA, our New Eastcoast Arms Collectors Associates.   For a $50 fee they can now attend all of our shows free for a full year and also come in free on Friday evening and early both Saturday and Sunday without waiting in that long line.   Any and all gun collectors, hunters, shooters, historians or simply Second Amendment supporters are welcomed into our organization for mutual support, camaraderie and friendship.   For information see “membership” at www.neaca.com .   Today, we all need to stick together, we need to be a grass roots group which could number in the hundreds of thousands and in turn show our support to the legislators who are with us, and with the Constitution but show our displeasure with those who aren’t, please join us.

    On Sunday, Kathy Marchione, NYS Senator from my home district which covers Mechanicville and our show location in Saratoga Springs, spoke to the large crowd about her resistance for the proposed law banning certain guns and magazines.   Some portions of this law are good, as I stated, but some are downright disgraceful and probably unconstitutional.   Kathy has a petition on her website seeking support from gun owners and is telling them she intends to place a bill in the Senate to have the law or at least the parts that deal with magazines and so called assault rifles, the bad parts, overturned or rewritten.  

    Also at the microphone on Sunday was Steve McLaughlin, NYS representative of the 107 ^th Assembly District of Rensselaer and surrounding counties.   He spoke to the crowd about an undue rush to judgment in passing this law without debate and asked that each legislator be given the required three day period to read and digest the contents.   From the swift procedure last Monday evening we could all see that the law was extremely rushed.   I ask now that you legislators who voted for it, so you could read what is in it, now rescind the worse parts of it.   If not, your largest constituencies will rescind your traveling rights to Albany.   But, considering that as representatives you actually didn’t “represent” those who put you in office, you should be ashamed of yourselves and simply resign.

    Thanks be to you, you stalwart group who stood up for the rights of us, the cream of the crop of New York State citizens. We are the ones who obey just laws, follow the rules and are known as the “silent majority.”   We all applaud you and will support you and those democrat friends who also voted “no” for passage of this affront to liberty.   We can all support honest, actual protections, or good new laws, that have been thought out, debated and agreed upon.   Good laws can actually make a difference in society but laws which are useless, overbearing and downright dumb, need to go . 

Jan. 16, 2013 ... So, the controversy that sparked the "assault rifle" ban in NY State actually never happened ... link to
    MSNBC news report on AR-15 in Newtown, CT.

16 January 2013 .... I will report on the NYS NEW gun law soon ...

SARATOGA SPRINGS GUN SHOW MOST SUCCESSFUL IN 30 YEAR HISTORY

Double the Past Record Attendance and Major Community Support

Mechanicville, NY ~ January 14, 2013 ~ Press Release

The 90th Saratoga Springs Arms Fair was held this past weekend, January 12 - 13, in beautiful downtown Saratoga Springs, New York.   This show was a major milestone for many reasons beyond the fact that it has been held for the past 30 years.  This show was under significant scrutiny locally as well as at a state and national level with suggestions that it should be cancelled.  

“Not only was it NOT cancelled, the show saw the greatest attendance in its history,” said show promoter David Petronis of the New Eastcoast Arms Collectors Associates that runs the show.   “We were shocked and humbled by the response.”

This show is one of the largest in Upstate New York, including over 250 tables and 80 dealers.  The show includes a variety of merchandise from items dating back prior to the American Revolution up to modern hunting and sporting firearms as well as various equipment, ammunition, books and more.   “This was the first gun show I attended and I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised by the diversity of the merchandise here,” said James Cormer of Barre, VT.

Besides the variety of merchandise there were also organizations collecting donations for our active military and Veterans.   Aid our Veterans, a Washington, D.C. based nonprofit, raised donations to help homeless veterans.   Operation Gratitude’s local group was also set up soliciting donations for our active military and the Wounded Warrior Project.   NEACA donates space to both organizations on a regular basis.   The two groups raised over $3000 combined.    

The show brought attendees from as far away as Ohio, as well as thousands of locals from Saratoga, Schenectady, Albany, Rensselaer, Washington, Warren, Fulton, and Montgomery counties.   There was also quite a showing from Greene, Columbia, Ulster, Orange, Duchess, Putnam and Westchester counties as well.   This record crowd waited patiently, sometimes for over two hours on a line that stretched over an eighth of a mile.  “I can’t tell you how many people waited for hours in line just to come in and show their support.  And there were no incidents, issues or altercations,” said Petronis.

Mark Baker, President of the Saratoga Springs City Center , where the show was held, said he’s never seen a crowd like this.  “We expected this to be a bit chaotic with the potential for protests as well as proponents, but the crowd was even larger than we ever imagined.   Even with all the people on both sides of this debate, it was peaceful and very orderly.”

The NEACA expects this show to continue on well into the future and Petronis added, “I’d like to thank everyone who came out in support of this show.  It was beyond any expectations I had. Given this outpouring of support, I hope it sends a clear message that this show matters to the public and that the second amendment matters.”

Dave and Cathy Petronis, who run the NEACA and this show, would like to thank the organizations and people that put in significant effort to make this show happen.   There’s a long list including the Saratoga City Center and all its staff, the City of Saratoga Springs, the Saratoga Springs Police Department, the New York State Attorney General’s Office, the Friends of NRA, Patrick Henry Chapter, Project Appleseed represented by Mark Rosenzwieg, Robert LeClair and his petition on Change.org, all the people who stood outside in support of our Second Amendment rights and every single person who took the time out of their busy lives to show up.

“We would also like to thank and acknowledge several speakers who spoke on behalf of New York State gun owners and supporters of the Second Amendment to our US Constitution, namely NY State Senator Kathy Marchione and NY State Representative from the 107^th District,   Steven McLaughlin.”

Cathy and David Petronis are members of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce.   New East Coast Arms Collectors is a member organization that promotes the responsible collecting and use of firearms through a variety of Gun and Collector Shows throughout New York State.   The organization is 2000 members strong and growing, and has been in existence since 1982.   For more information about this show, the organization or other shows they sponsor, contact us 518-664-9743, sales@neaca.com , or find us on the web at neaca.com .  

The Saratoga Springs City Center is at the core of a unique conference complex formed by the 32,000 square foot Center and adjoining 242 room Saratoga Hilton Hotel.   Our key location in downtown Saratoga Springs offers attendees the opportunity to stroll the streets of our Victorian City, enjoy the many unique shops and fine restaurants.   Since 1984, the City Center has served as host to corporations, New York State Associations, trade groups and Northeast Regional Organizations.   If you would like to join the New EastCoast Arms Collectors Associates, NEACA, Inc. and the gun collecting fraternity they represent you can find details here .

I Am Getting Tired .... 7 Jan 2013

Tired of what, you may ask?  Of the anti-gunners, the hysterical left and the do-it-for-the-good-feeling-we-get politicians who knee-jerk their reactions to see if they can placate the loudest shrieks to ban this or confiscate that!   The silent majority has to rise up and BE LOUDER!! The link below is a call to that majority to do just that; to rise today to tell the NYS Legislators to listen and be warned. We have had enough, already … and we are not going to take it anymore!

http://www.scopeny.org/st_of_the_st.html

This link is from SCOPE informing the gun fraternity of the plans Governor Cuomo has to announce at his State of the State address this Wednesday in Albany, NY at 1:30 PM.   If you wish to see many more anti-gun legislation proposed, go to the NYS.gov website.   It is getting so knee-jerking that I think their brains are falling out.   Ban what, 250-300 million guns in the hands of the American populace?   Good luck there, my good friends.

Cathy and I have decided to abide by the Saratoga Springs City Council resolution to ask that AR-15 style firearms or their 30 round magazines not be brought to this show at the City Center on January 12 and 13, in deference to the Newtown, CT and Webster, NY shootings. Being sensitive to their request and of the situation as a whole, in no way negates our staunch avocation to our right to own and collect guns; and of advocating our rights according to the Second Amendment, it should not be infringed!   Stand up and be counted … because all the politicians do is count the numbers who will be supporting them in their coming election. Make sure at this count they have to use more than their fingers and toes!

When you come to our show this weekend please keep your firearms in cases so as not to walk the busy streets of Saratoga Springs with threatening-looking weapons slung on shoulders. Let us be sensitive to the wishes of the City Council and the past and present rules and ordinances of the city. There will probably be protesters near the entrances so, again, please be civil and do not antagonize so as to reflect badly on our NEACA Arms Fair or on the gun fraternity in general.   When this show is over and we, meaning Cathy and I, … plus the City Center Board of Directors, the City Council, the Saratoga Board of Supervisors and especially the businesses and people of the City of Saratoga Springs, NY, … reflect on how all went well, proper and legal we can ask the question … “We’ve been here for nearly 30 years, do you want us here for the foreseeable future?”   If so, we will do business as usual and fulfill our coming schedule of three more shows this year.    

Still Good ol' News... You Like Guns? You're going to like this!   Click on "I LIKE GUNS!"

Dave has been so busy recently, he forgot about his world in cyberspace ... 12/29/12

... but among all the fuss about gun control these days I received this from a friend in Canada which I want to share ...

"The Gun Is Civilization" by Maj. L. Caudill USMC (Ret)

Human beings only have two ways to deal with one another: reason and force. If you want me to do something for you, you have a choice of either
convincing me via argument, or force me to do your bidding under threat of force. Every human interaction falls into one of those two categories,
without exception. Reason or force, that's it.

In a truly moral and civilized society, people exclusively interact through
persuasion. Force has no place as a valid method of social interaction and
the only thing that removes force from the menu is the personal firearm, as paradoxical as it may sound to some.

When I carry a gun, you cannot deal with me by force. You have to use reason and try to persuade me, because I have a way to negate your threat or employment of force. The gun is the only personal weapon that puts a 100-pound woman on equal footing with a 220-pound mugger, a 75-year old retiree on equal footing with a 19-year old gang banger, and a single guy on equal footing with a carload of drunken guys with baseball bats.

The gun removes the disparity in physical strength, size, or numbers between a potential attacker and a defender.

There are plenty of people who consider the gun as the source of bad force
equations. These are the people who think that we'd be more civilized if all guns were removed from society, because a firearm makes it easier for a [armed] mugger to do his job. That, of course, is only true if the mugger's
potential victims are mostly disarmed either by choice or by legislative
fiat--it has no validity when most of a mugger's potential marks are armed.

People who argue for the banning of arms ask for automatic rule by the
young, the strong, and the many, and that's the exact opposite of a
civilized society. A mugger, even an armed one, can only make a successful living in a society where the state has granted him a force monopoly.

Then there's the argument that the gun makes confrontations lethal that
otherwise would only result in injury. This argument is fallacious in
several ways. Without guns involved, confrontations are won by the
physically superior party inflicting overwhelming injury on the loser.

People who think that fists, bats, sticks, or stones don't constitute lethal
force, watch too much TV, where people take beatings and come out of it with a bloody lip at worst. The fact that the gun makes lethal force easier works solely in favor of the weaker defender, not the stronger attacker. If both are armed, the field is level.

The gun is the only weapon that's as lethal in the hands of an octogenarian
as it is in the hands of a weight lifter. It simply wouldn't work as well as
a force equalizer if it wasn't both lethal and easily employable.

When I carry a gun, I don't do so because I am looking for a fight, but
because I'm looking to be left alone. The gun at my side means that I cannot be forced, only persuaded. I don't carry it because I'm afraid, but because it enables me to be unafraid. It doesn't limit the actions of those who would interact with me through reason, only the actions of those who would do so by force. It removes force from the equation... and that's why
carrying a gun is a civilized act.

By Maj. L. Caudill USMC (Ret.)

So, the greatest civilization is one where all citizens are equally armed
and can only be persuaded, never forced.

  ...Very nicely put into perspective for the gun grabbers!

Democratic senators offer gun control amendment for cyber security bill

By Ramsey Cox, The Hill - 07/26/12

Democratic senators have offered an amendment to the cyber security bill that would limit the purchase of high capacity gun magazines for some consumers. 

Shortly after the Cyber security Act gained Senate approval to proceed to filing proposed amendments and a vote next week, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), a sponsor of the gun control amendment, came to the floor to defend the idea of implementing some “reasonable” gun control measures. 

The amendment was sponsored by Democratic Sens. Frank Lautenberg (N.J.), Barbara Boxer (Calif.), Jack Reed (R.I.), Bob Menendez (N.J.), Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), Schumer and Dianne Feinstein (Calif.). S.A. 2575 would make it illegal to transfer or possess large capacity feeding devices such as gun magazines, belts, feed stripes and drums of more than 10 rounds of ammunition with the exception of .22 caliber rim fire ammunition. 

The amendment is identical to a separate bill sponsored by Lautenberg. Feinstein was the sponsor of the assault weapons ban, which expired in 2004. 

The proposed amendment would only affect sales and transfers after the law took effect. Schumer defended the Brady law and assault weapons ban on the floor Thursday evening, perhaps in preparation for the coming fight with Republicans and gun rights activists. Schumer suggested that both the left and right find common ground. 

“Maybe we could come together on guns if each side gave some,” Schumer said. He suggested that Democrats make it clear that their goal is not to repeal the Second Amendment. 

“The basic complaint is that the Chuck Schumers of the world want to take away your guns,” Schumer said of the argument made by gun lobbies. “I think it would be smart for those of us who want rational gun control to make it know that that’s not true at all.” 

Schumer also pointed out that it would be reasonable for the right to recognize that background checks on those buying guns is necessary — as called for in the Brady law. He also said average Americans don’t need an assault weapon to go hunting or protect themselves. 

“We can debate where to draw the line of reasonableness, but we might be able to come to an agreement in the middle,” Schumer said. “Maybe, maybe, maybe we can pass some laws that might, might, might stop some of the unnecessary casualties … maybe there’s a way we can some together and try to break through the log jam and make sure the country is a better place.” 

Next week the Senate is expected to debate and vote on proposed amendments to the cyber security bill.

Wanna See A Grown Man Cry?     .....    May 9, 2012

I guess there are some people who actually read the member letters I send out for our New Eastcoast Arms Collectors Associates; the last and most current one was about the ongoing saga of the possibility of the elimination of New York State Gun shows.

First, let me thank all of you who read it and most of all the NEACA members who took it to heart.   I explained in my last letter, which you can see on our member page, as to how members can help in this fight to keep our Gun Shows intact, so I won’t rehash that.   Some of you have gone the extra mile and I want to recognize several members here and now.  

Just got off the phone with Brian Sherwood in Tupper Lake who called to request an extra table for display at our Clifton Park Show and he explained how one of his friends and one of our members was on a phone campaign urging members and dealers to either send a contribution to the war chest or take an extra table at Clifton Park.   After my prodding he told me the caller was Terry Perrigo, also from Tupper Lake, apparently, Terry is going the extra ten miles.

Cathy opened a letter in this morning’s mail and while watching her I saw a check fall out; she said the letter was from Terry and that she would read it to me.   Before she uttered a word and I saw there was no application for the upcoming show I knew exactly what the letter said and what the check was for.   While she read it you could have seen tears in my eyes.   The letter is below.

Ray Done from Rochester emailed about doing the show in Clifton Park on May 19 & 20 and then said that he would make sure all the websites that had gun show information on them also included our Clifton Park event, again going the extra mile.   Talked to Steve Svitek of Congers, NY, I’m sure most of you know Steve as the ammo guy.   Not only is he involved in all types of ammunition that he brings to our shows but he’s also been conversing with other dealers to try to bring them to our Clifton Park Arms Fair.   I know all the above named would not want me to even mention what they do but I must.   There are many more among the nameless who contribute in a large or small way to make our shows a success.   I am proud to call them friends.   Terry’s letter;

May 6, 2012

To:   Dave and Cathy Petronis

Dave and Cathy

As you know I am one of your friends and of course a vintage gun collector.   I am also very disappointed in the AG and his under handed tactics to persecute gun enthusiasts and the unconstitutional effort to coerce honest US and NY citizens.   This governmental injustice is all very sad and a blemish on America and free societies.   As you know I have set up at a few shows in an effort to reduce my gun collection since the apparent goal of these tyrants is to subvert the laws of this fine country and disarm its citizens.   I have been a hunter, trapper and fisherman all my life.   I was raised on a small farm in the Adirondacks where bringing home some game for the table was greatly appreciated by my grandparents from Austria.   They worked hard and honestly to meek out a living in difficult times and terrains.   It took me years of hard work to earn enough extra money to put together a collection and hoped it would be an investment and fun in my retirement years.   I have worked 50 years building roads, bridges, railroad crossings, wastewater treatment plants, airport improvements, power lines, and many other public domain improvements.   I fan a fur business for 27 years, a motel for 8 years and a construction business for 2 years.   I was president of our local rod and gun club and founded the Adirondack Trapper Association.   At nearly 68 years old, I have just signed up for another two years for an engineering company to rebuild a local road and bridge (a 7 million dollar project).   I will not be able to attend shows that need to be set up usually on Fridays and weekends, I’ll likely be too tired to be away from home (most of the weekend) that often.   I was born in Syracuse and since my birthday present each year in my youth was a trip to the state fair, I really enjoy that show.   I will endeavor to make it to your shows when it is viable.   I am enclosing a check, which I hope you can use toward legal defense of this outrageous onslaught on your family and our constitutional rights.   This is the first time I have done this but it is my way of contributing toward honesty in America.   I know it’s not a lot but I hope others may join in on your effort for justice.   This way you can hopefully sell the table space and earn some extra $$$ without having to outlay table cost for me etc.   I will spread the word hoping to encourage others to do the same.   God Bless America and god bless you Dave and Cathy in these desperate times of injustice.

Respectfully,

Terrence R. Perrigo

Terry, I want to thank you personally and one of these days, Cathy and I will really stop in and have that coffee.   And to the rest of you NEACA members, NEACA Gun Show exhibitors and dealers, I really do appreciate you who make our shows what they are.

Grand Daddy’s Closet Gun, Can You Sell it?

By David Petronis

April 25, 2012

      Eric Schneiderman wants his resume to read, “I closed the Gun show loop-hole!”   The Attorney General of New York State would be grossly mistaken.    There never was one so it just can’t happen. What he considers is a loop-hole in the Gun Show Business Law is actually the right an individual has to sell personal property.   Any man or woman who owns a gun can legally sell it to anyone else!   That right should not cease at a gun show.

  What he and others of the “let’s control everything” ideology believe is a crime is, in fact, a constitutionally protected freedom; a United States citizen’s right to keep and bear arms.   It’s known as the Second Amendment to our United States Constitution.   The AG thinks it’s a crime.   Why?   Because he says it is.

In their view when a man or woman like you brings your grand dad’s shotgun to the gun show and while exiting your vehicle in the show parking lot it just so happens your brother-in-law sees you and say’s “hello”.   Now in this criminal conspiracy he asks, “What are you doing at the Gun show?”   And, “What’s in the gun case?”

When you reply that it’s your Grand Father’s shotgun that’s been in the closet for twenty years and you want to sell it at the gun show, he asks, “Can I see it?”   Now the crime is in progress.

“Sure,“   you say.   “I’d rather see it go to someone in the family than a stranger.”   Trouble is now brewing and the conspiratorial criminal act is about to unfold.

Your brother-in-law looks at your gun and says, “I’ll buy it, I like the gun.   How much do you want?”   It doesn’t matter the cost.   You could give it to him for free on the spot or sell it for fifty dollars.   At that point, when you hand him the gun, you, as a “firearms dealer” have just committed a crime.   And your brother-in-law has just committed a crime of receiving a firearm without going thru a Federal background check.

If spotted by any police officer in New York State you are subject to arrest, imprisonment and fines.   But, our NYS   Attorney General is proud that he has now ‘closed” the gun Show Loop-hole!

Several months ago I wrote an article for the Sunday Gazette (January 1, 2012),   which pertained to a Subpoena that Attorney General Eric Schneiderman sent to me and several other Gun Show Promoters.   My offense to the NYS General Business Law, Article 39-DD, S 896, “Operation of a Gun Show” section two, was that I allowed some similar circumstances to occur at two of my shows.   Though I haven’t been officially notified of my exact offence,   I believe it to be that someone, on the way into my shows, was approached by his undercover agents and a purchase was made thereby, an otherwise law-abiding, God fearing, American citizen was deemed a “Firearms Dealer” and arrested for selling a gun without insisting the buyer go through a NICS check;   NICS meaning National Instant Criminal System check.   Who knew?   Did you know it is a crime to do what transpired?

One of my question to the Attorney General’s office was, how are people going to know it is a criminal offense to sell or give your gun to anyone who you know hasn’t passed a NICS check?   The answer, it appears, of educating the NY State populace of this law is on my shoulders and the responsibility of other Gun Show Promoter.   Another unfunded mandate from the office of the Attorney General of New York State;   I must educate you about his mandate!  

According to a draft letter I just received from his office I either have to agree to this mandate plus admit I broke the “Business Law” by allowing the above scenario to occur (which is a crime) according to his law, pay a fine of $10,000 and fork over another $2000 for his expenses to perhaps pay for his undercover agents and also abide by a host of other new regulatory steps to insure it never happens again.

Or, they will continue with the subpoena and seek every piece of paper work and computer records,   plus personal notes, tax returns and photos of any “empty files” I may have in my file cabinet; plus number all in proper order at a designated position and submit all and any records of business in a timely manner.   And give a deposition under oath!

But, I could agree to this new demand, pay the fine and watch my step in the future.   I thought blackmail was illegal.

As a citizen, you have a perfect right to sell your personal property anywhere, anytime and to whom you wish.   That is, except your legally owned guns at gun shows!   Of course, if you were at a show in our adjoining states of Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania or Ohio you could still do the same thing.   Only in New York is it a crime.   In New Jersey there are no gun shows but you can own a machine gun.   Schneiderman may be looking to mimic New Jersey without the machine gun part.   I still have my sights set on Jersey though.   I’ve spoken casually to Governor Christy about gun shows, we’ll see.

If you as a free citizen of this New York State agree that this whole charade is just that, a political move to enhance a resume, then help me and the other promoters of Gun Shows by letting your elected representatives know how you feel about your rights being violated.   This is not about guns; this is and always will be about control!

Guns will never go away, they are a part of the American Tradition.   Guns make us Americans.   Whether you like or dislike this is, not the question.   Whether you can sell your personal property is.   Who is Eric Schneiderman to tell you, you can’t?   Perhaps our Second Amendment Protection Union should be formed.

I am producing a Gun Show at the SportsPlex of Half Moon, Clifton Park, this May 19 & 20 and all of these show regulations will be in effect.   You may not sell your gun to anyone while on the show grounds or adjoining parking lots without having the buyer go through a NICS check, this is illegal.   These NICS checks can be performed by any Federal Firearms Licensed Dealer inside the show for a fee.   You can, however, sell your guns to any FFL dealer.   They are there, in fact, not only to sell but to buy new inventory.

But, don’t be discouraged about all these new and proposed regulations.   We can still do business but in a far more intrusive way.   Do bring your guns and other collectables to our gun show dealers, keep them covered until you enter our show and don’t be caught outside breaking the law.

This is my first attempt at educating the public about “Eric’s Law”.   It should be the responsibility of the State, not mine.   And all this because you took Grand Dad’s gun out of that freakin’ closet!

       Only in New York, the Gun Show Gap

           Commentary by David Petronis, Dec. 7, 2011

All I Can Say in Defense from January until today ... Man, We've Been Busy!

GUN PRICES ARE GOING UP ... March 24, 2012

    Seems like all the major gun companies have figured out that with all the buying activity, they can raise their prices to distributors.   Naturally they then pass it on to us dealers who in turn – guess what – have to pass it on to our customers.   Not a really big deal, what amounts to another $20 to $30 across the board but the price increases are most common on all the hot items; and most of those are currently out of stock in distributor’s warehouses.

     My main gun supply guy passed on this little piece of info stated by Ruger Company, “Don’t bother to send us orders until May, we are that far behind on filling what we have.”   Fortunately, we made our large purchases in January and March at distributor shows and will get most of what we need, pays to plan ahead.   We also have a great supply of Ruger handguns in stock right now; LCP’s, LC9’s, LCR’s, SP100’s, and lots of Ruger 22's.   You may want to stop by and get yours before the summer fun begins and none are around.

    Also, just got resupplied with the Russian Moisan Nagant, both round and octagonal receivers.   However, the importers raised our price by $25 per gun.   But they are in super condition with accessories and are still fairly cheap considering the overall market on guns in general.   We also have the 7.62 X 54 ammo.

    Been to an auction lately?   The guns usually end up costing more than for what I sell the same thing at my store, no bargains there.   And I give a guarantee.   At the auction it’s still “buyer beware”!   Perhaps you should stop by our Hudson River Trading Company store at 38 North Main Street, Mechanicville and really see what you’ve been missing.  

    And, oh yes, we do have all the black guns from Colts, Bushmasters and Rugers through the PT91 .308’s and the S & W 15’s to S & W .22’s along with lots more stuff.   Need a 37mm B & D Launcher?   We got those.  

    We’re at the shop from noon to at least 6PM daily (call on Mondays to check) and for the next couple of Saturdays from 11AM to 3PM.   Then we’ll be out in Cortland, NY for our show at the J M McDonald Sports Complex.   See our Gun Show page for details.

    Hey, like us on Face Book and follow me on Twitter ‘cause every now and then I actually tweet a sweet deal you won’t want to miss; or at least you’ll get some current info.  

    Try joining our New Eastcoast Arms Collectors Associates, NEACA and get into all our shows early and free!   Click on our link to join, lots of guns and stuff at our shows.   Happy hunting!!   DP

Nomination for Woman of the Year ~

Catherine Petronis ~ 5 January 2012

VP & Treasurer, NEACA, Inc.; VP, C&D Petronis, Inc.

Hudson River Trading Company

38 N. Main Street

Mechanicville, NY 12118

To My Wife and the Rest of the World …

Living married with me for nearly 50 years and working in our business's together since 1972, that alone should warrant a woman of the year award. Cathy has been a wife, mother, transportation specialist, friend to all, business partner, writer, secretary, stenographer, typesetter, composer, proofreader of our Arms Collectors Journal, photographer, company tax consultant & preparer (plus her own sideline tax business), financial planner, computer technician, home & office handyman, website developer at NEACA.com, phone operator & canvasser, inventory control specialist, living & walking phone book with memory recall of most names I forget, nurse, family & vacation planner, travel consultant, treasurer & banker, bookkeeper & keeper of the file system, account payables & receivables technician, human scanner & corrector of incorrect billing practices aimed at my money, insurance & claims adjuster, appraiser, bottle washer & light bulb changer, auto mechanic, loan specialist, copier & fax repairman, website administrator & computer e-mailer, all while staying my good personal friend and that is just some of her accomplishments and daily attributes. And I do remember that time she helped me with an engine overhaul! Where she finds the time I’ll never ever know!

By the way did I mention Cathy being a hunter, licensed gun dealer, trade show promoter, avid traveler and answers many hundreds of worthwhile & occasional dumb questions each year or that she taught knitting, crocheting & sewing, feeds 100 or more hungry gun dealers at our Saratoga Arms Fairs nearly single handedly (our next being at the Saratoga City Center this January 28 & 29), keeps 30,000 show attendees in continual updating, mails thousands of fliers & postcards periodically, administers our New Eastcoast Arms Collectors Associates Membership monthly and is a damn good cook? And for keeping up with me to reach our fifty years of marriage on June 30, 2012, any wonder I want to keep her happy?

Or that she is still the apple of my eye and my best friend?  All in all I think I may have scratched the surface of what Cathy Petronis, my wife and life partner, has done and continues to do on a daily basis. We survived the Mechanicville Tornado that ruined our home and plans then worked together to rebuild our lives. As many other partners have we’ve survived illnesses, family tragedies, business down-turns but together worked through all those low points of our lives. Yes, we have reached retirement age and should be on the street of easy living, but hope and change simply didn’t come close to reality and survival so we continue on, hopefully hand in hand, for another few years.

I will always be with my pistol packin’ mama, till death do us part, seeking the good life while remembering our great one that we have already traveled together. For this life and in the next, I nominate Cathy Petronis for woman of the year.

All a great big part of Dave’s World at NEACA.com .

David Petronis, President

NEACA, Inc.

518-664-9743

..... and that's the truth!

H appy New Year with a New Opinion Article...  See our Sunday Gazette!

Gun Shows ~ January 1, 2012

Happy New Year to all us Primates!

January 1, 2012

You may have heard about the loss of the squirrel monkey from the San Francisco Zoo and of its’ recent return. This is my Niece, Jill Andrews, with the little guy.   For the full story click here!  San Francisco Chronicle.

Only in New York, the Gun Show Gap

Commentary by David Petronis, Dec. 7, 2011

        In regard to the Daily Gazette article on Thursday, December 1, and as one of the persons mentioned in that article, I’d like to respond first to the headline “Gun Sale Sting Shows Law Gap,” and second to Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s reported remark that “guns are freely available to all at gun shows.”

        As to the word “sting” used in the headline, the common meaning of that word denotes that if a “sting” was in progress, then the target of the operation must somehow be criminal.   Our organization does not engage in criminal activity.  I am President of New Eastcoast Arms Collectors Associates.  The purpose of our organization is to promote our arms collecting hobby and provide a forum where arms can be traded or acquired and educational displays can be presented.  We have organized and promoted gun shows since 1982.   We have never experienced a bad incident or problem of any sort and during the past 30 years we have provided safe and enjoyable events to hundreds of thousands of people through the Northeast from Maine to Pennsylvania.   Evidently, now we are somehow to be looked upon as criminals by the Attorney General, and our past three decades of professionalism mean nothing.

    I am not quite sure if the Attorney General actually believes that our hobby provides places where criminals gather to do evil, but let me assure you, that concept is as far from the truth as possible.   Gun shows have been held throughout New York State for decades with no problems.   As to the Attorney General’s quote that guns are “freely available to all” at gun shows, he appears convinced that there are no effective laws to regulate gun show transactions.   He contends that his “Operation Background Bust” was conducted to demonstrate to the Legislature and to the Governor that new laws need to be enacted.

    In fact, there are existing laws regulating gun shows, and even a designated group of New York State troopers to enforce those laws.   The law states that the “grounds” where the show is staged must display specifically worded signs at the entrances and throughout the show.   We conform to this requirement and have done so since we were notified of it.   We also notify in writing all “dealers and exhibitors” who set up at our shows that all sales of modern firearms to individuals must be subject to a National Instant Criminal System background check, commonly known as a “NICS check” .   This rule also applies to all persons entering the show, even to individuals who meet at the show, discuss the purchase of a firearm that one of them owns, then leave the show together.   They are still legally liable to obey the regulations of the NICS check if they finish their transaction outside.   But where do the “grounds” of the show end?   Does the rule still apply to two friends who meet at the show and then sell a personally owned firearm at one’s kitchen table sometime afterward?

    The worst part of this scenario is that the Attorney General might expect show promoters like me to control such “illegal” transfers between private individuals.   By the way, let me explain that the above rule with respect to private sales is only for us New Yorkers.  Only in New York does “dealer or exhibitor” responsibility apply to a private person who goes to a show with a privately owned firearm.   That’s how the Attorney General was able to issue a press release stating that ten “dealers” had been arrested in his “sting”.

     An even more bizarre situation concerns the person who arrives at the gun show with a private firearm and sells it to someone before ever entering the building.  I hear in conversations that this may be exactly the situation that I am now being investigated for.   I have heard no clear explanation of how I, as a promoter, am expected to prevent such a thing, or what actually transpired but I am now targeted according to the Attorney General’s letter. 

AS A SHOW PROMOTER I, IN NEW YORK, AM SUPPOSED TO CONTROL WHAT GOES ON OUT THERE IN THAT LINE HALFWAY AROUND THE CITY CENTER IN SARATOGA.

I have had many calls of inquiry and support from people who have attended our shows and from our NEACA members.  Many have asked to send a letter of support saying that our practices at the shows have always been above board and according to regulations.   To all those people, I say Thank You!   And yes, please send those letters to your newspapers, your legislators, and the Attorney General’s office.  Show your support for someone who has stringently obeyed the laws and has probably annoyed some of our show attendees by stressing in word and practice that we all have a responsibility.   I urge you to support our local shows, our NEACA organization and most of all our constitutional rights.

    It has been said to me that our new Attorney General is an anti-gunner, a staunch liberal in favor of eliminating gun shows and possibly our gun rights.   I don’t know about that.   I do think, however, that like many public officials he may have an agenda.   A lot of progressives feel that gun control is righteous and will save lives.   As a conservative and freedom loving individual I happen to believe that our freedom and preservation of our Second Amendment rights is a lot more important than anybody’s agenda, for any reason.   Again, thanks to everyone for your continued support and we hope to see you at our next City Center, Saratoga Springs Arms Fair on January 28, 29, 2012.

 Download the complete story as a PDF

I Guess It's Timing ...

“The fact that we are here today to debate raising America's debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the US Government can not pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on on-going financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government's reckless fiscal policies. Increasing America's debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that, 'the buck stops here.' Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grand-children. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better.”

-- Senator Barack Hussein Obama, March 2006

Six years later America will do a lot better ...  2012 is a-comin' ... his chickens are going home to roost.

Letter to the Editor ~ The Gazette

from David Petronis ~ Monday, 29 June 2011

     As a firearms dealer, I read with some interest the Pastor initiated gun buy-back program offered in Schenectady and reported in your Gazette on June 19, 2011.  I question the lawfulness of such an event.    

   As a state and federally licensed dealer in Mechanicville, I applaud the attempt of removing illegal guns from city streets as the Pastors Charlie Muller of Albany and Ted Ward of Schenectady have envisioned.   In fact, my gun show promotions company, NEACA, Inc., gave free space to an awareness group advocating the same thing at a show we sponsored at the defunct Centre City in Schenectady many years ago, so the idea isn’t new.  But at that time there were so many legal hurdles to address which made such an attempt to retrieve stolen and illegal guns near impossible, I wonder what now has changed; not much, I believe, perhaps attitude.

   Our New York State laws still insist that a handgun be registered by name, serial number and caliber to an individual holding a valid and current pistol license.  By our laws no one can touch, fondle, use or carry any pistol not on one’s own personal permit (some family crossover exceptions exist).   In fact, our laws upstate don’t even allow a permit holder to carry his lawful weapon in NY City, but that is another topic.   The point is, regardless of the noble intent, the picture your photographer snapped of the Rev. Charlie Muller holding that .40 caliber semi-auto pistol is now, I believe, evidence of him breaking the law.   Dumb as it is, that is the way it is.

   It is not my intention to undermine the efforts of these fine and responsible people but rather to raise awareness of some of the stupid rules that try to run our society.  So what does Charlie do with an illegal handgun?   Give it to the police who then need to find out where it came from?   That could well be their job.   If it was found to be a stolen weapon, which in most cases it probably is, do they return it to the rightful owner?   I don’t know.   And by simply getting a murder weapon off the street, if that is what we are most concerned with, is the evidence of that gun and its ballistics now useless to track and prosecute the murderer?

   Why not let plain folks who find old guns in their attic just turn them in to their local licensed gun dealer who in turn can help them be registered or sold as a collector piece?   That scenario won’t ever happen for one reason or another but a private individual, with all the right intentions, is basically allowed to do the same thing.   Why can one scenario be solemn and good while also being lawbreaking, the other be impossible?   Just one of my many observations in Dave’s World.

The Real Gun Show Story # 2

by David Petronis ~ May 25, 2011

The Real Gun Show Story #1

by David Petronis ~ July 14, 2010

This August NEACA celebrates the beginning of its 27th year of producing trade shows at the Saratoga Springs City Center.   Our company actually staged the first large event at the budding building when we opened with an exquisite Antique Show.   We didn’t quite manage to fill what we thought then was a most massive hall of 20,000 square feet but came close, twenty six years later the City Center is expanding its width and height as it grows along with Saratoga itself.   The City, the Center and our business have grown considerably since 1984, I guess the old saying can be used again as, “We’ve all come a long way, Baby!”

   As President of a new and energetic company, while passing through the north end of Saratoga Springs one day way back in ’83, I noticed a large clearing with the beginning of a foundation surrounding a good sized hole.   I think the sign announcing something about a new Convention Center brought me to an abrupt halt and I found Mark Baker on site doing things in a small construction trailer.   In no time we had contracted for the Antique Show and what was to become our 80 t h NEACA Arms Fair we will have produced on that ground this August 28 & 29.

   Mark is still there issuing our contracts and now overseeing the expanding show area.   We now routinely fill the hall with exhibitors and public has been flooding in four times a year to buy, sell and trade firearms of all makes and models plus taking home antique war weapons and accoutrements of every description.   Our NEACA Arms Fair has also “been the place to be” for thousands of visiting folks.

   Ours has been an ever changing business; we routinely must revise our shows to comply with new rules and regulations.   Not only are there changing Federal laws to stay abreast of but New York State is one of the most restrictive in business with its own laws, taxes and compliances that we must follow, and being in the gun business we must abide by many more specific regulations.   Running a legal, safe and enjoyable gun show isn’t as easy as one would think; we don’t just set up tables, invite exhibitors and sell guns to anyone who walks in.   To buy a firearm there are forms to fill out, instant background checks to be made and hopefully received back in a timely manner, and delivery to be accomplished.   There are no “gun show loopholes” liberals would have you believe.

   Our shows are run as an extension of the firearms shops most of our exhibitors work at during the week, the weekend show is usually a big expense for them but they meet a lot more customers and also get to buy things from other dealers or the public they normally wouldn’t see brought into their own shops.   What used to be a lightly regulated swap meet 30 years ago is now a full time, well managed business.   And years ago when these meets were few and far between today there are literally dozens of gun shows that go on simultaneously each and every weekend across these great United States.

   Business has been good; while other businesses may be feeling the recession, the gun makers and sellers have been doing fairly well.   It seems that people who never expressed an interest in owning a gun now want one in their home.   Pistol permit applications are way up and background checks for purchases are at record levels.

   Whenever a Democrat administration is in power just the threat of more rights being compromised or more restrictive gun laws enacted seem to be enough to spur our business on.   Now with the Obama nation in charge of both the Congress and the Whitehouse, the fears stated are present once more.   Guns and ammunition sales were at record levels last year and continue to be strong.   The recent Supreme Court ruling that the Second Amendment to our US Constitution actually means what it states, that individuals have the right to own guns, now is being exercised at a brisk pace.   The prevailing thought is the Second Amendment was placed there to guarantee all the others;   even the First, Freedom of Speech, which also allows for the dissenting opinion.

   It is also widely believed that after this election in November that a left over Democrat lame-duck Congress will try to ram through new laws or regulations that will be very adverse to gun owners nationwide.   There has been little to no conversation over the past year and a half about any restrictive gun legislation which is most unusual.  

   This, we believe, is not by chance but by design and meant to lull the gun owning majority to dampen their guard over our freedom.   This may sound like the popular conspiracy theories, but never the less, that belief is another driving force for immediate and continuing gun purchases.

   Aside from fear of losing or having the future ability to buy or own guns there is another, though less known aspect in the collecting of guns; their strong resale market and retained or increasing value.   Prices of quality collector firearms have been sky rocketing; auction houses routinely break individual record sales.   Highly engraved, rare or historically attributed firearms are now one of the best of investments.   Like the gold commercials we’ve all seen on TV, “It has never been worth Zero,” guns will always have value, rarely down, most always up.

   Usually a better return on investment than the stock market, especially so over the last several years; and honestly what would you rather have trying to protect your home one of these nights, a piece of paper portfolio or an antique, highly engraved, still functional Smith and Wesson revolver with a box of 50 rounds of .44 Russian cartridges?   They were good enough for the European wars over a hundred years ago and still potent enough for today’s intruders.

   Over the decades, even the centuries, the cost of a good quality firearm has generally been high; whether for war, peaceful use in hunting or sport or for self protection, perhaps a month’s salary or more was handed over gladly.   Today, high tech manufacturing and laser engraving has brought the price considerably lower for a fine and fancy firearm.   All types can be found at our NEACA Arms Fairs and at all levels of value.

   Visiting one of our shows is still a walk through history but also, unlike a museum, you can actually purchase and go home with a true historical artifact or museum quality firearm.   Not just guns but all sorts of sporting antiques, military collectables, investment quality custom knives, old hand crafted hunting decoys, traps, artwork, or Americana plus reference books and shooting accessories of all types can be found among the myriad of tables manned by the most extraordinary of throw backs to a different age; the gun dealer.   Come visit them at our next show in the newly expanding Saratoga Springs City Center on August 28 and 29.

   If you wish to join our New Eastcoast Arms Collectors Associates and receive benefits as a member of NEACA, visit our website at NEACA.com. Getting an average of over 6 million plus hits a month must define that there is ample interest in what we do.   And we will also be doing it on September 25 and 26 in Old Forge, NY at the Hiltebrant Recreation Center on North Street and the following week at our largest show in the immediate northeast, held in Clifton Park at the SportsPlex of Halfmoon this October 2 and 3.   Fill out your door prize coupon at any of our shows and be among the nearly 30,000 households who regularly get a mailing of our upcoming events.   You will be in good company, pleasantly enlightened or modestly entertained and we do hope to see you at our next NEACA Arms Fair.

Anniversaries & Dining Out, Our Recent Experience  by David Petronis ~ July 10, 2010

As the saying goes, timing is everything.   In little more than a week away, Cathy and I were celebrating our 48th wedding anniversary and I hadn’t a clue as to what we should do.   It’s usually a grandiose affair, this big day when our family all began, but daughter Denise had travel sports with her two girls, son number one, David, will be working in Charlotte, NC and Scott, our baby, needs to be at his office in NYC.   Wednesday, June 30, 2010 wasn’t going to be a family gathering.   A very busy time for us as well so it’s just we two and we’re staying local.   Then came an e-mail.

“Special 5 Course Dinner & Wine Pairing – June 30th, 2010” was the message, “Reservations Required.   Seating at 6PM at the Chef’s Table.”   Sounded like a plan, a special dinner just for us in a special place on our special day; fate is good to us!   This was a message from TR’s Restaurant at the Holiday Inn Resort – Lake George Turf.   Only about 40 minutes north of our home this intimate dinner for two was to be our celebration of another milestone in our loving lives; well, almost.

Cathy and I produce Arms Fairs for exhibitors and public to gather for the purpose of selling and buying firearms and related accessories.   Collectors and dealers belong to our New Eastcoast Arms Collectors Associates as members of NEACA, Inc.   As such we have been utilizing the banquet room at the Holiday Inn Turf for a February Gun Show for over fifteen years, so we knew the facility and our dinners there were always top notch.   A Friday evening seafood buffet is a highlight for the locals and guests and we have made it a point to partake of the fare.   With our pleasant experiences already, we knew this intimate five course dinner was going to be great.   But intimate, not so much.

We’ve been dining together often with our dear friends Jan & Ken Delano, owners of Charlton Gun Shop and Cathy mentioned the special dinner offer we received.   A few hours later a return call from Jan was that they would also like to go and wanted to treat us for our anniversary dinner.   Not a proposition to refute and their company is excellent.   This deal is looking better all the time, I thought – great dinner, fine company and now a gift!

I’ve been mentioning this 5 course dinner but now you must know the whole deal.   What would you expect to pay for a Chef’s Table, which means special attention, with five exotic courses, all paired with a special wine, that is – five wines?   Including an appetizer, a salad, a special appetizer, filet mignon and dessert; a hundred dollars a plate would not be a lot. How about $49 per person?   The entire mouth watering menu was in our original e-mail and we were ready to party.   Unfortunately, all the hotel rooms were sold out so we couldn’t party too much and drive home safely.   So intimate dinner for four, here we come.

The Turf Hotel group owns several in the area and have been upgrading their Holiday Inn property overlooking Lake George for a year now.   The place is beautiful, with accommodations, lobby and patios very comforting and eye appealing.   The view of the lake is great and an evening cocktail near the outside fire pit is simply relaxing.   From past experience we knew pretty much what to expect with dinner seating and service, but for this evening a surprise awaited.

On arrival we were greeted by the hostess, who knew us from our Arms Fairs, and led us into a special newly remodeled private room with doors opening to a private patio.   A table for eight was nicely set up and we were motioned to pick our seating.   I immediately mentioned that some confusion must be happening as we only had a reservation for four.   “No confusion Mr. Petronis, this is your table and four other guests will be joining you, that is, if you don’t mind?”   Seeking help with an answer all agreed and I was motioned to the head of the table with Cathy on my right.   We were a little early so we started on a bottle of the first wine offering of the evening, a Chardonnay from California.   Our conversation began with how meeting new people should be an interesting one but I wondered what was in store.

In a few minutes our Executive Chef, Michael Squires came in to greet us and explained a bit about our meal and that four other guests will soon be arriving.   Then Brian Straughter, Vice President of Turf Hotels arrived with Michael Spilman the Holiday Inn Turf General Manager.   Then a couple from Niagara Falls, who were staying at the hotel, also joined us at the table.   They were about our age, married 46 years, and complemented the group very well.   All were in attendance and our night began.

A Jumbo Shrimp Francaise with lemon and saffron beurre blanc was placed in front of us and more Chardonnay was served.   Chef Michael explained about the serving and what was to come and our mouths began to water.   But 3 large shrimp covered in a butter sauce needed to be dispensed with first; they were delicious – could have been equally sufficient with only two!   It was then divulged by manager Mike that this was the first offering of this dinner with real live customers, us, and that they sincerely appreciated our reservations.   Prior dinners were for the staff where they tweaked the menu and service and were still seeking input as to how everything is served, amounts of food and style.   We were the “guinea pigs” for the evening.   And what little piggies we were to become!

Cleanse our palette, here comes a Pinot Grigio from Tuscany and our Belgian endive salad with walnuts and apples slices.   Of course, nothing is as simple as it sounds.   Not just walnuts, but ones that were roasted with honey and sprinkled with confectionery sugar.   Thin slices of apple arranged in a perfect circle surrounding endive leaves in citrus vinaigrette. The fruity wine was a wonderful pairing.

We were beckoned that it was time to stretch our legs and retreat to our private patio where Chef Michael was grilling our special rack of lamb.   I never really cared for lamb, I will tolerate it and have been served delicate little half-raw finger chops in some of the most beautiful of settings; they look great but just aren’t for me.   Well, these morsels sure smelled and looked pretty darn good, I’ll mull through them one more time, I mused.   Michael was finished grilling; we knocked off our Pino Grigio and returned to our seating among interesting conversation and awaited our next course.

Our server appeared with a California Pinot Noir, supple in texture, with rose petal and red fruit aroma.   Pour away, I’ll need it to drown out the lamb.   Chef arranged these two great looking little chops with bone handles in a crossed arms fashion, almost in honor of our NEACA emblem of crossed rifles, he placed them over a mound of pesto risotto and sided with sun dried tomatoes.   I couldn’t believe the taste, I found I do like lamb!   These were grilled to perfection with an applied herbed au jus and they were superb.   The mound of soft, short grain rice was tasty but much more than I could handle for an appetizer.   My buds were working overtime as it was.   Cathy and Jan were contemplating how to duplicate the lamb as a meal when our fourth wine was uncorked, a dark Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma, this flavor of plums and Bing cherries perked the palette for our coming main course; anticipation was in the air.

An entre of medium rare Filet Mignon encrusted with blue cheese and wrapped in bacon was placed in front of us, one could almost hear the beckoning of “Taste Me!”   This most exquisite of beef lay between a baby portabella mushroom demi-glace and roasted red pepper coulis, a tangy puree of red peppers, shallot, wine vinegar and olive oil.   Adjoining each side were Yukon smashed potato and a roll of asparagus tips; a sight fit for the God of Goodness and a taste to please any King.   The company ceased all chatter and the business beforehand was indulged upon.   And indulgence indeed was this fine food and drink.

The serving and meal so far spanned about two hours then our table was cleared while our very competent and lovely server opened a slightly bubbly Rosa Regale from Strevi, Italy.   Aromatic and tasteful of ripened raspberries the sweetened taste created an anticipation for dessert and coffee.   Then Chef Michael produced a Chambord bunt cake with chocolate raspberry ganache.   It was a temptuous finale to a wonderful meal.   Over coffee we expressed our opinions amongst ourselves, Chef Michael and our hosts.

The unanimous consensus was that the idea and setting was great, the meal was handled perfectly and the food was superb.   Ken suggested the wine pairings could reflect our own New York State vineyards in keeping with “buy locally.”   I suggested the appetizer portions could actually be reduced even though none of us had an “overstuffed” feeling.   Chef Michael said he already went to three shrimp from five and said they were still exploring the serving time and portions.   Two and a half hours for a great meal with a patio break at half-time seemed to fit the optimum dining experience.   Jan wanted the recipes.   All of us were well pleased.

As noted, timing is essential and if you want to experience a wonderful evening each Wednesday, TR’s at the Lake George Holiday Inn Turf is a dinner to behold.   We thank the owners and management for developing the idea and the cordial atmosphere of their Special 5 Course Dinner & Wine Pairing and wish them great success.   Whether you like to dine as a couple, foursome or want the experience of joining a group table, all requests seem to be accommodating but their intimate private area appears to be designed for less than twenty adult people.   Our invitation turned out to be an evening of celebration that we soon won’t forget.

TR’s takes its name from Teddy Roosevelt, a military leader, stalwart conservationist, experienced hunter and one of New York’s favorite sons.   His old politics may not be credible to all but his namesake overlooking Lake George is truly a remarkable establishment and surely will become a destination to partake of beauty, friendliness and a wonderful dining experience.   Our hats are off to Chef Michael Squires, Cathy and I are looking forward to our return visit.

The First Amendment to our US Constitution gives us the Right to write this; the Second Amendment Guarantees that we can! July 4th, 2010

There was talk yesterday about Obama (he's not my President) trying to stifle reporters from using pictures or videos about the "Oil Spill" anymore, or REPORTING on it! And eluding to time in jail plus a $4000.00 fine. Now you know why I start my home page with Buy a Gun! EVERYONE should own guns.

 AARP or CRAP? ... You Decide!

June 10, 2010 .... by David Petronis

Just received my Valuable Life Insurance Info from AARP; you know them as the modern leaches of the elderly as opposed to the olden times blood suckers that were thought to help with physical ills.   I must say though, reading their policy proposal gave me a good morning laugh.

First of course, you must join the American Association of Reprehensible Practices – or whatever AARP stands for – and then fill out this New York Life associate questionnaire; no health examination is needed, alluding to “you can fool them by lying.”   Don’t believe it for a second and read the fine print of the policy before 30 days is up.   Most large organizations make a lot of money simply lending their name to a product or, in this case, an insurance policy.   AARP is no different.

So, if you are a 67 year old male and would like to give AARP just around $30,000, not including lost compound interest, and you kick off at age 79 you get your money back plus $20,000.   If you make it past 80, you’re out of luck.   But, that’s what insurance is for – helping you out if bad luck ensues.   And, as with a lot of folks if we didn’t have bad luck we’d have no luck at all!   But generally speaking putting ten grand away for a funeral is probably further ahead than buying a $50,000 policy at those “cheap” rates.   And don’t worry about leaving your kids or grand kids a nest-egg, Obamacare will keep them all happy from cradle to grave while taking all your money in the meantime.

These are the things that made me chuckle; no medical exam but the questions like, “have you been diagnosed by a doctor as having heart trouble, lung disorder or diabetes, etc.”, among other ailments, at our age is almost a given, “yes.”   Or number two, “In the past two years have you been admitted to a hospital?”   Or this one I really like, number three; “In the past three months have you consulted a doctor?”   Another chuckle when in Question Three it was noted that I was not required to report any HIV tests but was required in Question One whether I had AIDS or an AIDS complex.   

Delving into the coverage, I noted that if I get a doctor’s diagnosis of 12 months or less to live then I can apply for half of my benefit coverage as long as I keep paying the premiums.   Nice of AARP.   Then I noted I get to keep this coverage to age 80 then I get to pay much more for something, I guess, new?  And premiums, meaning monthly payments, are not at a guaranteed rate but I am told only if AARP raises all the rates in my same class at the same time will they raise mine.  Well, I feel safer with my stated payment now.

AARP tells me that there is still time to protect my loved ones but didn’t they just tell me all my problems will be addressed when we all kiss Obama’s Ass and make him dictator?   Well, just for a little while … until he gets all his grand plans in motion.   I thought the Great One was going to give me all I needed, what about that AARP?   Did you forget?

I saved the best laugh till last.   As I re-read this proposal I knew I had to be missing something then there it was, “Just One Exclusion!” Get this, “If death results from suicide in the first two years, benefits will not be paid.”

I Can’t Believe the Crap on the News

May 28, 2010 .... By David Petronis

I swear, every day the crap I hear on the news is steadily worse than the day before; actually I find myself swearing at the news!   Cathy tells me to calm down but with hearing that the Feds have built a fence to keep the Border Patrol vehicles off of “sensitive” land but aliens can cross it at any time, well that just makes me swear more!   Are “they” all insane!

“They,” being the numskulls who make these rules … the real power in Washington and elsewhere … the damn bureaucrats!  The bottom feeders who listen to the lobbyists’ … like the environmental whackos who think cacti are more important than you and I.   When we start getting rid of the permanent fixtures imbedded in the government is the day we start improving America.   You think teachers have tenure … ever try to fire a State Worker?

Today, Obama tells us that the illegal aliens will have to pay a fine, pay their back taxes and go to the rear of the line for US Citizenship; is that what he plans to do with the several hundred Somalia Muslims that recently crossed from Mexico?   They aren’t here to work Pres and they probably won’t mind the back of the line; better to do their thing unseen in the rear.   They would love US Citizenship so if they are caught doing damage they can get your AG Holder to give them their days in court to ridicule you for being an Ass!  I have my own way to stop border crossings.

Oh, glad you asked.   BO, do you know how many folks would gladly volunteer to set up camp on a desert ridge in Texas, Arizona or New Mexico and set their sights on a moving target?  A scoped M-14 would be a handy deterrent and a couple of boxes of .308 ammo are still pretty cheap; problem of aliens solved in a week … at no cost to the Government!   Drug smuggling would be at a halt and people in slavery would be replaced with people power.   I’ll bet free room and board would be there for the asking from fed up ranchers.  

Speaking of the Fed, why can’t you come up with a good idea like that to protect our borders and our Citizens?     The Mexican Federales shoot folks trying to cross into their country illegally, why can’t we?   If Calderon can do it, why can’t you?   We’ll start a war on the border with drug dealers, you say; and they would start shooting Americans and kidnapping them.   The war would be the object ‘cause, Pres, Phoenix is now the second highest kidnapping city in the world, just behind Mexico City and in case you haven’t noticed … them drug runners are already shooting Americans.   Where is Pershings’ replacement when you need him?  Instead of being apologetic to the commies in China get some gonads and enforce the US Immigration Laws so States like Arizona can get on with tourism instead of having to do your job!   Before the States number one business is replaced by exporting illegals.

Sorry, I said “commies in China.”   I forgot, they are our trading partners and we owe them our asses and pretty soon our left arms and souls.  Unfortunately, deal with the devil and face the consequences has been one of the forgotten rules.  Went to buy a shirt yesterday and the ones made in Egypt were $24.95, ones from Bangladesh were the same and ones from China were $3.00 less … ones made in the USA … weren’t there.   An indication of what “Globalization” means to Americans like me and you.  When I was selling clothing in my Hudson River Trading Company store we sold 90% Made in the USA, 7% Made in England (Barbour) and 3% Made in Korea (Combat Boots) because there wasn’t a single US manufacturer of molded footwear.  Now even that is dominated by China, want to walk to war, first place your boot order with the commies.

War ain’t what it used to be.   If you get shot at today you can shoot back but make sure there aren’t any “civilians” around … that is, if you can actually load your weapon.   Oh, there is plenty of ammo but there are more regulations against its’ use.   Want to send your son or daughter in Afghanistan a combat knife or even a large pocket knife?   Make sure it is less than three inches; otherwise they may hurt someone with it.   That gallant bayonet charge of yesteryear; forget about it.  Our Army threw your kids bayonet away, into the scrap heap … too violent a weapon and deemed it too cruel for use in combat.  The MI Garand , the weapon that won WWII and is probably still one of the greatest effective combat weapons in use today, well the Army has destroyed most of what they had left; instead of selling them to the civilian US marksmen.   Heaven forbid we should have the power of the Minutemen of 1776.   Instead we have to ward off any invasion with Chinese SKS’s … if you can still find one … importation was banned.

Remember movies where Audie Murphy stood his ground with a .50 caliber Browning Machine Gun and won the Medal of Honor?   Today your kid would win a Court Martial for shooting a .50 Cal at a combatant … cruel and unusual punishment blowing a man in half that was trying to kill you!   Don't see much about the facts above on the crappy news … at least not knowing keeps me from swearing!     Yeah, war ain’t what it used to be … how’s that “change” working for you?

To teach a kid a lesson is a great service, to learn from experience is a great teacher, to learn a lesson from a masterful teacher is a great experience. Children of the greatest generation have faltered to teach those of the next generation about the values and sacrifices those before us have endured. Please ask your children this question, "What is the Constitution?" And then sit them down for a few minutes and experience with them the words of a great orator ... and teach them the value and the meaning of being an American. Watch the video ...

Did you watch the 10-second video in the headings above, where a lineup of leading Russians refuse to shake Obama's hand? Did you see this on ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN or MSNBC?

This is "hard ball", Soviet Style. After the third handshake refusal, it becomes obvious and Obama's facial expression is priceless. "I guess we're no longer in Chicago?"

To Wayne LaPierre,

I read with keen interest in our Daily Gazette, Schenectady, NY of how you and evident buddy, Harry Reid, were together at a new NRA shooting Range in Las Vegas, Saturday, March 27, 2010. Sarah Palin was spouting to the Tea Party crowd a mile away, you know the folks who rant about God, guns and Freedom. I assume there was no time in your schedule to meet and greet the street folks who will be turning your buddy to pasture in November.

Yes, I am an NRA Member, a gun dealer and gun show promoter. I also don't drink beer and I vote! In the last NY State and Congressional elections it seems you guys at the NRA backed our now Senator Gillibrand over a nice Conservative fellow and she won. Then was appointed to the Senate and we got Obamacare. You also backed Scott Murphy of NY over another nice conservative and we got Obamacare in the House. Are you now out stumping for Harry Reid so we can get Socialism in our lifetime? It is just great that good old Harry is a hunter or voted one time for our cause to keep our guns. There is a bigger picture here, Wayne. Guns are good. But even good gun guys can go wrong, as you guys did. Don't repeat your stupid mistakes and give Sarah a call.

It is of no use to have the right to buy and sell over the backyard fence if you can't afford to buy groceries or ammo and your grandchildren can inherit our collections but need to sell off to pay for the ridiculous Federal debt we are in. Get real, have a cup of tea, Wayne. Think beyond the firing range and set your NRA sights on getting Conservative Gun People to our Nation's Capitol in November. We here at our gun shows or NEACA Arms Fairs are shooting in that direction.

David Petronis,
President, NEACA, Inc.

From www.FOXNews.com  

 - January 11, 2010

Sarah Palin to Join Fox News as Contributor

Interesting News today from Fox News about my favorite Lady Conservative ... see story.

2008 Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin is joining Fox News as a contributor, the news channel announced Monday.

The former Alaska governor, whose book, Going Rogue: An American Life, became a bestseller weeks before it was released and remains No. 2 on the New York Times bestseller list, has signed a multi-year deal to offer her political commentary and analysis across all Fox News platforms, including Fox Business Channel, FoxNews.com and Fox News Radio. 

She will also participate in special event political programming for Fox Broadcasting. 

"I am thrilled to be joining the great talent and management team at Fox News. It's wonderful to be part of a place that so values fair and balanced news," Palin said in a written release.

Palin will also host periodic episodes of Fox News Channel's "Real American Stories," a series exploring inspirational real-life tales of overcoming adversity throughout the American landscape that will debut in 2010.

"Governor Palin has captivated everyone on both sides of the political spectrum and we are excited to add her dynamic voice to the FOX News lineup," said Bill Shine, executive vice president of programming. 

Prior to joining Sen. John McCain on the 2008 presidential ticket, Palin was the first woman to serve as governor of Alaska, taking the oath in 2006. As governor, she worked on improving resource development, education, health and transportation and infrastructure development. 

Prior to holding the office of governor, Palin served two terms on the Wasilla City Council in Alaska as well as two terms as the mayor and manager of Wasilla, and worked as an oil and gas industry regulator.

Owned by News Corp, Fox News Channel is a 24-hour general news service covering breaking news as well as political, entertainment and business news, and has been the most-watched cable news channel in the country for eight years running. It features the top 13 programs in cable news and can be seen in more than 90 million homes.

HISTORY OF THE WORLD IN THREE SHORT PARAGRAPHS
Over five thousand years ago, Moses said to the children of Israel: Pick up your shovel, mount your asses and camels, and I will lead you to the promised land.  

Nearly 75 years ago Roosevelt said: Lay down your shovels, sit on your asses, and light up a camel; this is the promised land. 

Now, Obama has stolen your shovel, taxed your asses, raised the price of camels and mortgaged the promised land.

Something to Ponder

I don't know who wrote this piece about the "Change" that has been happening in America but the logic and the history lesson should be heeded.   I could have written it because I feel the same way, uneasy and questioning … why?   Why is the Country I grew up in so different from the memories of my youth fifty years ago?   Is it Progress … or are we simply repeating the dark side of history?   David Petronis … 26 October 2009

The Observation … Anonymous.

  I have come to think there is something monumentally large afoot and I do not believe it is simply a banking crisis, or a mortgage crisis, or a credit crisis. Yes these exist but they are merely single facets on a very large gemstone that is only now coming into a sharper focus…
 
  Something of historic proportions is happening. I can sense it because I know how it feels, smells, what it looks like and how people react to it. Yes, a perfect storm may be brewing but there is something happening within our country that has been evolving for about ten to fifteen years. The pace has dramatically quickened in the past two.
 
  We demand and then codify into law the requirement that our banks make massive loans to people we know they can never pay back? Why?
 
  We learned just days ago that the Federal Reserve, which has little or no real oversight by anyone, has "loaned" two trillion dollars (that is $2,000,000,000,000) over the past few months, but will not tell us to whom or why or disclose the terms. That is our money; yours and mine. And that is three times the $700 billion we all argued about so strenuously just this past September 2008. Who has this money? Why do they have it? Why are the terms unavailable to us? Who asked for it? Who authorized it? I thought this was a government of "we the people," who loaned our powers to our elected leaders; apparently not.
 
  We have spent two or more decades intentionally de-industrializing our economy. Why?
 
  We have intentionally dumbed down our schools, ignored our history and no longer teach our founding documents; why we are exceptional and why we are worth preserving. Students by and large cannot write, think critically, read, or articulate. Parents are not revolting, teachers are not picketing and school boards continue to back mediocrity. Why?
 
  We have now established the precedent of protesting every close election, violently in California over a proposition that is so controversial, one that simply wants marriage to remain defined as between one man and one woman. Did you ever think such a thing possible just a decade ago? We have corrupted our sacred political process by allowing unelected judges to write laws that radically change our way of life and then allow mainstream Marxist groups like ACORN and others to turn our voting system into a banana republic; to what purpose?
 
  Now, our mortgage industry is collapsing, housing prices are in free fall, major industries are failing, our banking system is on the verge of collapse, social security is nearly bankrupt, as is Medicare and our entire government. Our education system is worse than a joke (I teach college and I know precisely what I am talking about) the list of problems is staggering in its length, breadth, and depth. It is potentially 1929 times ten.

Sunday Morning Coffee   July 27,

“ I see the Capital Region Quarterly Sales Tax receipt numbers are in for this Second Quarter of 2009 and the area is down from 4 to 10% in tax revenue,” was my first comment to my wife over Sunday morning coffee.   I continued, “Saratoga County led the decline with 10.27% less taxes collected over the same period of last year, equating to about 2.5 million dollars.“ Cathy replied, “Didn’t you write about that last week?”

I wrote in a Letter to the Editor of our local Express that sales tax revenue increases are not about to offset any give-a-ways for PILOT Programs to developers of the Esplanade Project in Mechanicville.   In the letter I said, “If you want to build it, pay for it; don’t ask us taxpayers to foot the bill.”

Someone asked me why I bother to write Letters to Editors or commentary articles on various subjects.   “Generally nobody really cares about anything except their own job and family,” was a comment.   I explained simply, “If not me, who?”   But with that response I also questioned my motive.   Was I the type of person who just wanted to see his name in print?   Searching my soul, the answer was much more than, “no.”   I’ve had my fifteen minutes of fame supposedly allotted to us all, in fact many times over.   I don’t need recognition but I feel a need to speak out when I recognize a problem.   I guess I have a need to comment thinking if I don’t, who will?   I’ve never been one to leave it up to the other guy to get rid of the dead skunk in the road.

I have found that very many young people today do not know what is happening around their lives.   Very few young people, I put young at under 45 years old, read a daily paper or watch the evening news.   They seem to be too busy with daily life.   However, they usually know what is going on in the work place, in their or their friends’ neighborhood and at school.   But in politics outside their hamlet, in history about town and of State and Federal proposed policies and laws, most kids don’t have a clue.   Ask who the Vice President is or the name of their representatives to the State Legislature are and more than not a blank stare will be your answer.   But politics is what drives each of our lives, shapes what we can and can’t do and generally figures how much money you will get to spend on what you want next year and in the future.   Elections have consequences and knowing who and what policy to back are important to your future.

This morning I am especially enjoying the Sunday newspaper, though I must say, comics aren’t what they used to be; I got more chuckles out of how the Schenectady politicians and city lawyers are trying to stifle new businesses and curtail private parties.   If the proposed laws were in effect years ago I wouldn’t have been able to go into business.   When these things are thought up they seem so reasonable, being their purpose is to curb crime, burglaries or drug use, all good targets of concern.   You probably don’t even know of these crime fighting attempts, so let me shed some light.

The Schenectady City Council wants to pass a law that will allow their police to crash a private party held in a commercial building, ostensibly to stamp out drug use because there were three homicides at private parties last year.   There must be hundreds of pros and cons on that issue.   Probably more a problem of who is having the party instead of the function in general.   The problem seems to have solved itself though, private party bookings have moved out of Schenectady; great business outcome.

If the “Fenced Goods Law” goes through, small businessmen will have to prove to the City that they have enough money to operate a “legitimate” business.   Object is, that if you intend to buy any “used” items from the public for a business of resale, then you must show you have enough capital so you won’t be enticed to buy stolen or “fenced goods” so you can make exorbitant profits.   In other words, people who have a lot of money are good; people with little money are bad.   I wonder who decides between the good and evil among us.   The City would control this by not simply leveling a proposed $250.00 fine for being engaged in this larceny but also by credit checking and determining whether the prospective business person has enough cash.   They would not issue a “certificate” unless one passed their test.   Way to go, bro!

My solution; why not just lock up the filthy burglars in the first place and hide the freaking key!   Problem solved.   I started my business career with a rug of green outdoor carpet, a metal cash box and $50.00 for change when I opened my first retail outlet; plus a little inventory of course.   Point is I could not have passed their test for capitalization.   Since then we have been successful in amassing … well, let’s just say it’s more than a million. But not from that friendly business city, Schenectady.

I ran a gun show within the City limits some years ago and it was the only time I had to jump through hoops, pay extra cash and obtain permits to do so in over 25 years in my Show Promotion business.   Haven’t run one there since.   Being run by a Democrat majority I guess they just have a need for control; kind of like Obama insisting his unhealthy health plan is “going to be” shoved down our throats whether we like it or not.   When our Congress and Federal workers try it out first for a year or two, talk to me then!

The health care debate is supposed to be around 50/50 for or against, according to some polls.   I ask, how can spending several trillion dollars to insure 40 million people (a lot who don’t want it or need it) benefit the 300 million who already have one form of good health insurance or another?   Or, do you see folks flying to England or Canada for medical aid?   Wake up folks, smell the roses at home before you whiff the cesspool leaking out of Washington.   To the young folks who probably won’t read about this today, either here or in your local daily, you may find it too late when you reach my age.   Let your voice be heard now.

“Cathy, I need another cup of coffee, please! Reading about these Unions is drying my throat!” Now, Carl, I thought to myself, what are you chiding about today?   I love Carl Strock when he agrees with me but he can be a real … well, pain sometimes.   And I thought I may have converted him about guns when I invited him to one of our Saratoga Springs Arms Fairs.   He did show up and said hello.   “Carl, we’re having another at the end of August, pop in!”   At least he told it like it was with this Union bid to abolish elections at non-union work places.   What a crock!   Gun sales would probably go even higher if that proposed legislation got wings.

I wonder, could it be that this lingering small amount of unionized workers in the private sector and the overwhelming number of governmental unions combine so that it generally costs a million dollars a mile for roads?   What ever happened to the ditch digger for $5.00 an hour?   That wasn’t supposed to be a career job that required a “living wage” as the liberals like to say.   Flinging burgers wasn’t supposed to be a lifetime opportunity but rather a part-time or entry pursuit.   No wonder there is so much unemployment today, the brainwashing of living minimum wages precludes workers from taking a menial job … or two, to get by while working towards something better.   Let a small businessman legally hire help at five bucks an hour without all the red tape involved of “living wages” and see how many folks could get a job.   It is not a permanent solution but it would put money in some pockets right now.   It should not be up to the business owner to create careers out of dead end jobs.   It should be on the back of the individual worker to make him or herself move up the line from burger flipper to the flippin’ manager. Well, not likely to be much incentive to look harder when one can now get 72 weeks of unemployment benefits; that is some paid vacation. “I know, Cathy, sometimes things are tough,” I mused.   She saw what I was writing.

Uh, oh!   I got to the Opinion Section; skip that.   If I wanted your opinion I would have given it to you. Cathy says I got to get off my duff and mow the lawn.   Women, they just don’t understand what a Sunday morning is supposed to be. At least I can hide in the bathroom and finish the paper. I still have the financials and the rest of the comics but may only have time for the most important. Just like the cherry with a sunday desert, I leave the best till last.   I’ll go with “Dilbert.”

MEANING OF ASSUME

Assume.   What a word it is!   What a scenario those two syllables can put together.   Know that life is hard enough but when assumption enters a phase of it the process is usually a learning experience.   So, for the next several minutes, let’s assume that I, the author, know what I’m writing about and you, the reader, will either be entertained, or learn something.

I have been in sales, in sales management and now own several businesses.   I have been trained in and also taught sales, closings and time management.   I am of retirement age but choose to be working.   I have what some people would call a type A personality.   The point is, I have lived a full life and quite probably know what I write about.   Many years ago while attending a seminar, my mind was opened to a very interesting question; Who is the ass in assume, you or me?

Sounds dumb, doesn’t it?   Let’s take a look at my experiences just this past week and find out what happens when one person assumes another person knows what they are doing.   A contractor stopped in to my gun shop and asked if I still needed brick work, we made a deal and I hired him.   I knew of his work and he seemed reliable, especially after showing up on time for several days.   He was working by the hour and he and I kept time schedules.   When his bill came to me I assumed our hours would basically be the same; they were not.   His included leaving his house and picking up material on his way to the job and lunch time.   His also included his wife’s time for picking up some material plus gas.   Whether his or mine were correct was not the lesson here, the learning experience was twofold; I assumed I was paying him for brick work performed and not travel time; lessons learned, I was the ass in assume.   I fired him.

During this job, I needed coloring for the mortar mix so I called a cement supply company, Grimm, in Green Island, NY.   Been there for over a hundred years so they must know and care about their business.   When I phoned, the fellow who answered sure sounded like he knew what I needed and I left.   On arrival at this very large facility of cement and stone products, I found who I was talking to and we checked a color chart, picked out what I needed, ordered five, five pound boxes and pulled my vehicle up to a delivery area.   He brought out one box containing six boxes of coloring and said, “thanks”, be off with his blessings.

Now, assuming something was awry I said, “Wait”, I ordered 5 boxes, either I’m short or over.”   This competent looking young fellow then looked at the box that said six and stared in wonderment, apparently perplexed, possibly bedazzled!   He observed while I pulled my trusty pocket knife, skillfully inserted the blade to the taped box and exposed six boxes of coloring.   I handed him one that was imprinted with a number “five” and “pound” word and told him I just saved his company twelve dollars and change.   Good-bye.   Now you would assume that my good deed for the day was done but don’t ever forget the other very important adage to that concept; no good deed ever goes unpunished !

I arrived back at my house with the box of coloring, showed it to my mason and now I read on the box, “Bright Red” when I specifically ordered “Limestone Red” from the color chart.   To the phone I go, talked to my main man “Scott”, who helped me with the order and found out he gave me the wrong box.   They were closing shortly and would be open at 7AM on Monday, no time left this Friday to go back and get an exchange.   “Anyone live near me in Mechanicville who could drop off a box?” I asked.   “I don’t know where other employees live,” was the answer.   Lesson learned, I assumed I got what I paid for and hoped the problem could have been easily corrected, it was neither.   I was the ass in assume.

Now the weekend brick work wasn’t going to happen so time was lost on the project.   Come Monday morning and my main man “Moose” was supposed to be on the job at 7AM.   When he showed up just before 9:00 I had other things to do.   It takes about an hour to run down to Grimm and back; actually 40-45 minutes but who’s counting time?   So, I told “Moose” to go and pick up what we needed and he would be on the clock for labor and I’d give him a few bucks for gas; mind calculation, 30 miles round trip, 15 miles a gallon, 2 gallons at $2.50, five bucks, I’ll go six.   Moose goes down, gets the right color, leaves at 9 and returns at 11:00.   On his bill calculation he adds 2 hours for labor and $20 for gas.   You know the lesson, it rhymes.

You would assume when a bill comes in the mail it is correct, not always.   My wife Cathy always checks the credit card statements, the phone bills, the utility bills and the bank statements   Often they are wrong and usually not in our best interest.   Assume the grocery clerk and the scanner are adding things up right and learn the lesson at home that they were wrong.   When you assume, it costs you time and money.

If a grocery clerk doesn’t know what an apricot or a bunch of scallions are you would assume they would ask.   If not they may charge for the incorrect item.   You assume the scanner is correct but if the stock man doesn’t put in the right code or adjust the code for sale items, you pay more.   Never assume your grocery trip is an outing, it is a chore, a job, often a learning experience.

I have an answering machine on a particular phone line and the line is set up so no outgoing calls can be made.   Cathy checked the phone bill and found a charge that my answering machine accepted a collect call.   I will have to speak with it!   Another erroneous $9.00 charge for another company re-routing my calls; no they weren’t!   Don’t check the bill and you’ll pay extra. Another rule to live by is “If you are not part of the solution you are part of the problem.”   Training for sales clerks, computer operators and people in general is essential.   Assume ignorance and train.

One would assume that our legal system is generally correct in its outcome.   You would assume wrong,   The lady with the scales is blindfolded so assume nothing will go right and you may stay out of jail.   I embrace the death penalty for horrendous crimes but assuming you would never be charged with murder when you are completely innocent doesn’t work well when walking the last few yards on death row.   Good plan or bad, don’t really know but if your life depended on the assumption that the system is infallible, you could assume wrong.  

On the subject of law and lawyers, today at 1PM Cathy and I go to a closing of understanding on a restaurant we wish to purchase.   We’ve worked long and hard on this deal and it now all comes down to a meeting of the minds; we assume we are all on the same page and all will go well.   We’ve done our diligence in explaining what we want and have agreed with the sellers on all aspects.   Will our lawyers be on this same plane, the same field of view, the same page as we are.   We’ll see later.

Donald Trump gave advice as to always be ready to walk away from a deal until the very last moment of signature.   We adhere to that advice and are willing to do so with this deal.   If it is not exactly how you want it, decide beforehand on what you will do.   Walk away if necessary.   Never assume it will work out, it usually will not.

Now my week isn’t quite finished, yet. Yesterday I was met at my shop by a customer and I was a bit rushed for time anyway and events got carried away.   I unlocked my door, put keys in pocket, turned off the alarms, turned on the lights and talked about guns. Needed to be somewhere else so when I finished I was just going to quickly lock up again and come back later.   Reached into pocket for keys, went to lock the front door and found that I only had the round part hanging on the ring, only had half a key.   Proceeded to check the key hole and there I saw an object in the slot, the rest of my key?   Luckily, I have an inner door which I did lock and left the outer door unlocked.   I will repair it later or call a locksmith and away I went.

Cathy asked when I would be home for dinner and I told her if I didn’t need the locksmith in an hour or so.   Back at the shop about 4:00 PM I proceeded to take the lock apart, naturally a set screw that holds the thing-a-ma-jig wasn’t going to move so I took out my handy lock-picks to see if I could get the broken end out. The tools went in awfully easy and I could grab nothing. I had taken a spare key and checked it to see what the end looked like, for some reason I also tried to insert it into the lock … went in just fine! There was no broken part of the key in there, I just assumed there was. On checking my pants pocket in the evening after emptying the day’s accumulation, there was my broken end.   All in a day’s assumption, I guess.

Lesson learned in the last few minutes of reading is that when you assume something of another or of an instance you generally will achieve disappointment rather than your intended outcome.   Practice clarity in your conversations and even in your thoughts and conclusions.   The dictionary defines “assume” as to “take as granted or true”; that is, to “suppose.”   Another meaning is, “to take up or upon oneself” as to assume responsibility.   These two meanings, among others, make the act of assumption a very important part of everyday life.   As I said previously, life is hard, don’t make it any harder by assuming it is not.

However I do assume, you will check out my Dave’s World Page on NEACA.com to observe the outcome.

Gun Show page with restaurant reviews .

Half of You Dummies Voted For It ...

By INVESTOR'S BUSINESS DAILY   Posted Friday, February 13, 2009 4:20 PM PT  

Stimulus: Say this for the $787 billion behemoth that Congress voted on on Friday — never in our history has a more important vote been cast on legislation with so little scrutiny. Couldn't they at least read the thing before voting on it?  

The 1,434-page bill is, in a word, massive. It's full of details that deserve to be given a close look before anyone votes. As the old saying goes, the devil's in the details — and if you can't look at the details, you might just end up with the devil.   

The bill that President Obama called "the largest change in domestic policy since the 1930s" was jammed down Congress' throat, breaking almost all the promises of bipartisanship and transparency along the way. 

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid vowed to give members of Congress at least 48 hours to look at the historic legislation before them. 

After all, the bill will spend the equivalent of nearly 9% of our GDP while adding $1.2 trillion to our national debt. Obama vows to "create or save" 3.5 million jobs at a cost of $263,000 per job. Shouldn't it get even a little bit of scrutiny? 

Apparently not. The bill went on line sometime early Friday morning, not too long before passing 246-183 with not a single Republican vote and seven Democrats voting against it. So much for a "bipartisan" plan, another promise broken. 

In the House at least, there wasn't even the pretense of bipartisanship. The Democrats drafted their bill with no input from the Republicans. 

In the Senate, Democrats found three Republicans — Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe, both of Maine (pop. 1.3 million), and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania — to give them bipartisan cover and to provide a 60-vote filibuster-proof majority.  (What a crew of RINO'S)

Even more obscene was the undue haste with which Congress voted on this bill as it was still coming together late last week. As House GOP leader John Boehner noted on the floor, "not one (House) member has read this bill." 

That was by design. Pelosi was keen to leave town on a weeklong recess, and she didn't want to have to wait for a little thing like debate over the largest spending bill ever passed.

Nor is it a partisan issue. As Missouri Democrat Emanuel Cleaver said, "Regardless of party, we all cast our votes with one hand and crossed our fingers with the other."Is this any way to pass a so-called stimulus package? 

Even worse, as U.S. News and World Report has noted, lobbyists — not members of Congress — got the first shot at suggesting changes to the measure. 

The newsweekly's Paul Bedard said "one key Democratic staffer" e-mailed him the following: "K Street (Washington's lobbyists' row) has the bill, or chunks of it already, and the congressional offices don't." 

This was Thursday night, on the eve of the vote. And remember, Congress had voted to put the bill online for at least 48 hours before it took action. Not until Friday morning, however, did it hit the Web. All a lie. 

Why the haste? Surely one reason is the bill is stuffed with pork and short of real stimulus. Its authors don't want the details out. They shouldn't be surprised, then, when voters bridle at what they've been saddled with. 

Another reason seems to be that lawmakers had pressing business overseas during this week's recess, and really didn't want to stick around Washington.  

In Pelosi's case, she and several other Democrats were due to leave Friday evening for an eight-day tour of Europe, including Rome. We wouldn't want to get in the way of her travel plans, would we? 

In this month of celebrating the bicentennial of President Lincoln's birth, we can't help recalling his prayerful hope at Gettysburg — that "government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." 

This bill pretty much inverts Lincoln's ringing words. In this sorry episode at least, it was "government of the lobbyists, by the lobbyists, for the lobbyists." In other words, a real disgrace.

NEWS RELEASE

HOLDER NOMINATION SIGNALS OBAMA'S TRUE ANTI-GUN RIGHTS AGENDA

THE POLITICAL BEAST

Commentary by David Petronis ~ October 25, 2008

  The media has taken polls suggesting less than two weeks prior to this most important of elections, that Obama has due cause to begin measuring for new drapes in the White House.   Not only the Presidency has already been decided but the new Congress will have a huge majority in the House and at least 60 uncontestable Democrats in the Senate.   Nancy Pelosi will have you “sending in your guns” for destruction as Harry Reid collects checks for the Treasury Department for your new “government sponsored Health Care System.”

Now it’s reported that the vast majority of white Catholics are also voting for Barrack Hussein Obama, noteworthy to the point that they have always picked the next president with their block vote.   I am one of the descenting white Catholics who will be voting for John McCain and voting out the New York State Democrats.   I hope I have a majority of friends who follow me to keep our nation a Christian Country.

Consider this, Ye Christians; Revelation 13:5, the Beast.   Revelations tells us the Beast (anti-Christ) will rule for 42 months and then destroy everything.   During the six month honey moon and reorganization after the inauguration, 42 months are left in this next Presidential term.   Obama has stated that this will no longer be a Christian nation --- it will be one of Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists ….. I, for one, don’t agree with this new design for America, how about you?  

According to the Book of Revelations the anti-Christ is:   The anti-Christ will be a man in his 40’s, of Muslim descent, who will deceive the nations with persuasive language and have a massive Christ-like appeal.   The prophecy says that people will flock to him and he will promise false hope and world peace.    And when he is in power will destroy everything………..

Do I see a similarity between the prophecies in Revelations to the pernicious candidate of the Democrats, you decide.   It is hard for me to believe that the likes of today’s Democrat leaders can flaunt the efforts of George Washington and the Patriots in war and John Adams, Paul Revere or Thomas Jefferson in their cause of liberty and Halls of Congress.   They flaunt our heritage, all the blood spilled to make America the finest nation on earth, they decry God from our Constitution and they coerce the Forth Estate, the media, to promote their aims and their ascent to power.   Can we allow this to continue?   I think not.

The culmination of Obama’s four years in office, besides following the dire prophesy of Revelations also coincides with the Mayan Culture date of world destruction currently figured out to be 2012.   Is this coincidence that these two far removed prophecies converge upon the same future date in history of mankind’s ruin and destruction? And there are other similar cultural predictions.

It may be that the worst to come is not immediately from Obama himself but rather from the jubilance of the Democrats to their resurgence of power, the overwhelming controlling votes of the House and Senate along with the veto-proof, though unnecessary, Presidency.   Not since 1978 when Jimmy Carter was President did the Dems hold this much anticipated power. That is the time they fooled with the “Houses for Everyone Theory” the culmination of which thirty years later is the need to bail-out Freddie Mac and Fanny Mae leading to the housing crises leading to the banking crisis and another $700 million dollars balanced on the backs of our grandkids.   Look it up if you have any doubt that this is not the root of the problems we have today.

Can you try to imagine what the Democrats will do first: Voter registration on the same day as the election; Voting for felons, in or out of jail; Union Boss looking over your Voting Shoulder Act; Sweeping reforms to curtail any future buying of the election as is being tried now (known as the Comprehensive Incumbent Re-Election Reform Act); Turn in your guns, the days of Hunting and Shooting Are Over Act; a car in every garage and pot for people mandate payed for by Redistribution of Wealth Act; anything they wish to retrieve from the garbage heap of liberal discards will again be in play plus all those wonderful new ideas of how the Dems can help us all with more dependency on those in government … the true and real meaning of the progressive cause … scary indeed!

On their ascension into power, the Day of Inauguration 2009 the Political Beast will begin to be unleashed upon the unsuspecting hoards who allowed them to deceive you.   Fortunately there will still be gun shops and gun shows still open in January where protection can be obtained for thwarting the impending doom … though the powers within the bureaucracy will now have all your personal information and what you own … that is a good thing, right?   Think about your vote this time.   See us at NEACA.com.

McCain is in Trouble

Commentary by David Petronis, October 8, 2008

   If you watched the second Presidential debate last night without falling asleep give yourself an “A” for absolute attentiveness but give John McCain an “F” for what should have been fighting spirit with innovative attacks on Obama’s character and sleazy friends.   The whole hype leading to this as to what McCain “had to do” in the pundit’s eyes reminded me of the “shock and awe” I was disappointed with during the bombing of Baghdad.   I waited and waited, and waited but no “awe” was to be seen; too many war movies, I guess and no doubt my expectations this time were a bit too high for McCain to sweep in on the low road.   There is less than four weeks before our country drowns in toilet water so us real Americans are going to have to push our friends and neighbors to take a good look at what kind of changes are soon to come.   My intent here is not to be pretty with prose but alarmist with reality.

   This McCain fellow just can’t seem to call a spade a spade!   Does he view himself as a gentleman from the Senate who can’t speak ill of another Senator to his face?   Get over it, John, or you are going to lose!   While Obama and the rest of the ideological democrats stick in a knife with a friendly smile, good ‘ol John is going to be hugging the floor with moans rivaling “Et tu, Brute’?”   Being swept under the rug of oblivion by media hyping of liberal sound bites over and over again and not coming up kicking, biting and scratching is not a good plan, John.   Thank God for Sarah!   But you, my friend, have got to start kicking some ass.

   It amazes me that anyone with a name that has the sound and syllables of our number one terrorist, Osama, a middle name of the tyrant we needed a war to depose, Hussein and a common first name Barack with an Arabic origin has gotten this far in the electoral process.   Don’t you people know that names actually suggest a meaning?   If I step in sh-- and it stinks, the name of that fits.   We are still a nation full of Anglo-Saxon Christians and our customs, laws and Constitution were founded on their beliefs.   Well, at least for now we are.   Since when did we invite the Anti-Christ in?   The old belief was that if you wanted to come to America you could come but when you got here you became an American and celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas.   When did that requirement change?   Nobody asked me if it was OK.   I don’t see hyphenated Americans and I don’t think they belong here.   I only see Americans that can conform, if you don’t like it, leave.   How then can one who calls himself an African-American have the gall to run for President of our America?   It boggles my mind!   And this guy is more Muslim in name and nature than African.   Even in his book on life he says if push comes to shove he will stand with the Muslims.   And 50% of the idiots who we have given the right to register and vote think he’s just swell.   Boggle, boggle!  Where did we go wrong?   GW, I am sorry, I know you are turning in the grave.

   Guilt by association should have been a game stopper long ago for this Afro from Chicago.   The affirmative action programs aside where did the money and influence come from that put this poor boy, born in the usual out of wedlock style of a salt and pepper affair, into the best of Universities?   I don’t think it was his grades.   Dig into it and Muslims seem to have had a hand.   Look into what he did during his formative and college years besides drugs and learn about associations with radicals and ACORN , the “community organizer” portion of his portfolio.   When Obama was eight, Bill Ayers of the Weatherman terrorist group bombed US Government buildings, a technicality got him off from spending his life in prison.   When Obama started his political career it was around a coffee table with Bill Ayers, the terrorist.   I rest my case!

   When Jeremiah Wright says it’s time for a black woman to legally sleep in the White House I envision the next step is to re-paint it black.   When Father Flagher flails his arms like a chicken and wishes he was black I envision him roosting on the Capital dome and crapping over the deserved Senate below.   When Farrakhan raises his arm to black power and points toward his coming space ship I envision a return to goose stepping ideologue’s of yesterday’s idiocy.   Simply watch and listen to the friends of Obama and if you are not yet scared of the consequences of his Presidency, take your pulse!

   Fellow Americans if you do not want to wake up to socialistic doctrines, guaranteeing of negro reparations from the Civil War, religious zealots whose religion is to kill the white man and strip his body flesh, to associations with terrorists in the White House, to police bashing, crime laden rappers shrieking “niggers kill whities” then you had best try your damnedest to turn this trend around and vote in the next best President, John McCain.   And don’t look for God’s help if he loses, we brought Sodom on ourselves.

Alien Breeding of Democrats ...

Some of you will recall that on July 8, 1947, a little over 60 years ago, witnesses claim that an unidentified flying object (UFO) with five aliens aboard, crashed onto a    sheep and cattle ranch just outside Roswell, New Mexico.  

This is a well known incident that many say has long been   covered up by the US Air Force and other federal agencies.  However, what you may NOT know is that in the month of April 1948, nine months after that historic event, the following people were born:

      Albert A. Gore, Jr.

      Hillary Rodham Clinton

      John F. Kerry

      William J. Clinton

      Howard Dean

      Nancy Pelosi

      Dianne Feinstein

      Charles E. Schumer

      Barbara Boxer

      See what happens when aliens breed with sheep?  I certainly hope this bit of information clears up a lot of  things for you, it did for me.  No wonder they support the bills to help illegal aliens!  Now you know.

Do you think that the government should bailout Wall Street and the banks to the tune of $750 BILLION DOLLARS?  I don’t, no matter what the people in the know say.   David Petronis 9/26/08

When politicians start talking about billions of dollars they actually begin to start paying attention.  When a Washingtonian speaks in millions he or she thinks of pocket change, from our pockets of course.  But when billion or trillion come into play their radar tunes in, probably trying to figure out how to get at least a small piece of it, after all hiding a few hundred million in hundreds of billions is easy.  Do you know what a billion is?

My calculator only goes up to ten million so I had to resort to the old pencil and paper method to figure something out.  Let’s say out of the 300,000,000 people in the USA, (that figure is 300 million if you write it out) that only 200,000,000 are actually over 18 and working for a living and possibly paying taxes.  Now instead of giving out a bailout of OUR MONEY (because the only way the government gets its’ money is from us in taxes or it prints it as a loan from us) we cut that 750 billion in half and divide it up among us 200 million citizens.  If my math is correct, that gives a bailout to each taxpayer of $1,875.00.    That is my plan.

Ever heard of the Bakken Formation?

GOOGLE it or follow this link.   http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=1911

This report may be a bit optimistic but it hasn’t been proven wrong either.

The U.S. Geological Service issued a report in April ('08) that only scientists and oilmen knew was coming, but man was it big. It was a revised report (hadn't been updated since '95) on how much oil was in this area of the western 2/3 of North Dakota; western South Dakota; and extreme eastern Montana ... check THIS out:

The Bakken is the largest domestic oil discovery since Alaska's Prudhoe Bay, and has the potential to eliminate all American dependence on foreign oil. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates it at 503 billion barrels. Even if just 10% of the oil is recoverable... at $107 a barrel, we're looking at a resource base worth more than $5.3 trillion.

'When I first briefed legislators on this, you could practically see their jaws hit the floor. They had no idea.' says Terry Johnson, the Montana Legislature's financial analyst.

'This sizable find is now the highest-producing onshore oil field found in the past 56 years,' reports The Pittsburgh Post Gazette. It's a formation known as the Williston Basin, but is more commonly referred to as the 'Bakken.' And it stretches from Northern Montana, through North Dakota and into Canada. For years, US oil exploration has been considered a dead end. Even the 'Big Oil' companies gave up searching for major oil wells decades ago. However, a recent technological breakthrough has opened up the Bakken's massive reserves... and we now have access of up to 500 billion barrels. Because this is light, sweet oil, those billions of barrels will cost Americans just $16 PER BARREL!

That's enough crude to fully fuel the American economy for 41 years straight.

US Oil Discovery- Largest Reserve in the World!

Stansberry Report Online - 4/20/2006 Hidden 1,000 feet beneath the surface of the Rocky Mountains lies the largest untapped oil reserve in the world is more than 2 TRILLION barrels. On August 8, 2005 President Bush mandated its extraction ... that was over three years ago!

They reported this stunning news: We have more oil inside our borders, than all the other proven reserves on earth. Here are the official estimates:

8-times as much oil as Saudi Arabia
18-times as much oil as Iraq
21-times as much oil as Kuwait
22-times as much oil as Iran
500-times as much oil as Yemen- and it's all right here in the Western United States.

HOW can this BE? HOW can we NOT BE extracting this!? Because the democrats, environmentalists and left wing republicans have blocked all efforts to help America become independent of foreign oil.

James Bartis, lead researcher with the study says we've got more oil in this very compact area than the entire Middle East, more than 2 TRILLION barrels, Untapped. That's more than all the proven oil reserves of crude oil in the world today, reports The Denver Post.

Barak Hussein Obama just finished his first debate with John McCain claiming that the US had only 3% of the world’s oil and consumed over 25% of it … so we should switch to wind and solar for our needs.  The wind, I can see generated by the Democrat politicians on the hill but as for solar I’ll be sticking some of the millions they should be sending me instead of Wall Street so far up their behinds along with their heads they will never see the sun again.  Vote these ridiculous people out of office once and for all.

Sarah Palin’s Foreign Policy Experience

Commentary by David Petronis, September 1, 2008

Hooray for McCain

Commentary by David Petronis,

August 29, 2008

    Funny thing happened on the way to the caribou hunt … my husband told me I got a call from John about being chosen for the Vice President of these United States … told my hubby to wait a second, got to take this shot…… and I am one proud Mama today!!!

   So goes today’s saga of Sara Barracuda, also known as Sarah Palin, present Governor of the largest State in our Union, Alaska.   From long shot on the long list of Veep choices for Republican Presidential contender John McCain, Sarah Palin is a welcome choice to my small family of Conservatives and to our massive party of disgruntled Republicans.   Thank you John, you will now get my vote and some of my money.

   Sarah is a Life Member of the National Rifle Association, ran a fishing boat for a business, likes to hunt and fish, married twenty years to the same guy who also likes to hunt and fish plus is a world class snow mobile champion, was a beauty pageant winner, been in politics for about eighteen years nowhere near Washington, DC, been a Mayor of a small City in Alaska, been Governor for the last two years, lowered property taxes and started a savings account with the money saved, handles and shoots assault weapons, wants to drill for more oil and gas in ANWR, is a mother with five children, one of them in the US Army about to be shipped to Iraq, thinks of herself as a hockey-mom but also coached basketball, had time to join the PTA, her husband is a Union Member, she is white but, what can I say, she is not a part of the good-ol-boy network, shook up the Republican Party in Alaska when they were found to be doing the wrong things, has an approval rating from her constituents of over 80%, is the first woman to be nominated for the second highest office in the land by the Republican Party, and did I mention she likes to hunt and her favorite food is Moose Stew?   And she looks damn good in a suit with a skirt!

   But, alas, the democrats and liberals have already asked how many houses she brings to the McCain campaign while also noting that just like their Presidential Candidate, BHO; she has no foreign policy experience.   Can’t have everything, I guess but she sure will make a nice Vice President alongside the next President of the United States, John McCain, who has plenty of experience dealing with slime balls, Washingtonites,   and terrorists in general.   I wonder where she got that nickname of Barracuda. Joe Biden won’t bloody her nose in the playground!   You better see your mama, Joe.

   Some folks thought her crack about the 18 million cracks put in the glass ceiling by Hillary Clinton was a wisecrack when Sarah concluded with her chance to break it as a Republican.   I believe it was a sincere thank you to Hillary and to Geraldine Ferraro before her.   History was made these past few days in Denver and I was privileged to have been able to see it happen.   Today more history was made and I feel that through John’s choice my own granddaughters have just as much chance as anyone to grow up to be President.   Only in America, only in these United States of America can we be witness to such historical days such as these.   God bless us all and God Bless America for all time.

   PS:   Please Vote and Vote for the Republican ticket in November.   It will take your children’s lifetime to undo the damage the alternative party will envelop upon us in four short years of their ideology.   To those of you who think George Bush is or was the problem, remember who kept us safe these past eight years.   To those who think the Republicans are or were the problem, remember who controls Congress today and who went on vacation from the gasoline price problem.   When democrat Nancy Pelosi gavels dead the drilling for new oil and Barak Hussein Obama claims he is going to wean us off oil in 10 years with natural gas, do you think perhaps there may be something wrong with policy and rhetoric?   Do you know that natural gas is simply a by-product of oil drilling?   Before you pull that lever for, who knows who, Barak (one the most familiar of Arabic names) (Hussein?)(Obama – the only difference with Osama is the BS), you had better know who is behind the lever.

Gun Rights Stand Test of Time

Commentary by David Petronis, June 26, 2008

   Well, it’s swell!   Five out of nine Justices of the Supreme Court of the USA agreed that our Founding Fathers had it right all along these past two hundred and some years since they penned the Second Amendment.   The Right of the People to own guns shall not be infringed.   But what does that say about the other four in robes?   Probably none of them have been mugged yet.

   In seriousness, with that small margin this historic vote along party lines could well have been cast in a different manner.  What should have been Nine to Zero, this vote made Justice Kennedy the most powerful man in the US, the swing man.   As are the “Independents” who will swing this November 4^th election one way or the other because they can’t seem to take a stand until they see how the wind is blowing.   Whether Justice Kennedy is one of the great men who weighs all options or simply votes his convictions on an issue or just throws a dart, I don’t know.    Regardless, this time he targeted the right spot in our Constitution and saved our day in court.   This ruling could have very far reaching effects on all our besieged rights.

   I would imagine the National Rifle Association is partying down in DC about now. And probably getting ready to assault a few more gun banning laws and cities in the near future.  I heard Chief James Tuffey of the Albany Police Department comment on the radio today that it wasn’t the legal guns that he was worried about but rather the illegal “straw man” purchases made in other, less regulated States than New York, then filtered here onto his streets.   He said that he favored a Federal Law that would be applied to all gun purchasers equally in all the States.   Well, States Rights issues aside, as a gun dealer and as a firearms carrier I would even go along with something like that if all gun carry permits were then recognized as Federal Carry Permits, good anywhere in the USA.   I think even the good old NRA would find that compromise interesting.

   The news today was full with reporting of this court decision.   Most call-in folks to radio talk shows were pro-gun and liked the ruling.   But the news spots had to find the guy who thought this was disastrous and how it was so important now to vote for democrats this November.   I’m sure his life on earth will forever now be terrorized by gun-totin’ Republicans!

   So what about the New York State pistol permits that are labeled for “Hunting and Target” shooting only, in some counties?   Is it legal for a local Judge to apply his “feelings” to your Constitutional Right to gun ownership?   Probably not, though never been challenged.

   Today’s ruling explicitly stated that Citizens have a right to have a gun in their home for self protection.   Does that mean the “Castle Doctrine” laws that forty or so other States have adopted must be legally available in all States?   Like here in New York?   NY says we citizens have to run out the back door if someone is trying to break in your front door, the “escape route” option.   I am going to have the idiot running in the front door hitting the floor from a blast of .44, no option here.   Will I now be legally protected?   Unfortunately, this ruling by the Supreme’s doesn’t address any of these issues.

   It was still a great day for gun owners and sane people throughout this great Country.   At last a little sanity has come down from on high and, at least today, all is right with the world.

The One, the Only, He has Come!

Commentary by David Petronis , June 2, 2008

      Barak Hussein Obama has now resigned from his church because he doesn’t want his Pastor or his mentors or his other church member brothers and sisters to have to endure any more controversy in the news simply because he is running for the democrat candidacy for President of these United States.   Isn’t that special?   Isn’t that the most unselfish act you have ever heard?   BHO is giving up his church of twenty years so no more controversy and threats will be aimed at his Trinity United Church members by the media.   Wow, what a guy!   Sounds more like BULL.

      So it came to pass that the righteous one, the white skinned hater of America, was called upon by the Almighty above to save Obama and drive him from the flock.   Not because of wickedness but for LOVE.   Drive him to besmirch the church for hate speech due whitey from whitey so the real Negro could speak again to his Pastoral flock; the anointed one can reign without controversy and be free to lurk in circles of deceit and depravity whilst his tined tongue beseech thee who speaks the Negro secession of oppression.   So is the word of GOD…A, according to Father Pfleger!  Change, oh change has BEGUN!

      It is said that there will come unto us a Savior.   One who will lead us to his home of astonishing beauty where one will live forever among promises of glory and satisfaction. That a change will come from a man of destiny and Deity who will speak the words all wish to consume.   None shall be suspect of his words or deeds while they listen and see the Glory. None will doubt the sincerity of his convictions nor detect the venom spurred to his victims.   He will come in splendor and pomp among and through his hoard with meretricious merriment and subtle deceitful scorn.   The Anti-Christ will deceive you with love to devour your soul with despise.

      Anyway, that is how I see this not black enough Muslim convert who just trounced the Whitey Woman who knew it was her legitimate turn.   How about you?   Rush Limbaugh seems to think that the white Priest was given the task of providing Hussein the way out while pointing the blame to whitey instead of wacky blacky Wright.   Better White than Wright… to blame.   I tend to agree with glee and know in my heart that the Libs will conjure and conspire to any end to justify whatever deemed their final goal.

Hi there, just wanted you all to know that Bebe is doing a major national commercial for GM on Chevy Silverado Trucks and the real people who own them.

Do you know anyone who may be interested?  Have them check out the Chevy website,  http://www.chevy200k.com

We ONLY want people who have 200k MILES on their SILVERADO truck and a GREAT STORY and WANTS to be in a national commercial.  (GUN DEALERS ??)

I wonder when we are going to bomb Iran.  Muslims seem to only understand that might is right.  Now we hear from two of the Gulf States that we protect daily insist that the US can't use our bases on their soil to make war on Iran.  But Iran can perform an act of war against one of our best allies, the British.  I say, knock their veils and rags off the sheetheads and blow them back to the stone age, about a hundred years from where they are now!  And to the local Muslim professor who just resigned from Skidmore in Saratoga Springs, NY because of the controversy over ethnic jokes and too much US Patriotism in Sea World, FL I say good riddance.  You are right we don't want you over here.  If you claim Turkish- American citizenship go cry about us in Turkey and take the rest of the Turkeys with you.  I believe Rush Limbaugh had a hand in her final decision, thanks, Rush.  A tit for tat for bus drivers.

What Ayatollah Alisheethead never told the suicide recruits ...

However, when Dick Cheney arrives with Quail ... well that's another story!

History of Conservatives and Liberals .... plus History of Lincoln & Kennedy

I am really sick of this politically correct and overly sensitive life style that all of us are supposed to imagine that we are in these days.  I think I've blown a fuse ..... See my "incorrect" commentary below....

How to Save the Airlines ~ Below....

April 13, 2006 below... see Robin Williams' plan for Liberty & Order!

April 2, New Retirement Plan

Mar. 31, Things You Should Know

Feb 15, Dick shoots Lawyer ....  Good Boy!

Jan 2,  New Diatribe on Patriot Act

Also See ~ Racist my Butt ~ below

OK, if you can't wait for all the rest of the good things just go to the bottom of the page!

America's New War ... Link

Breaking Good News ...

All you older folks are going to love this..

Remember When link