Mike Huber

The banking, car, housing and insurance industries may be suffering with our current recession but the firearms industry is booming and President Barack Obama is being recognized by many as the ‘unofficial’ firearms salesman of the year.

According to FBI estimates, currently over 200 million Americans are exercising their  Second Amendment rights to bear arms.  Based on the number of people that I saw at the Crossroads of the West Gun Show in Phoenix this weekend, many more are adding themselves to the list.  There were acres of displays including handguns, AR-style rifles, body armor, holsters and associated accessories.  The show was so crowded that it was hard to move from table to table.  Almost everyone I saw exiting the show was either carrying ammo or a firearm or both.

Ever since the reality set in that Obama would be elected President, guns and ammo have been flying off the shelves.  In fact, the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) reported there was a 42 percent increase in applications for firearms from November 2007 to November 2008.  Many gun dealers report selling a year’s worth of ammo in just one month.

Americans are stocking up on guns and ammo for a number of reasons.  Some are uncomfortable with the way the country is heading and with the economy the way it is, they are trying to make sure they will be safe if the economy causes a rise in crime.  With Obama’s previous track record with supporting gun control measures and voting against Americans individual rights to own firearms, others are certain that Obama will ban assault rifles and try to tax ammunition to the degree cigarettes are already being taxed. In addition, many think that Obama will try to ban sales of regular handguns and sporting rifles as well.  American consumers are buying all kinds of guns and stocking up on ammo in anticipation of Obama’s actions to ban all firearms.

Many people are afraid of what the future might bring so they are getting prepared for the worst case scenario.  Well mannered society is a very thin veneer and if things get really bad, Americans want the ability to defend themselves.  As it is right now, it takes forever to muster the police through a 911 call.  If the crime rates skyrocket because of the economy, the police will be way too busy to help the average American in a timely manner.  Many believe the bumper sticker, “When seconds count, the police are minutes away.”

Firearms manufactures are months behind filling orders and ammunition manufacturers are slammed with orders, running 3 shifts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Even with the increase number of hours, they can’t keep up.  Retailers are running out of ammo. Shelves are bare and when ammo does come in, it’s snapped up in seconds.    Manufacturers of semi-automatic pistols in popular calibers (9mm, .40, .45), AR-style rifles, and any firearm with a ‘high-capacity magazine find themselves months behind the demand created by the top firearms salesman in America; Barack Obama.

The following is from a post I read this morning by Robert Ivan at:  http://www.metaprinter.com

“Marshall McLuhan was concerned with the observation that we tend to focus on the obvious. In doing so, we largely miss the structural changes in our affairs that are introduced subtly, or over long periods of time. Whenever we create a new innovation – be it an invention or a new idea – many of its properties are fairly obvious to us. We generally know what it will nominally do, or at least what it is intended to do, and what it might replace. We often know what its advantages and disadvantages might be. But it is also often the case that, after a long period of time and experience with the new innovation, we look backward and realize that there were some effects of which we were entirely unaware at the outset. We sometimes call these effects “unintended consequences,” although “unanticipated consequences” might be a more accurate description.” Read The Whole Thing

I was in the newspaper business for 16 years and for the most part, we focused on the obvious.  So much so that we did not see what was happening on the technology horizon and did not realize the impact it would have on our core business.  Newspapers looked at every innovation and new technology through their 30% margin prism and totally missed where their readers were going.  When newspapers finally woke up and saw what was happening, it was too late.

The quote makes me very uncomfortable.  It makes me think about what I’m missing in my current company.  Am I missing something that is very obvious?  Will it be too late for this company too? How about your company? Is it too late for you?

It’s time to test the new technologies, to vet them and to see how they might apply to your business.  If you aren’t investing the time in looking into social media, social networking and other Internet innovations, you’re falling behind.  Where are your customers now?  Where are they heading and what are you doing about their current and future direction.

Disruptive technologies and innovation have a tendency to turn many industries upside down.  Make sure you go along for the ride instead of going down for the count like the newspaper industry.

The media has totally missed what the Tea Parties are all about.  I’ve heard much of the reporting about how they are ‘right wing’, Republican, Fox News rallies full of people that that don’t even have a clue as to what the original Tea Parties were all about.  I’ve also read where the media thinks that it’s a protest about taxes put together by leaders of the Republican Party, Glenn Beck and other radio talk show hosts.

But here’s what I think they are all about.  First of all, they aren’t about right and left, conservative or liberal or even Republican or Democrat.  They aren’t really about taxes but the spending in the current administration lead many of the participants to take action.  They aren’t about us vs. them.  They aren’t about disliking BHO.  They are about people being fed up with a government that thinks they can keep coming back to use like we’re an ATM machine, spending our money on items that either we don’t want or don’t need.  The Tea Parties are about people finally waking up and taking action.  They are about people that are fed up with paying for social programs for people that think working is for suckers.  They’re about not wanting to support people who are getting money from the government for ‘disability’ when they are actually able bodied but too lazy to work.  They are about people being fed up with supporting people that can work but don’t. They are fed up with paying more for health care because so many people use the emergency room as their primary care instead of paying for health care (which most of them could afford if they wanted to).  They are tired of a government that won’t enforce the current laws we have on immigration but wants to give illegal aliens in-state tuition at all our universities.  They are about people that are tired of their tax dollars going to support abortion not only here in the US but now worldwide.

Not everyone at the tea parties would agree with what I wrote above.  But I think they all would agree that the change that is happening in Washington is not what they want or what they voted for.  I think they would all agree that they don’t feel like their elected representatives are listening.  I think they would tell you that their elected officials, with very few exceptions are only in it to line their pockets and put their own profits above their concern for America.

The media and current elected officials need to take note.  There is a lot of enthusiasm out there and there are people who protested that have never, ever been motivated to take action.  Right now, the tea party activists are disorganized and their leadership is scattered throughout the U.S.  There are chapters and small organizations in cities all around the country.  At some point, they will realize that they need to coalesce into a larger more cohesive group that encompasses all the things they stand for.  Once they do, the current incumbents need to watch out because they will be sitting on the sidelines after the next elections.  Even now with their separate disjointed groups, they are searching, interviewing and recruiting possible candidates for local, state and national positions.

This will become the most powerful voting block you’ve ever seen and when a leader who recognizes this and can get these scattered groups to come together, there will be real change.  There will be change that makes this country stronger by making government smaller, giving back states rights, giving Americans back our liberties and by letting us keep more of our hard earned money.

Someone sent me this in an email.  I thought it was a good story…enjoy.

Just a penny!

You always hear the usual stories of pennies on the sidewalk being good luck, gifts from angels, etc. This is the first time I’ve ever heard this twist on the story. Gives you something to think about.

Several years ago, a friend of mine and her husband were invited to spend the weekend at the husband’s employer’s home. My friend, Arlene, was nervous about the weekend. The boss was very wealthy, with a fine home on the waterway, and cars costing more than her house.

The first day and evening went well, and Arlene was delighted to have this rare glimpse into how the very wealthy live. The husband’s employer was quite generous as a host, and took them to the finest restaurants. Arlene knew she would never have the opportunity to indulge in this kind of extravagance again, so was enjoying herself immensely.

As the three of them were about to enter an exclusive restaurant that evening, the boss was walking slightly ahead of Arlene and her husband. He stopped suddenly, looking down on the pavement for a long, silent moment.

Arlene wondered if she was supposed to pass him. There was nothing on the ground except a single darkened penny that someone had dropped, and a few cigarette butts Still silent, the man reached down and picked up the penny.

He held it up and smiled, then put it in his pocket as if he had found a great treasure. How absurd! What need did this man have for a single penny? Why would he even take the time to stop and pick it up?

Throughout dinner, the entire scene nagged at her. Finally, she could stand it no longer. She casually mentioned that her daughter once had a coin collection, and asked if the penny he had found had been of some value.

A smile crept across the man’s face as he reached into his pocket for the penny and held it out for her to see. She had seen many pennies before! What was the point of this?

“Look at it.” He said. “Read what it says.” She read the words ” United States of America ”
“No, not that; read further.”
“One cent?” “No, keep reading.”
“In God we Trust?” “Yes!” “And?”
“And if I trust in God, the name of God is holy, even on a coin. Whenever I find a coin I see that inscription. It is written on every single United States coin, but we never seem to notice it! God drops a message right in front of me telling me to trust Him? Who am I to pass it by? When I see a coin, I pray, I stop to see if my trust IS in God at that moment. I pick the coin up as a response to God; that I do trust in Him. For a short time, at least, I cherish it as if it were gold. I think it is God’s way of starting a conversation with me. Lucky for me, God is patient and pennies are plentiful!

When I was out shopping today, I found a penny on the sidewalk. I stopped and picked it up, and realized that I had been worrying and fretting in my mind about things I cannot change. I read the words, “In God We Trust,” and had to laugh. Yes, God, I get the message.

It seems that I have been finding an inordinate number of pennies in the last few months, but then, pennies are plentiful! And, God is patient…

If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it.
If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it.
He sends you flowers every spring.
He sends you a sunrise every morning Face it, friend – He is crazy about you!
God didn’t promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain, but He did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way.
If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

Are you tired of the political mess?  Most of us are.  How is it that with the lowest approval ratings ever, incumbents keep getting elected and no matter if Republicans or Democrats are in power…everything stays the same…taxes keep going up and government keeps getting bigger.

Check out this link and consider taking action to get our country back from the lame brain politicans that are running it into the ground.

Tell Your Neighbor