Bring your tourist dollars to Texas

Five more unilateral proclamations were issued on November 18, granting reciprocation with Washington, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland, and California. Since I've heard pretty much nothing about CCW in Washington, I assume it's not an especially anti-gun state. The other four, however, are just about impossible for any common folk to legally carry concealed. So, why the proclamations?

Is the rest of the state just like San Antonio? I continue to feel quite fortunate that I do not live in that city--I just work there, and when the day is over I get out as fast as possible. But I know that the S.A. city council and various bigwigs will do anything they can, and step on anyone who gets in their way, to further the cause of the almighty "tourist dollar." Somehow they seem to think that tourism is the answer to all woes, and I just don't get it. More tourism means more jobs, they say, but they neglect to mention that those are service industry jobs, almost entirely only part-time, with poor hourly wages and pretty much zero in the way of health insurance or other benefits.

So, are these unilateral proclamations only an honest and unrequited way of somehow furthering Second Amendment rights? My cynical side says no, it's just a way of telling some rich, well-connected snobs to come to Texas, feel free to carry a gun, and leave a bunch of money here.

My apologies to anyone from those states who does have the equivalent of a CHL and who is not a rich, well-connected snob.

Reference: Texas Department of Public Safety - CHL Reciprocity

That's good shootin', Matt!

This Florida police officer claims it was an accident, but I think he is only being modest. I am of the opinion that this is one police officer who knows how to shoot a Taser:

Jeremy Miljour is charged with indecent exposure, resisting an officer and criminal damage.

Police said he was found naked, breaking windows and accosting women. When he didn't stop as ordered by arriving deputies, he was shot with a Taser gun.

Cpl. Matt Chitwood said one of the Taser prongs accidentally hit Miljour in a tender area and got stuck. He said officers are taught to aim for the torso, but that it was difficult to aim because Miljour was moving.

And at a moving target, no less!

tnx to The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns

As long as I'm on the subject...

Here's another H&R that I wouldn't mind getting my hands on.

32" barrel
46" OAL
.45-70 Government

The Buffalo Classic Rifle. Yeah.

The "Tactical" Handi-Rifle

First, a disclaimer: I don't own one of these so I can comment on it's performance.

I have a thing for single-shot guns. I grew up dove hunting with a single-shot 16-gauge. I spent a lot of time squirrel (and other varmint) hunting with a single-shot .22. One of my favorite fun guns is a .50 caliber Hawken replica. The idea of making that one shot count has a very strong appeal for me.

I'm sure that most people who read this already know of the Handi-Rifle. An affordable--and from what I've heard about it--accurate, reliable single-shot made by H&R/NEF. Some models have interchangeable barrels, and models are available in just about anything you want from .22 Hornet to .45-70, including shotguns.

I recently learned that Advanced Technology has a system to turn your Handi-Rifle into...well, it's still a Handi-Rifle, but with extras.

What was this...




...can be become this...



I could go deer hunting with that.

Church Sign

I've been seeing these things around for a long time, but a recent post by Xavier made me want to make my own. So here it is:

It's already an international incident

The War on Guns pointed to this article in WorldNetDaily. I also found it reported in the Austin American-Statesman:

A marijuana-laden dump truck got stuck in the Rio Grande between Texas and Mexico until men who looked like Mexican troops yanked the truck into Mexico, according to authorities.

Hudspeth County Chief Deputy Mike Doyal told the El Paso Times: 'Everyone had the presence of mind not to cause an international incident or start shooting.'

Thursday evening, Border Patrol agents tried to stop the dump truck on Interstate 10, sheriff's officials said. The truck fled to Mexico in the Neely's Crossing area.

The truck got stuck in the riverbed, and the driver took off running. Doyal said the driver returned with armed men, including men who arrived in official-looking vehicles with overhead lights and what appeared to be Mexican soldiers in uniform and with military-style rifles.

The standoff ended when the "soldiers" used a bulldozer to pull the dump truck into Mexico, sheriff's department officials said.

Officials with the Mexican army, used in anti-narcotics operations, could not be reached for comment.

This is already an international incident. Armed personnel--if they are Mexican cops or not is irrelevant--crossed the border and seized illegal drugs in the presence of United States law enforcement. I don't blame them for not starting shooting. They probably knew they were outnumbered and outgunned and decided they'd rather go home to their families than be dead. But this is something that is not going to go away. This is something that is only going to get worse.

I don't expect our government to do anything about it. I expect some citizens to eventually get so fed up that they do something about it, they will be branded "vigilantes" by the MSM and the government, and if any of them survive their encounter with Federale drug-runners they will be hunted down by "authorities" on this side of the border. Meanwhile, the "incidents" will continue.

The "international incident" is ongoing.

UPDATE: Michelle Malkin also reports on this, with several other pertinent links.

Dirty Bomb, Anyone?

Some radioactive antimony has mysteriously vanished:

It made stops in Abilene, Austin, Dallas and Tyler and somewhere along the way radioactive material came up missing before it got to East Texas. A New Mexico agency is hoping that someone in Texas can help them solve a mystery of some missing radio active material, that did not reach its destination in Kilgore.

Workers at ProTechnics in Kilgore were immediately alarmed when earlier this month a military style ammo box that contained radio-active material, turned up missing on a shipment from New Mexico.

The FBI is investigating the theft of the shipment. Investigators believe two vials of antimony-124, a radioactive material used in the oil and gas industry, were stolen before the truck got to Kilgore.

The vials were transported in a military style ammo box, but it was not marked and that's a problem according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. According to TxDOT, any vehicle transporting radio-active material must be marked accordingly, and any container holding the material. The material is also sometimes used for chemo-therapy in humans. The material is not considered a terrorist threat because of the small amount involved.

That makes me feel so much better.

Ouch!

The Smallest Minority reports on a kaboomed Colt Anaconda in .44 Magnum, and has a photo of what's left of the gun. Fortunately, the shooter was uninjured. But wow, what a mess.

Ammo Day Purchase

I went to Walmart because I had to do some grocery shopping also, and unfortunately, H.E.B. doesn't carry ammo. They had two boxes of Winchester white box .40 S&W on the shelf and I bought them both. They didn't have any buckshot. They had an enormous stock of bird shot, and even had several cases of 16-gauge. No buckshot or rifled slugs, though.

I could have made two stops, yes, but when I have to drag the kids around with me I want to get everything done in one place.

That had no copies, either DVD or VCR, of Red Dawn. No Death Wish, either. I did find a copy of Romper Stomper, but passed it up. I was halfway hoping to find The Boondock Saints, but no luck there, either.

Carnival of Cordite #39 @ Resistance is Futile!

Carnival of Cordite #39 is now online at Resistance is Futile! Lots of good gun stuff to be found.

Random Rambles

Last March or so, when I actually started to use this blog regularly, I figured it would only be a go if I focused on something that that I deeply cared about, that is, self-defense and Second Amendment rights. It is now several months later and I've been able to stick to it this time. Not only that, but I'm looking forward to doing this for some time to come. However, I would not be honest to myself or anyone who reads this if I used this blog for such a narrow focus. Which is why lately I have been attempting some more or less "humorous" posts, usually when something strikes me as being very absurd. The "humor" stuff may seem to some to be a little odd (like the thing about vampires protesting white phosphorus). But, this mix of serious and funny (if I can go so far as to call it that) is how my mind really works, and is a more accurate reflection of what I'm thinking about and what I think is important, or in some cases, just silly. And since this is my blog and no one can stop me from writing something stupid, I will most likely continue to use it to sharpen my writing chops.

In other news, Christmas came early this year, or something. I got home from work today to find I had been gifted with a fancy new digital camera that does movies as well as still photos. So I may be able to take decent photos of things for a change (it even has a "macro" mode). My wife is an Avon representative, and she is sometimes able to get things a little cheaper than the regular price by buying them as "demo models." Avon doesn't just sell makeup these days, you know.

As I'm sure everyone knows, tomorrow is Ammo Day, and I plan to participate, although I don't think I'll wait until 3:30 in the afternoon. I don't know about buying a copy of Red Dawn, though. I saw it when it was first released in the theater and I never really expected to go out of my way to see it again. I might get a copy of Death Wish instead.

Heh.

And with all the lame sequels that have been made, why wasn't there a sequel to Red Dawn? When the girl narrating it made a reference to "the opening days of world war three" near the end of the movie, I was sure that they were leaving room for a sequel. But then, they never made a sequel to Buckaroo Bonzai either.

Gas prices in San Antonio

This post at Michelle Malkin's blog reminded me that I had just wanted to say that gas in the northeast areas of the city are below $2.00/gallon. I got it for $1.97 this week. The cheapest places I've found are the Pilot and Petro truck stops at IH10 and Ackerman Road. There's a little hole-in-the-wall Shamrock Valero also on Ackerman just north of the big highway that was also $1.97. Several other stations in that general area are about the same.

I drive a lot in my job, and since I buy fuel for two vehicles (my own and the company truck), I always watch gas prices. I don't have to pay for the company fuel with my own money, but I figure it won't do any harm to try and get the cheapest gas possible.

There was also a Citgo station at S. Alamo and Johnson (I think that's where it was) that had it for $1.97.

Singapore police to keep close watch on Sexpo 2005

I can't make this stuff up:

Singapore opened its first sex exhibition on Friday with police saying they will also attend to make sure organizers and exhibitors comply with the city-state's strict laws.

Police and the Singapore's media watchdog have reminded event organizers of rules restricting the display of adult toys such as vibrators and warned them not to promote homosexuality.

'Organizers must not promote objectionable sexual behaviors or lifestyle, such as sado-masochism, bestiality, homosexuality, paedophilia and promiscuity,' police spokesman Victor Keong said.

Titled Sexpo 2005, the three-day event will feature erotic dance competitions, an array of sex toys and sex-friendly furniture, as well as a series of seminars on sexual health.

Keong said police will visit the exhibition site to ensure that the rules are not breached.

Uh-huh. Good story, guys.

I am somewhat curious as to how big a vibrator has to be before they consider it "oversized."

I've actually been waiting for this...

It's about time. From NRA-ILA:

Last week, DPS announced that, effective November 30, the new rules will take effect and New Mexico will grant reciprocity to the following 20 states: Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wyoming.

Next vacation: Albuquerque. And other points of interest.

More people see the light in Montgomery

News from Montgomery, Alabama:

About two months ago, Griffin heard comments Montgomery Mayor Bobby Bright made suggesting that residents buy a gun and learn how to use it to protect themselves.

[...]

Since the mayor's statements, the class has doubled in size, applications for gun permits are up, and at least one gun store owner has seen more customers.

At the sheriff's office, where applicants file for permits to carry concealed handguns, there were 499 new permits issued in the county in the two months following the mayor's Sept. 16 comments.

In the two months before Bright's comments, there were 427 new gun permits.

What is this "permit" which you speak of? Is there, perhaps, city revenue involved? Still, it's good news from where I'm sitting.

The term "target of opportunity" comes to mind...

From Reuters via Yahoo News:

Iran's volunteer Islamic militiamen are vowing to form a human chain along the length of the country's borders as a show of force against international pressure on Tehran's atomic program.

Iran faces referral to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions after failing to convince the world its nuclear fuel program is intended for power stations rather than warheads.
Mohammad Hejazi, head of the volunteer basij militia, swore he had enough people to girdle the country.

'Nine million basij will form a human chain around Iran on November 26 in support of the country's right to peaceful nuclear energy,' he told state television Wednesday.

Kindred Clans Unite to Condemn White Phosphorus Use

Spokes-beings from the stunningly attractive Ventrue, the scruffy-but-loyal Gangrel, and the compellingly grotesque Nosferatu clans met just after sunset today with a member of the ruggedly handsome but belligerent Bruja for a formal press conference to condemn the use of white phosphorus as a weapon. All four Kindred refrained from publicizing their names, for fear of "reprisals against their bloodlines," but were united in their stand against the incendiary chemical.

"White phosphorus is an evil and an abomination," said the Ventrue. "It is one of the few things that can kill us, and for that, we are opposed to its use under any circumstances."

The Bruja spokes-being then added, "Even I, of the most ancient and noble Bruja clan, agree with this verminous Ventrue regarding white phosphorus. Although I may not be opposed to its use as an eradicator of vile pests such as these," he finished, indicating the Gangrel.

The Gangrel then demonstrated the effectiveness of white phosphorus by firing a single shot into the Bruja, which left him a smoldering heap of bones and non-functioning organs on the ground.

The Nosferatu spokes-being then smiled and quietly stated, "We speak only the truth, you see."

The conference ended with the member of Gangrel clan stating, "If the cattle ever figure out how we make these bullets, we're toast."

White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan issued a short statement on behalf of the President: "Although the President is not against vampirism per se, as a true patriotic American he is opposed to the use of innocent Americans as a food source for these unclean legions of the living dead." He further stated that white phosphorus may still be used to "briefly illuminate their foul, blood-encrusted dens of feeding" for tactical purposes.

Vice President Dick Cheney also issued a rare, but pointed, public statement: "In the name of God, impure souls of the living dead shall be banished into eternal damnation. Amen."

A comment on the comments

Okay, I've fixed it so that on the individual post pages, the old Blogger comments are still displayed. So to everyone who left comments before I switched to Haloscan: your comments are still there! Woo hoo!

On new posts beginning yesterday only Haloscan comments are shown.

The professionals will protect us

Professionals like Denny Gulla:

Buckley Officer Ryan Boyle wrote in his report that he asked Gulla the reason for the stop. He got no answer, and noticed that Gulla was upset, so he went to speak with Kelly.

As they talked, Gulla came over, leaned into Kelly's window and began to yell at Kelly and Johnston. According to Boyle's report, Gulla screamed, 'You looking for my house mother-f---er? You better not be. If you're looking for my house I will kill you.'

Boyle would later tell his chief that Gulla repeatedly said, 'I will blow your f---ing brains out, do you understand me? I will take my pistol and I will shoot you in the f---ing head.'

Spit was flying from Gulla's mouth onto Kelly's face.

Kelly -- 6 feet 4 inches and 235 pounds -- was so terrified that the 5-foot 9-inch Gulla would shoot him that he wet his pants.

Gulla said he had a gun in his trunk seized from a crack head, 'a nobody, and that's what he'd use to shoot me in my mother f---ing face. And these two cops here will collaborate (sic) whatever story he says and I'll be gone,' according to Kelly.

Then, as Boyle watched, Gulla took Kelly out of the vehicle with his hands behind his back as though he was arresting him.

'I'm standing there with my fingers interlocked behind my back ... and he's just trying to get me to do something,' Kelly told investigators. 'He's making comments on my wife, just all kinds of garbage. He said something about, yeah, I'm the one f---ing your wife. ... He's just on and on about my kids, you're never gonna see your kids again. He was trying to get me to make a move or something. He wanted an excuse and he wanted it bad. I really felt like he was trying to get me to talk back. I thought he was gonna shoot me right there. I honest to God thought that this is it, I'm done.'

UPDATE: Welcome to Alphecca readers. I wanted to note that although this quote is long (longer than my usual excerpt anyway), it is only about one-third of the full article, so be sure and read the whole thing. Also note that these reports were not only from someone this officer had allegedly harrassed--part of it is also from another police officer, who undoubtedly operates under a much higher standard than this scum.

Newsflash: "Blue Press" catalog arrives with seals intact

In a startling turn of events, The Blue Press, catalog of Dillon Precision, arrived today in this blogger's mailbox with both seals completely intact and unbroken.

Since the seals were still intact, the catalog did not automatically fall open at certain opportune pages. Nor did it have the corners of certain pages turned down as if someone had marked them for further reference. Nor, especially, was it afflicted with disturbingly mysterious smudges.

One can only speculate that the regular mailman is on vacation, requiring the weekend mail-woman to fill in for him during the week. Possibly the mail-woman is interested in neither firearms accessories nor with comely, well-proportioned women. Another possibility is that the regular mailman has finally figured out that The Blue Press is indeed a catalog of firearms accessories and not a catalog of scanty clothing modeled by comely, well-proportioned women.

This blogger must also note that the cover photo of the December issue of The Blue Press does, in fact, feature a comely and well-proportioned lever-action rifle, brandished by an especially comely and well-proportioned woman.

Second Amendment Sunday at RHOG

A few weeks ago the guys at Right Hand of God began posting a specifically 2nd Amendment related article every Sunday. This week's installment is a real jewel. Go read it. You'll probably want to bookmark it, or save the quotes anyway, for future use.

Giraffe looking for love--anyplace, anytime--species unimportant

In Monterrey, Mexico:

Keepers of a small menagerie at a Mexican park are looking for a mate for a lovesick giraffe after the 15-foot-tall beast tried to make love to a tree and a garden shed.

The director of Central Park in Ciudad Juarez, south of the border from El Paso, Texas, said on Friday they have been looking since last month for a mate for the five-year-old giraffe, named Modesto.

'He's driving us crazy,' Juan Aragones told Reuters in a telephone interview. 'He's mounted a tree, a fence and even a shed.'

Aragones said Central Park had begun contacting animal dealers in Mexico to find a mate for Modesto, who was born in captivity and has lived alone at the recreational park for three years. He has never had a sexual partner.

The park is home only to Modesto and a few ducks.

Which are currently giving Modesto a very wide berth, I daresay.

"More Women Pack Pistols?" ABC asks incredulously

Yes, from ABC News:

"I refuse to be a victim, so basically that's why I got interested," said Dutko who is in her 50s. "Most people will go through their life and never have a problem but if you're prepared, then you can take care of a situation."

The retired history teacher is part of what appears to be a growing number of women who view carrying a weapon as an essential part of their safety, which has led the firearms industry to offer women only training classes, magazines and clothing for female gun owners.

"We get calls from women who didn't grow up around firearms...yet they have an interest in their personal safety...and it kind of goes from there. We've seen such an increase in participation in our programs," said NRA spokesperson Kelly Hobbs. "It does seem to at least stem from that interest in protecting their families and themselves."

Although, critics claim guns may not improve your safety.

According to the Brady Campaign To Prevent Gun Violence, if you have a gun at home, it's at least 20 times more likely to end up accidentally shooting you than it is to protect you from an intruder.

Still, women like Dutko feel safer with a firearm.

While there is no one statistic regarding female gun ownership nationwide, just look at the product racks in an outdoor sports store and it's apparent women are shopping.

"I have a holster purse," said Dutko. "They're very sharp. I don't want to look masculine I don't want to wear fatigues, plus I don't even hunt … but there is more and more out there for women."

Of course they had to include some Brady vomitus but overall this is a good article. There's lots more besides just what I quoted, and even a mention of Second Amendment Sisters.

Talk about "fair chase" hunting...

The Pennsylvania state Game Commission is thinking about adding the atlatl to the list of legal hunting weapons:

To use an atlatl, throwers hook arrowlike hunting darts into the end of the atlatl, which is generally a wooden piece about 2 feet long. The leverage of the atlatl allows them to throw the 5- to 8-foot darts much farther than they could throw a spear.

At BPS Engineering in Manhattan, Mont., a leading manufacturer of atlatls, sales have averaged about 450 in recent years, said owner Bob Perkins. Customers pay $140 for his company's 2-foot maple production-line model, the Warrior, along with a set of five 5 1/2-foot aluminum darts.

Perkins has killed two deer with atlatls and, a couple weeks ago, got his first buffalo.

'Atlatls were the first true weapon system developed by the human race,' he said. 'They were used longer than any other weapon. Comparatively speaking, the bow and arrow was a recent development in projectile technology.'

There is evidence that the weapons were used more than 8,000 years ago in Pennsylvania, said Kurt Carr, an archaeologist with the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.

Prehistoric atlatls have a distinctive counterweight feature called a winged banner stone that has helped confirm their existence at digs in Huntingdon and Bucks counties, among other places, said Carr. Atlatl use goes back far as 12,000 years elsewhere in North America and far longer in Europe.

And I'm sure that the atlatl has just moved into 728th place on the list of items that certain groups will want to ban.

A quick Google shows their website to be at Atlatl Bob - Precision Atlatl & Dart Systems. As mentioned in the article, a hunting atlatl with 5 darts can be yours (or mine) for $140.

Have you ever wondered what a hurdy-gurdy sounds like?

I have. I've seen pictures of them. I knew they were a very old instrument with a crank handle that used drones similar to the way a bagpipe uses drones. But I had never actually heard a good example of the hurdy-gurdy.

Interesting Thing of the Day gives us an article chock full of information about the hurdy-gurdy, and points us to a site with several hurdy-gurdy sound samples. I recommend the one called The Dining Table. At 2.32 megs, it won't take long to download even if you're cursed with a dial-up connection such as I am.

I love medieval music. Those modal scales that fall somewhere in between pure major and pure minor just give me the chills.

A small personal mystery solved

Earlier this, month, I noticed a flag flying at half-staff, and couldn't figure out why. Now, after catching up on all kinds of news from my newsfeed subscriptions, I have found it:

Texas flags on state property will be lowered to half-staff tomorrow in memory of Rosa Parks.

Governor Rick Perry says the flags will be lowered as a mark of respect for Parks and the pivotal role she played in the civil rights movement. Perry says it seems fitting that all Texas flags be flown at half-staff on the day she is laid to rest.

Flags will be lowered at the state Capitol, Capitol complex, Governor`s Mansion and all state office buildings and facilities across Texas tomorrow.

My job requires me to drive all over the San Antonio area. The one flag that I saw flying at half-staff was at the Chevron convenience store in China Grove. It was kept lowered for several days.

Utter Stupidity

He may be a law enforcement officer for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, but he should stick to law enforcement and try not to reveal his complete ignorance of basic anatomy:

Lee Ellington, a law enforcement officer for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, said it is illegal to buy or sell a non-game species. Penalties could include a maximum $5,000 fine, five days in jail and suspension of hunting and fishing privileges.

Municipal court clerk Cecilia Bland said putting a snake in a commercial freezer also could violate health codes, but she added that police have had trouble getting the health department to investigate.

Ellington said the businessman could have put his customers at risk by selling the meat.

"There are some Texas farmers that do serve rattlesnake, but they are professionals in detoxing the snake," Ellington said. "Odds are that this man is not a professional."

What are you, stupid? We aren't professionals in "detoxing" anything. The venom sacs of rattlesnakes as well as cottonmouths are located in the top of the mouth, so that when the snake bites, the sacs are crushed compressed and the venom is injected into the prey. There isn't any venom in the snake's body, you moron. If there was, it would die.

The only true statement in this report is "The snake 'was gonna get me so I had to get him first,' he said." That's no joke. Cottonmouths are extremely aggressive and, unlike many other venomous snakes, prefer attack as a first resort instead of as a last resort.

UPDATE: Boy, you just never can tell what's going to set me off next, can you? I never thought I'd be doing any snakeblogging.

Blogging Comments

Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog.

Auto-install didn't work. Sheesh.

UPDATE: I installed Haloscan because I wanted real trackbacks instead of Blogger's "backlinks" thing. I was under the impression that the old Blogger comments would not be destroyed in the switch, but apparently I was wrong. Just wanted to say I'm sorry to those who have left comments which have now all disappeared.

I apparently evolved one more rung up the ladder on TTLB Ecosystem last night, and I thought I was getting big enough that maybe I should have trackbacks.

Robertson invokes wrath of God, stray cow wanders onto Main Street

In what may have been the result of this small Pennsylvania town's voting their school board out of office for supporting "intelligent design," a stray dairy cow wandered onto Main Street near the intersection with Stony Lane in Dover this week, disrupting traffic for several minutes and even allegedly causing one driver to "swerve slightly." The cow was described by local experts as "probably a Holstein with maybe some Jersey or Guernsey in her." At one point, Mable Osgood, proprietor of "Mabel's Beauty Salon," confronted the aimless bovine as it stood belligerent and refusing to move in the middle of the street, and allegedly "swatted it's tail with her broom." The cow was consequently driven from the thoroughfare, after which it found a small patch of grass in a nearby vacant lot and, according to bystanders, "stopped to eat."

It is suspected by many 700 Club members that this was indeed nothing short of the wrath of God warned of by televangelist Pat Robertson, described by some as "a modern-day Jonah, but without the fish." Robertson himself was not available for comment.

In a related story, some residents of Dover have complained this past week that the town's single stoplight at the intersection of Main Street and Canal Road "has been running a little long." Further evidence of God's wrath? This reporter will refrain from editorializing.

The bastardization of a historical firearm

Alphecca points us to this interesting commentary on what I like to refer to as bastard guns.

Although I must admit, if someone were to give me one for free, I'd definitely take it. Then I'd see what I could do about trading it for a nice .36 caliber squirrel rifle.

Surprise! Senator Hinojosa won't be facing charges

DA dismisses gun charges against Senator Hinojosa:

State Senator Juan Hinojosa won't be facing gun charges after he was arrested at an airport carrying a handgun.

[...]

Hinojosa released the following statement:

"I am relieved that the Grand Jury chose not to prosecute in this unfortunate incident where I absent-mindedly carried a licensed, concealed weapon through airport security. I am well aware, however, that many will see this as special treatment. I have read, and listened, to the many letters to the editors and comments on talk radio, and I understand where people are coming from. I have, though, heard from ordinary citizens, people I did not know personally, that they believe the system worked as it should — and that our heightened national security efforts were effective and the judicial system took its time in looking at the incident and making their judgment. I want to thank the citizens of South Texas for their understanding and patience during this unfortunate incident."

Yeah, sure, Juan. Whatever.

Previous:
Must be nice to be one of the ruling elite
"Nobody in their right mind"

Alucard Goes South Park

That was the biggest pistol they had.

Thanks to Planearium via The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns

The folks at Ruger knew what they were doing...

...when they created the Super Redhawk Alaskan.

Hungry Horse, Montana:

Olaf Ervin came face to face with a black bear last Tuesday (Nov. 1), but luckily there was a door between him and the bruin.

At about 9 p.m. he had been leaving his grandparents', Chuck and Marion Fisher, home on the North Fork Road just outside Columbia Falls.

He walked out their door holding his 15-month-old daughter, Emma. Just as they got to the final step of the porch he heard a woofing sound.

That's when the sow came rushing up from behind them.

Yikes.

tnx to NRA-ILA

Shameless Flog

In what may be a new milestone for this blogger, I have a short tongue-in-cheek article guest-blogged at The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns. Go there, and give her site some referrals from this site, for a change.

A note on the previous post

The PETA article came about while I was doing some research to try and write a satirical-type thing about them. I just couldn't do it. So it turned into this.

PETA: Masters of Hypocrisy

In July of this year, the small south Texas town of Jourdanton was rocked, yes rocked with scandal because the acting city manager was apparently having dogs "euthanized" by drowning them at the sewer plant. He said he did it to "save money," although money had been budgeted for this purpose.

PETA lost no time in issuing a formal protest:

August 11, 2005
Jourdanton, Texas--- This morning, PETA sent an urgent plea to District Attorney Rene Pena in Floresville, urging him to vigorously prosecute animal control officer Chantan Morin and other Jourdanton city workers who are reportedly being investigated for cruelty to animals. The city employees allegedly drowned at least five dogs on July 11 at the city's sewage treatment plant. According to news sources, one witness alleges that the animals were confined to cages and then lowered into the water. Those who escaped were evidently strangled with noose poles and then held under water, struggling and flailing, until they died.

"Animal care workers are trusted to protect animals from abuse, which makes the alleged actions of Morin and the others all the more troubling," says PETA Animal Sheltering Advisor Teresa Chagrin. "Mental health professionals and top law enforcement officials consider cruelty to animals to be a red flag."

I must say that I do not approve of "euthanizing" dogs by drowning them at a sewer plant. But if you want to talk red flags, I got your red flag right here (emphasis mine, as usual):

PETA has given tens of thousands of dollars to convicted arsonists and other violent criminals. This includes a 2001 donation of $1,500 to the North American Earth Liberation Front (ELF), an FBI-certified "domestic terrorist" group responsible for dozens of firebombs and death threats. During the 1990s, PETA paid $70,200 to an Animal Liberation Front (ALF) activist convicted of burning down a Michigan State University research laboratory. In his sentencing recommendation, a federal prosecutor implicated PETA president Ingrid Newkirk in that crime. And PETA vegetarian campaign coordinator Bruce Friedrich told an animal rights convention in 2001 that "blowing stuff up and smashing windows" is "a great way to bring about animal liberation."

There are lots of ways that PETA can be called for their hypocrisy. Some of their people have killed animals, probably with drugs that they weren't legally allowed to possess, and then disposed of the bodies in dumpsters that were not their property. According to some reports, very few of the animals that PETA accepts to be put up for adoption actually survive to be adopted.

I usually use the sledgehammer of sarcasm to state my position, but this time I'll just say it flat out.

PETA advocates and supports vandals, arsonists, and others who issue death threats. As far as I'm concerned, this makes them accessories, perhaps after the fact, but accessories in crime, nevertheless. They are nothing more than criminals, and should be treated as such.

Student kills one, injures two in official "Gun Free Zone"

Yahoo News reports on a school shooting in Tennessee:

An assistant principal was killed and two other administrators remained in serious condition after a 15-year-old student opened fire with a handgun concealed under a napkin in a Tennessee high school.

I thought somebody had declared school grounds to be "gun free zones." Didn't this guy see the sign?

Bummer

Due to a spat between DishNetwork and the Outdoor Life Network, I can no longer see a couple of my favorite shows: Shooting USA and Sighting in with Shooting USA. Bummer.

This is weird

Blogger has a setting for "Show this blog on our listings?" which I had set to "NO" for a long time. I wanted to try and get more accurate hit counts, so setting this to no would keep it from being included in the list when someone hit the "next blog" button and got sent to a random blog. Unfortunately, I had discovered that this setting also prevents many search engines, including Google, from being able to index the site. Last week I set it back to "YES" so that I could use Google to search my own blog, and yesterday it appears that this blog has somehow been included as an actual news source by Topix.net. I guess it's time to turn the switch back to "NO."

Does state law offer enough self-defense?

An article (or opinion piece) from the The Janesville Gazette in Wisconsin regarding an incident I mentioned previously:

Unfortunately, Wisconsin law offers Rainiero no protection from a civil lawsuit. So besides the emotional trauma the invasion and shooting has caused Rainiero and his family, he may yet become a victim in a court of law.

That's too bad.

Conservative lawmakers are pushing to enact a concealed carry gun law in Wisconsin. They also may want to take a second look at laws pertaining to use of force for home invasions. We might not want to go as far as Colorado or Florida, but perhaps some middle ground is available to give homeowners more rights.

I wonder where the NRA is on this. Seems like they should really be pushing for protection from this kind of b.s. civil lawsuit. Somebody should be.

The safest counties in Florida, unless you're a criminal

WFTV.com reports that Orange County tops the list:

More than 55,000 Central Floridians are licensed to carry a concealed weapon. Orange County has the most, followed by Brevard and Volusia.

Orange County has 14,942; Brevard County is next with 11,527; Volusia County has 10,631; Lake County follows with 6,401; Seminole County has 6,330; Osceola County has 3,701; and Flagler County has 1,864.

First they gave us "high-powered rifles"...

...and now we have a "high-powered defense attorney". What next?

They'll just never get it

Regarding concealed carry in Missouri:

Jon Russell drove to work and punched in at the usual time for his third-shift job at Modine Manufacturing Co.

Then he pulled out a handgun and started firing at people around him. He killed three fellow employees and seriously wounded five others. Shortly after that, he turned the gun on himself, bringing the death toll that night to four.

And...

"Modine's company policy prohibits its employees from possessing weapons anywhere on Modine's property" including its parking lots, Kelsey told legislators.

"The act before you would take away our right - and indeed the right of all private employers in Wisconsin - from enforcing what we consider to be a reasonable, common-sense policy," she said.

Under the bill as written, Modine could still prohibit concealed weapons from being brought into its buildings. But it could not prevent employees from bringing them onto Modine property in their own vehicles, Kelsey noted.

"With this bill, you take away one opportunity we believe we now have to keep our workplace safe."

And the existing law prevented the specified workplace violence in what way?

As of right now, there is a single comment following this article. The commentor stated:

It is ignorant to think that anyone with the lack of humanity, moral fiber, and common sense that would prevent them from killing in cold blood would be deterred from bringing a firearm to the workplace because a sign instructed them it was against company policy

Seems like a very logical conclusion, to me.

Largely Irrelevant Information

Nothing to say today, so I'll just mention that I have enjoyed attempting satire a couple of times lately, and will probably be trying it more in the future, since this is my blog and no one can stop me from saying something stupid. These faux-articles will be in Courier font, and will also be labeled with a little button of some sort so it's obvious. I guess this is a hazard if one tries to mix serious rants with humor in the same blog. I am currently trying to write such an article about PETA, but they tick me off so much it's hard to try and be funny about it.

Quote of the day: "It's too hot to go deer hunting." I never thought I'd hear my dad say such a thing, but sheesh, it's just no fun wearing a t-shirt to go deer hunting, sitting in the shade, and sweating anyway. Good grief. The deer don't move much in this kind of weather, anyway.

New "Come and Take It" Flags

Welcome Alphecca readers!

Here's some more stuff I worked on today, in honor of many of our Hallowed Leaders deciding we hoi polloi aren't worthy enough to freely express our opinions.





These flags were made by stealing from various other sources and patching them together into what you see here. Click for larger versions, and use them as you wish, if you wish.

UPDATE: Comment noted. How's this:



Related post: Come and Take It

I watched a really atrocious movie tonight...

I mean bad. Ella Enchanted is so stupid on so many levels I can't even begin to go into it.

But I never get tired of seeing Anne Hathaway.

It's the eyebrows. Really.

Senior Citizens Handle Guns for the First Time

From SouthofBoston.com:

Susan Chapman has been afraid of guns her whole life. At 64, she decided to do something about it. Now, Chapman is one of 12 seniors in Hanover's senior citizen police academy. Together, they tour local jails, patrol the town in a police cruiser, collect tips on scams and theft, and learn to shoot.

"I hope it will teach me how to protect myself," Chapman, of Hanover, said of the once-a-year class. "A lot of people prey on the elderly, I don't want to be one of these gullable [sic] people. I hope it will make me a little more aware of the world and what we have to look out for."

This kind of report just warms my heart. Here's another quote:

They even get to aim and shoot a rifle. "It's very heavy in your hands," Anne Hill of Duxbury said of the rifle she shot at Marshfield's Rod and Gun club this week, part of Duxbury's senior citizen academy.

"When it shoots, it kind of pushes you back a little," Hill, 69, said. "I feel more empowered."

Heh.

PETA

Today I spent quite some time--more time than I wanted to--doing research on things that are wrong about PETA. I found this interesting website that I wanted to mention: PETA Kills Animals. All kinds of stuff that people hate about PETA in one handy place. A good resource if you need something to get riled up about.

Professional Enough For You?

From KSAT:

A San Antonio Police Department officer was arrested and charged Sunday with sexually assaulting a woman while he was on duty.

[...]

Saenz is the second SAPD officer charged with rape this year.

Officer Dean Gutierrez was charged in June with sexually assaulting a transsexual.

More here:

A San Antonio police officer accused of forcing a woman to have sex with him while on duty was released from jail Tuesday and fitted with an electronic monitoring device.

[...]

Saenz will be on desk duty. If he is indicted by a grand jury, the San Antonio Police Department will more than likely suspend him.

Well, that's nice to know.

A Divorce, a Protective Order, and a 9mm Glock

From the Salt Lake Tribune:

Until Christmas Eve 1996, she had never contemplated carrying a gun.

Then her husband beat her.

The woman, of Salt Lake City, promptly got a divorce and a protective order - and a 9mm Glock pistol.

'I was always terrified of guns. But my fear of my ex-husband became far greater than my fear of guns. I saw what he was capable of,' said the woman.

This is a great story. Just read it. Comes with pictures of a man checking out a photo-realistic thug target and a young lady shooting her gun. Last quote:

"When I do pick up my gun to do target practice or whatever, I just feel like, 'Wow, this is empowering,' " she said. "I never thought I would get over [being afraid of guns] and it's nice to know a little lady like me can protect myself."

This guy got so lucky...

Janesville, Wisconsin:

Rainiero told police he went back to his bedroom and told his wife to call police. Rainiero retrieved a .380-caliber semiautomatic pistol from the closet, went to the master bathroom, removed the gun lock, loaded the weapon and then returned to the hallway.

Wow. His gun was in the closet, unloaded, with a gun lock, and the intruder actually allowed him to retrieve, re-able, and load his gun. Not to mention he made a disabling one-shot stop with a .380.

This is the bad part:

Although O'Leary has cleared Rainiero of criminal wrongdoing, that does not affect Rainiero's civil liability.

"There's always exposure civilly," O'Leary said. "Anybody can sue anybody civilly. The question is, 'Would he win?'"

O'Leary doesn't think so.

"It would be a difficult task to try and prove that Dr. Rainiero is more at fault than the individual breaking into the home for the resulting consequences," O'Leary said.

This is why there needs to be national protection from b.s. civil lawsuits. If self-defensive shooting is found to be justified, dragging someone through court and wrecking their finances should not be allowed.

In this case, he would probably not be found "more at fault than the individual breaking into the home," but he would still be punished with the stress and expense of a court case that shouldn't ever have happened. The very idea that the good Doctor might be found "more at fault" than the thug who actually broke into his home is repugnant to me. But I know that's how some idiots think.

Dispute Over Dice Becomes 3-round Melee

Von Ormy, TX -- Fisticuffs erupted today in the Castle of Olgar, known to some as Jimmy's mom's garage. What began as a discussion over using a d20 or a d10 turned swiftly to violence among this hardy band of adventurers.

Aralon the Magnificent (fighter--neutral good), proponent of using a d20 for the tens place and a d10 for the ones place, found his wishes thwarted by Alagorn the Strong (ranger--chaotic good), who stated that using two differently-colored d10 dice was the superior way. At one point, Aralon allegedly threw all available dice at Alagorn, commanding, "Roll this!" After which, the alleged fisticuffs did occur.

Also on the scene were Garan the Devious (thief--neutral) and Mogh the Subtle (druid--neutral). After witnessing the alleged incident, both Garan and Mogh remarked to this reporter that they "just rolled a d10 twice in a row and didn't worry too much about it." Garan further went on the state, "Most of the time you already know the answer on the first roll, so rolling another die is pretty much pointless." Mogh, who was in agreement, then stated, "Yeah." They then took part in a simple but arcane ritual of mutual congratulation known among adventurers as "Ye Five High."

Asked to describe the incident, Garan the Devious remarked that Aralon as well as Alagorn did not look so much like fighters, as they did "like a couple of happy-slappin' pixies." Mogh, who is said to be of half-elven ancestry, smiled politely but declined to offer wholehearty agreement.

Jimmy, also known as "The Dungeonmaster," sat idly by in quiet amusement and, as he put it, "let my pawns have their little argument." While Aralon and Alagorn were engaged in their struggle, the Dungeonmaster explained to this reporter that it didn't matter, because he had "already predestined their horrendous fates, anyway."

All parties present later agreed that "they don't make Mountain Dew like they used to."

Sometimes I wish I got Showtime

This weekend's Masters of Horror installment:

The episode is adapted from the H.P. Lovecraft classic short story about a college student who discovers a book of ancient evil called the Necronomicon - in its pages he finds horrifying connections between his own studies in advanced mathematics with the legends of black magic.

On of the highlights of episode is the human-faced rat named Brown Jenkins, one of Gordon's favorite Lovecraftian characters. As the director revealed recently at the Chillers convention, Showtime at first balked about having the rodent in the episode, thinking that the digital effects would be too expensive. But since KNB was already providing the practical effects, Gordon simply had a friend of his - an uncredited Ukrainian mime - go into makeup. Blended with footage of a real trained rat, and sometimes an animatronic rodent, Brown Jenkins is brought to life.

This one is directed by Stuart Gordon, who also made Re-Animator, one of my favorite movies. I suppose it will be on DVD eventually.

Lame excuses from the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office

They claim they're not gun grabbers:

Some of your readers have expressed concern at the Sheriff's Office's position relative to guns in Federal Emergency Management Agency facilities. As a life member of the National Rifle Association, I, too, grow extremely concerned when government attempts new ways to abridge responsible firearms ownership. However, I do not think it is appropriate to find fault with the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office for this position, as it is nothing terribly new or flagrantly unconstitutional.

First, there are long-standing federal laws which prohibit firearms on federal property, which include all or part of the FEMA operation.

This is as far as I could get before my eyes glazed over.

Lots of stuff to gripe about here, but that last paragraph just killed me. A disaster has occured. FEMA moves in. Every square inch of ground which requires emergency management magically becomes federal property. All guns become immediately illegal. You're full of it, Randy, and you know it. You screwed up, and you know it. You're probably serving your last term as sheriff, and you know it. Get ready to drive the golf cart at Walmart.

tnx to FirearmNews.com

And now I'm gonna quote 'em...

Ignert Redneck comments on white supremacy:

Next, they say they proud of bein' white. How in the hell can you be proud of somethin' you ain't gone and did? Now they Mama might be proud they white ifn' she been a sleepin' around, but saying I'm proud of bein white? Hell that's like saying I'm proud I got toenails. Unless of course you done lost some toenails to them yeller fellers that crawl up under them and go a diggin' like on the TV. The only person who can be proud of being white is Michel Jackison. That's becuz he didn't used to be white. He gone and become white, and if that is what he was a wantin' to do, then he can be proud. He ain't tho, he says it's a skin conditshun.Impitiger or sumptin'.

Man, I wish I could write like that.

New to Blogroll

I have somehow merited being included in the "Good Blogs Fer Menfolk" at Ignert Redneck. I have been reading this blog for several days, and am happy to now add it to my roll.

"Whatever that is!" Heh.

Self-Defense Bigotry in Florida

From the Miami-Dade Herald:

A recent marketing push by a stun gun manufacturer, aimed at boosting its share of what the industry calls ''home self defense,'' has sparked consternation among some Miami-Dade commissioners who fear the devices will end up in criminal hands or be used against police officers.

Five of the 13 commissioners have signed on as backers of a proposed rule to regulate the sale of stun guns with restrictions similar to gun purchases -- requiring a five-day waiting period and background checks on buyers.

Retailers would be banned from selling stun guns to minors or anyone convicted of a felony.

Buyers also would be required to undergo safety training offered by manufacturers.

Commissioners are scheduled to vote on the proposal at today's meeting.

''I hope it will have a chilling effect,'' said Commissioner Sally Heyman, a co-sponsor of the proposed ordinance.

So now we get to meet Commissioner Sally Heyman, who feels better as a potential victim and wants to make sure that everyone else has as few options to defend themselves as possible.

I'll skip pointing out this time that there's a big difference between a Taser and a stun gun. Oops, maybe not.

I like the "chilling effect" quote. A chilling effect on who? Someone who is starting to realize that they must take responsibility for protecting him/herself and their families. Someone who is beginning to realize that they can't depend on law enforcement to save them when they are attacked. Someone who probably didn't grow up handling firearms, have never handled a firearm, and are therefore understandably still somewhat shy when it comes to firearms. Someone who starts thinking about alternative, "less lethal" means of defense. Someone who goes to buy a stun gun or a Taser and suddenly runs into a five day waiting period and background checks. Someone who gets spooked by all these laws because if the government requires these restrictions, there must be something "wrong" with these means of defense. Someone who gets scared back into the cult of victimhood, just as she/he was beginning to emerge into the light.

That's who.

Justified -- but they confiscated his gun anyway

Youngstown, OH:

The most recent case of turning the tables is 83-year-old Walter Swita of South Avenue, who killed an intruder last week with a German Luger war souvenir more than 60 years old. The prosecutor said Swita represents a 'classic case' of self-defense, and no charge will be filed by her office. The case will be presented to the county prosecutor for review.

Almasy said Swita must petition the court to get his vintage firearm back. The gun was confiscated Friday night by police after Swita shot Benjamin Brooks, 44, of East Philadelphia Avenue, in the head and chest. Brooks died Sunday.

Lt. Robin Lees, police department spokesman, said Brooks' death will not be counted as a criminal homicide. Lees said the situation is similar to when a police officer kills in the line of duty.

Except that a police officer won't have to file a petition with the court to get his firearm back. I would not be surprised if this weapon disappears. A real Luger, still in working condition? Those are worth some money.

"She was resisting, big time"

Here is a gripping account of an attempted abduction, probably attempted murder, from The Waterloo Cedar-Falls Courier in Iowa:

'If I get into the car with him, either way, I'm going to die or he's going to shoot me there. I decided to try to save myself,' Deery said.

This young lady lived to tell the tale, and her split-second decision has taught her that she doesn't have to be a victim.

Some Illinois Gun Owners Have a Definite Advantage

According to Giacomo "Jack" Pecoraro, executive director of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, some Illinois gun owners have phenomenal gun-handling abilities:

"If you've seen tourists with the small bags, you can have the firearm in the bag over here and the clip or the necessary rounds. It takes a mere second to load it," he said. "And that's allowable, and this is what we're trying to stop."

They can remove an unloaded weapon and it's accompanying magazine from a fanny pack and load the gun in only one second! And apparently even tourists to Illinois have this ability! I wish I could move that fast.

I've said it before...

This is why there can never be any "discussion," any compromise with these people:

'There isn't really any middle ground on this issue,' State Police Director Larry Trent said at a news conference Tuesday. 'You either stand with the gun lobby or you stand with law enforcement.'

The battle centers on how guns are transported, tracked and traded. Gov. Rod Blagojevich vetoed three bills on the issue, and lawmakers must decide whether to override the vetoes when they return to the Capitol Wednesday.

Blagojevich says the measures would create more dangers for Illinois citizens and law enforcement by loosening gun restrictions. The Democratic governor is calling undecided lawmakers, or those who might be persuaded to switch, and asking for their support, Trent said.

Gun control groups are joining Blagojevich in framing the issue as a stark choice for lawmakers.

'Those who oppose the veto of the governor are upholding crime,' Jennifer Bishop of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence said at the news conference with Trent. 'They are advocating for criminals and against victims.'

It is nice that the Illinois governor has finally brought it all out in the open and admitted that some members of Illinois government and law enforcement are nothing more than a bunch of facist thugs.

tnx to The War On Guns

I have to get this book

Michelle Malkin has a new book out, and it looks like a humdinger.

"Opinion polls conducted in Russia have shown that the majority of Russians have the psychology of a victim"

Here is a very interesting article in Pravda concerning the legalization of gun ownership in Russia:

The legalization of weapons in Russia would be able to strike a powerful blow on the criminal world. A criminal will probably think twice before he decides to attack this or that person because the would-be victim of the attack may have a gun too.

Rafail Sholomovich, a spokesman for the Civil Arms association, says that people do not usually harm each other in the majority of self-defense incidents, if a victim wields a gun: it usually ends with simple demonstration of weapons. The specialist said that there are about five million guns registered in Russia.

Lots of interesting stuff here: how the majority of Russians have a victim mindset that is hard to overcome, how the government could find a new source of taxation if gun ownership were more...er...liberalized, that many Russians simply are not familiar with firearms, etc. None of which addresses the basic human right of self defense.

And Makarovs and TTs (are they talking about old TT-33 type guns?) are going for anywhere from $500 to $3000! On the black market, of course.

Conservative President with Conservative Support Nominates Conservative for Supreme Court

People for the American Way President Ralph G. Neas expressed outrage over today's nomination of Judge Samuel Alito to replace Sandra Day O'Connor on the Supreme Court. "To think that the president of the United States would nominate a judge with a clear-cut, well-established conservative judicial philosophy, contrary to the wishes of millions of Americans who are diametrically opposed [to his judicial philosophy] is just mind-boggling," Neas stated. Neas further stated that "We are going to Bork him like he's never been Borked before."

Also, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D. Nevada) expressed concern that this could cause a fundamental shift in future Supreme Court rulings, stating that "replacing a swing voter like Justice O'Connor with such an obvious conservative shows and alarming disregard for precedent."

In a related story, comic strip character Lucy Van Pelt publicly criticized the departing O'Connor today, saying that "the trouble with O'Connor" is that she is "always changing rainbows."

Translation: "I Feel More Self-Righteous as a Defensless Victim"

News from North Carolina:

One example, Valone said, is a recently passed requirement that people who obtain domestic violence restraint orders against perpetrators be provided information about how to obtain a concealed handgun permit.
'We advocated this law in response to an increasing number of murders by domestic abusers who ignore restraining orders,' Valone said.

Price disagreed with that change in the law, saying she didn't think it was a good thing to introduce guns into domestic violence situations.

'For them (gun advocates) the gun is the solution to most problems,' she said. 'For us, we feel like the gun makes the problem worse and often creates the problem.

Yes, if a woman decides to protect herself from an abusive other, and chooses a gun for protection, it's her own fault she got beaten up in the past because now she has a gun. Did I get it right?

Price also said she likes the restrictions that the law places on permit holders.

'When I go to the Y to exercise, I see a sign that says don't carry concealed weapons here,' she said. 'We like those restrictions.'

They must have some incredible signs, if it only takes a sign to prevent unlawful violent attack at the Y. Amazing. Can I get some of those signs here? I'd put them up everywhere, if they work that well.

Handgun Carrier Discrimination in New Hampshire

The Union Leader and New Hampshire Sunday News reports:

'The bottom line is that this type of thing shouldn't be happening in a state where (carrying a pistol) is perfectly allowed,' said [Peggy S.] Dean, a lawyer and consulting counsel to Gun Owners of New Hampshire, the gun-rights advocacy organization.

Dean, in a routine followed often in the 10 years she has lived on Warren Street in Concord, was taking a late-night walk on June 16. She was on Pleasant Street out by St. Paul School when state trooper Abbott Presby stopped his cruiser.

'He must have asked me six times for a driver's license. Then he proceeded to ask what I was doing there and I kept asking him, 'Are you detaining me?' Dean said.

She didn't have her driver's license. She had a cellular phone, a credit card, her license to carry a concealed pistol and her Glock 23 in a nylon, neon-pink fanny pack.

Dean wrote a letter to state police Col. Frederick H. Booth citing her constitutional rights and complaining of her 'detention' by Presby.

'Had I not vigorously, repeatedly and firmly asserted that I wanted to (be) released from this detention I could have been illegally held there indefinitely. I firmly believe that it was only after I explained to trooper Presby that I was an attorney that the impetus to release me awakened,' Dean wrote.

Three months later, state police Lt. Mark J. Myrdek responded, writing that a review of the incident had found Presby's 'actions and conduct were justified, lawful and proper.'

Of course they were. I would have stopped her too, for openly carrying a neon-pink fanny pack.

More...

On March 27, 2004, at about 9:15 p.m., three police officers in uniform and two detectives in plain clothes converged on Michael Pelletier as he thumbed through a book at Barnes & Noble store in Manchester. Pelletier and his wife had marked their 11th anniversary with dinner, then gone to the bookstore, where his coat stayed in the car. He had forgotten the change in attire left visible the holstered Glock 30 pistol tucked into his belt at his back.

A shopper telephoned police.

Pelletier said the officers 'basically grabbed me by the shoulder, disarmed me and took me out of the store. They ran my license and registration and the serial number on the gun and stood around lecturing me for 20 minutes. It was irritating, but at least I wasn't arrested.'

'What boggled my mind was that out of at least seven officers and dispatchers involved not one seemed to know that open carry is legal in New Hampshire and they basically treated this like they would a felony stop. . . . I wasn't doing anything illegal. I was minding my own business and I think they could muster the ability to treat me with courtesy and respect in that situation,' said Pelletier, who lives in Merrimack and is a West Coast transplant drawn here by the Free State Project's pick of New Hampshire in 2003 as the place to promote its minimal-government agenda.

Yes, they're professionals, after all, they should have been able to treat you that way. They should have known their own state laws.

Here's a good one:

Like Pelletier, David Ridley's move to New Hampshire was inspired by the Free State Project. He came from Texas, which he described as having restrictive gun licensing laws.

Compared to California/New York, no. Compared to New Hampshire/Vermont, yes. Compared to the U.S. Constitution, yes. If I were to leave Texas for that reason, I personally think I'd pick Vermont.

Furthermore...

'When you come to a place where the right is recognized by government and you've never had it before, it's a right you want to celebrate. At the same time, if you don't exercise the right, I think you will eventually lose it. So for me, open-carry is primarily a political thing,' said Ridley, who lives in Keene.

Ridley had changed jackets and was engrossed in lettering a placard on the hood of his car in a supermarket parking lot in Salem on March 21 when five police officers, responding to a citizen's call, asked about the holstered Glock 19 on his hip.

"They said, 'You alarmed a person who saw the gun.'"

'When that is the situation, they have to respond to the call. I understand that, but what was wrong was when they started talking about arresting me when I hadn't done anything illegal,' Ridley said.

In responding to a letter from Ridley, Salem Police Chief Paul T. Donovan wrote that his officers would continue to respond 'with an open mind' when a complaint comes in about someone carrying a firearm.

If I lived in New Hampshire, I would prefer that they respond with a thorough knowledge of their own state laws, rather than an open mind.

Lastly...

'In this day and age where people have committed some very violent attacks using firearms, it is understandable that people who do not understand the values of law-abiding firearms owners run scared. We need to work at improving our image with those who don't understand,' Donovan wrote.

This sounds like it was written by just a gun owner, but it was actually written by the police chief. I completely agree with his statement about improving "our" image, but I also must keep in mind that this was written in a lame attempt to excuse the incompetence of his own officers.

They didn't like being dogcatchers

Two Wilson County constables forced from office because they didn't bother getting their peace officer licenses within 270 days of getting elected:

Both men were being paid less than $200 a year to be constables in Wilson County - a role that traditionally carries little duties in the county, according to Wilson County Judge Marvin Quinney.

Quinney said sheriff's deputies handle most of the constable's work in Wilson County.

I don't know why the position of "constable" was ever created in this county. I think it must have just been so someone's cousin could wear a badge and look tough. Would you put yourself at risk by actually taking part in law-enforcement-type activities for only $200 a year? I wouldn't.

StatCounter seems to be broken

I know it's free, but this is the first time I've had any problems with it. It hasn't recorded any activity since about 6:30 AM yesterday. Am I talking to myself? Heh.

Okay, so I'm a pedant

I just noticed that I misspelled the word "aggregation" in a previous post. But it's already several days old, so I'm not going to bother editing it.

More Left-Handed Rifles

I just noticed an ad in a well-known gun magazine that a company called Stag Arms has four different models of eeevil black tactical rifles in 5.56 Nato that are completely left-handed!

Don't bother them with facts

Sometimes when I'm working I listen to the Diane Rehm Show on NPR. I like to think of it as keeping an eye on the enemy. On Friday's second hour, which is usually time for the more or less non-political "fluff" piece, she interviewed someone who had written a book about a man named Bert Williams, who at one time was one of the most famous and wealthy celebrities alive, and who has now been almost completely forgotten. He was a vaudville performer, and was unique in that we was a black man who performed in blackface. But this post isn't about him.

The author being interviewed is named Caryl Phillips. Ms. Rehm asked him about the unusual spelling of his first name. He told a story of how his mother had taken it from someone who was very prominent in the press at about the time of his birth, named Caryl Chessman. Mr. Phillips said, "So I did some research on him a little while ago, and found that he was the most notorious mass-murderer in American history." Ms. Rehm replied, "I remember Caryl Chessman."

I had never heard of the guy. And based on certain of my interests, I would assume that I would at sometime have heard of someone who was labeled "the most notorious mass-murderer in American history." The little alarm bell in my head started clanging.

So I just Googled him. There's an example website here. At the time of his death, he caused a huge controversy over capital punishment, because he went to the gas chamber for kidnapping and rape--but not murder.

Okay, a lot of people don't think he was guilty at all, and they believe an innocent man was executed. But that isn't the point of this post. The point is--and you can Google his name yourself and try to find one mention of it--Caryl Chessman was never convicted for, nor even accused of, murder. He was convicted of kidnap and rape. Why then, does this "author" on this radio show think he was "the most notorious mass-murderer in the history of America" and why didn't Ms. Rehm correct him if she really remembered the man?

Maybe because they are both more interested in putting on a show than in verifying the truth.

I had originally thought this book about Bert Williams might be an interesting read, even though it is a "fictionalized account" of his life. Now I wouldn't read it if it were given to me for free.

As I've said before on other topics, they can't even get one simple fact right.

U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt of Illinois gets Concealed Carry Permit

I like hearing news about members of government who are favorable toward guns, but I don't think it's really anyone's business as to who does or does not carry a weapon.

Ms. Schmidt, please, for the love of Colt, get a better gun. Not because it's a .380, but because it's a Bersa. I've seen some of these things in "action" and I would not bet my life on one.

Good Times at Iraq 2K Death Party

Make sure there are no breakable objects nearby, and then check out all the smiling happy faces at a San Francisco Death Party.

Then fire up the ol' printer and make yourself some new targets.

tnx to South Park Pundit

California man loses shotgun, receives scolding

A Watonsville, CA man fired his shotgun at trespassers who drove their vehicle at him after he told them to stop and wait for law enforcement to arrive:

As investigators continued to explore an incident in which a Watsonville landowner fired a shotgun at a pickup truck he found driving on his property last week, law enforcement officials offered some advice on using guns for protection.

Bill McGrath has been trying to catch a group of thieves that have raided his Casserly Road property several times. When he saw a pickup truck driving along his driveway about 4 a.m. on Oct. 18, McGrath initially just watched, he said. However, when the truck pulled within 30 feet of the house where his children were sleeping, he went to confront the driver, he said.

Shotgun in hand, McGrath called to the driver and told him to stop and wait for sheriff's deputies to arrive, he said. When the driver drove the truck toward McGrath, he fired at the radiator and jumped out of the way.

When a deputy arrived, he scolded McGrath, McGrath said. The deputy took the shotgun while investigators determined whether McGrath committed a crime.

And the article goes on to preach about how one should always call the authorities and let them sort it all out after you've been murdered. No, of course they don't say that, but that's what they mean.

Non-Senatorial Man With Gun Detained at Airport

A man who unfortunately is not a member of the Senate was detained at an airport for having a gun in his bag:

The incident occurred about 2:30 p.m. as Anstine prepared to board a plane for Chicago. The screeners informed airport police, who secured the weapon and detained him, said Don Marti, public safety manager at the airport.

Lincoln police cited Anstine on suspicion of carrying a concealed weapon. He was not allowed to travel as planned.

The FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office in Omaha are conferring on whether federal charges should be filed, Johnson said.

Too bad he's not one of the ruling elite.

The previous post is my first public attempt at satire

Please forgive me.

New "Bond" to fight villians with only smug British self-assurance

In an unexpected release today, producers of the upcoming James Bond movie Casino Royale have stated that star Daniel Craig will not be armed with Bond's trademark Walther pistol--or any other firearm for that matter. The new Bond will overcome evil armed only with his wits and the smug self-righteous assurance so common among British movie heroes.

...Spoiler Alert!...

Insiders have leaked a brief description of some of the final scenes, when Bond confronts his newest nemesis.

Bond: I say, old chap. You can't go around taking over the world like this. After all, you haven't been duly sanctioned by the United Nations, and all that.

Arch-Villian: By Jove, Bond! How right you are! How could I have been so foolish as to think I could dominate the world with my gang of heavily armed thugs, a small arsenal of nuclear weapons, and enough biotoxin to wipe out half of Asia and the northern third of Madagascar? When there you stand, so proud and confident, smirking at me so disdainfully! I submit to you, Bond, you are the better man!

In other related stories...

British authorities today revealed that footage taken from a London-area surveillance camera shows that a gun used in a recent street shooting was actually being held in a human hand. The hand was apparently aiming the weapon while applying pressure to the trigger in order to cause it to fire, according to sources.

"Frankly, we are stunned," said Detective Lookout of the Yard. "For several decades now we have operated under the assumption that firearms were capable of operating themselves. This is a new development that will have to be seriously studied to see if we can duplicate the event."

Another unnamed source said that many British officers were not only stunned, but "shocked and stunned."

Also, the International Martini Lobby expressed outrage that the new Bond prefers his martinis "straight up." Gin sales fell today as martini-drinkers across the U.K. fell into confusion over how they should prepare their drinks.

Reading, PA logs city's first record of lawful self-defense with Taser

Any case of self-defense is good news to me. But the reporter(s) do some things wrong here.

The Reading Eagle reports:

A Reading man used an electric stun gun on another man in what police said Tuesday is the first case of a city civilian using the weapon on another in self-defense.

Allen Steffy, 26, fired the device, called a Taser, at Gregory Dameron, 25, inside a residence Monday night in the 900 block of Washington Street, police said.

Stop right there. I'm surprised I had two of these, two days in a row, but a stun gun is not a Taser. Get your facts straight, if you have a modicum of intelligence.

Police in Berks County have used the device several times to subdue and arrest people.

Dameron was pummeling Steffy during a domestic dispute when Steffy used the device, police said.

The electric discharge did not stop Dameron's assault and he later stopped beating Steffy when the resident, Robin Mayberry, 28, and others separated the men, investigators said.

Steffy is Mayberry's boyfriend, and Dameron is her former boyfriend, police said.

Dameron of the 400 block of South Fifth Street was charged with assault, burglary, trespass and related offenses in a warrant issued by District Judge Deborah P. Lachina in Reading Central Court.

He is to be arraigned when he is released from St. Joseph Medical Center. Police said Dameron was being treated there Tuesday for a stab wound to the left side, also inflicted by Steffy.

It is legal to buy stun weapons, which cost at least $300.

"Like most things, it can be purchased off the Internet," said Capt. Francis F. Drexler of the criminal investigations division.

So what? What the hell difference does it make if it can be purchased off the Internet or not? You already said it's legal to buy them, so who cares where you get them from?

"People are allowed to buy them and use them to defend themselves and their property," he said. "When it is used in an unlawful manner, then it is illegal."

Stun guns are considered prohibited offensive weapons when they are carried or used during a crime. Convicted felons cannot legally possess stun guns or handguns, Drexler said.

Pretty much just like a baseball bat or a piece of garden hose filled with sand--if it was used during a crime.

Police said Steffy is not a convicted felon.

Taser International, the largest seller of the devices, checks the background of buyers for felonies and serious misdemeanors, a company official said.

"If you buy our device, we're going to run you through a background check," spokesman Steve Tuttle said. "You've got to provide a valid Social Security identification and we verify your credit card."

Translation: Rats, he's not a felon, and Taser International even runs background checks to cover their own butts. There's nothing we can get him on.

It's not anti-gun bias. It's anti-self-defense bias.

On Brazil's Recent Referendum

Here is a BBC article about the passage of now-current Brazil gun laws from September 22, 2004:

Under the new rules, anyone carrying a gun without a licence will face a prison sentence.

Permits will be issued only to police, security guards and others in high-risk professions - but they must be at least 25 years old.

Anyone else caught carrying a firearm will face up to four years in prison.

'Those who currently have permits can carry their weapons until midnight, then they turn into pumpkins. After that, they'll be breaking the law if they take their guns out of their houses,' a Brazilian justice ministry spokeswoman said on Tuesday, before the law took effect.

The BBC's Steve Kingstone in Sao Paulo says the law is part of a concerted effort by the Brazilian government to reduce the number of people killed in gun-related incidents - nearly 40,000 of them during 2003.

In July, Brazilians were offered an incentive to turn in their guns, with the government offering to pay up to $100 (£56) for every weapon handed over to the police.

So far, nearly 120,000 guns have been collected - a figure far in excess of initial expectations.

Anti-gun campaigners say they hope the new legislation will lead to a real change in behaviour in Brazil, but correspondents say the law may prove difficult to implement in practice.

So it was only a little more than a year ago when these restrictions were imposed, and it had no effect, according to the Holy Statisticians.

Brazil still has gun restrictions that I (and probably many others) would consider onerous, at the least. But the recent referendum is definitely an "up yours" to the international gun-control movement.

Weekly Check on the Bias @ Alphecca

Don't miss an excellent edition of Alphecca's Weekly Check on the Bias.

Er...I sent him an email tip on one of those articles, but I stupidly forgot to tell him who I was, so I don't think he connected the email with this blog.

(Bull Shannon head slap.)

They can't even get simple details right

In this opinion piece from the Minnesota Daily, there is this statement:

Tasers, also known as stun guns, are intended as a self-defense tool that sends electric voltage through a wire anchored underneath the skin.

It would seem someone could at least get something like this right. Tasers anchor the wire underneath the skin. Stun guns work by contact only. They are not the same.

As a Christian myself...

...I often pray that I be given the strength to refrain from purging the church with blood and fire. Like these idiots:

Cory Burnell wants to set up a Christian nation within the United States where abortion is illegal, gay marriage is banned, schools cannot teach evolution, children can pray to Jesus in public schools and the Ten Commandments are posted publicly.

To that end, Burnell, 29, left the Republican Party, moved from California and founded Christian Exodus two years ago with the goal of redirecting the United States by 'redeeming' one state at a time.

First up for redemption is South Carolina.

Idiots.

By the way, why are so many so-called "Christians" so obsessed with ancient Jewish law? The ten commandments were superceded by a much briefer set of rules, and if these so called "Christians" really wanted to make their point, they would insist on public display of the new rules:

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

So there.

Cthulhu movie update

The Seattle Times has a brief article about the upcoming Cthulhu movie and somehow manages not to mention Tori "the Innsmouth Look" Spelling.

Notes:

Budget has increased to $500,000.

The director is using every free extra he can get his hands on for scenes of mass deep ones coming out of the ocean.

Local scenery and people are being used to (seemingly) provide authenticity and keep costs down.

Well, I'm looking forward to it. All they have to do is give Tori webbed hands, gills, and shave all her hair off. She'll be a dead ringer for one of the Marsh brood.

Brazilians Reject Proposed Gun Ban

News here. However, with the gun restrictions passed a few years ago, I think that many otherwise law-abiding Brazilians who want to protect themselves will still have to get their guns from illegal sources, so it's not like they can just go to the nearest pawn shop and pick up a gun.

tnx to The War On Guns

I oppose the Miers nomination

The Truth Laid Bear asks, so: I oppose the Miers nomination.

This post has been updated. I originally said I was neutral, leaning toward oppose. I've decided that oppose it is. For many reasons. My first gut reaction was to oppose her because I thought Bush had blown his chance at nominating someone who would really be on my side.

I would not go so far as to say that Miers is "about as sharp as a sack of wet peanuts," but from what I do know, she doesn't seem to be as sharp as she should be. I find myself wholly in agreement with this statement from Eric's Grumbles Before the Grave:

I am an elitist (and don't mind saying so). I want my elected representatives, my judges, my cabinet members to be the best and brightest, not the lowest common denominator. Miers is not the best and brightest. It has nothing to do with what school she attended, before someone jumps salty. I don't care what degree you have, or what school you got it from. Her written grammar in her questionnaire response to the Senate is awful. Her understanding of the basics of constitutional law seems even worse. Compare her to John Roberts and tell me she is the "best and brightest". You can't.

Emphasis is mine, of course.

And in spite of reassurances to the contrary*, I haven't been offered any real proof that she would rule on certain issues based on the constitution rather than her personal beliefs. Even if her personal beliefs are not contrary to mine, ruling that way is not for the Supreme Court, or any court for that matter. When it comes to the establishment of law, her personal beliefs are no more nor less valid than any of the judges who fall on the liberal end of the spectrum.

Not that my opinion matters, or anything.

*When other judges and politicians start telling me to "just trust us," or some variation thereof, I am immediately suspicious.

UPDATE: Click the link for The Truth Laid Bear Miers aggragation of blog posts.

First time I've seen one of these

I've always been a weather-watcher, but somehow I've never heard of this kind of warning before: the "Red Flag Warning."

"A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL PROMOTE FIRES THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL ACROSS THE WARNED AREA. A RED FLAG WARNING IS COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM A LOCAL BURN BAN WHICH IS ISSUED BY LOCAL OFFICALS."

Basically it means we have relatively high winds and relative low humidity. Right now the humidity is 31% at my house, and the winds have been gusting all day (official report says winds gusting to 21 mph). I have seen these kinds of conditions countless times, but this is the first time I've ever noticed an actual warning issued about it.

And we can expect lows around 30 by Tuesday morning!

More Blogroll Additions

These are both blogs that I've been reading for a while and they might as well get added to the "official" blogroll. Hell In A Handbasket is, I'm sure, familiar to many, if not all, already. Mr. Rummel beat me onto the Blue Flypaper Blacklist by nine days.

The other is The Fatman Chronicles, which just yesterday made it onto the Blue Flypaper Blacklist.

UPDATE: Also The Smallest Minority, another well-known blog which needs no introduction from me. I've been reading it regularly for a long time and somehow forgot to include it in the list.

Man shot by border patrol agents

And usually, you'd think this means I was clip-blogging about something that probably happened near Laredo. No, wrong border.

Read the article in the Great Falls Tribune. It happened near Sweetgrass, MT, and there are a couple of items in this story that interest me.

According to a brief statement released by the Havre sector office of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. officers encountered the man, who was driving a stolen vehicle with Illinois license plates, during their patrol duties.

As the officers attempted to question the man, he reached for his back pocket for what was later found to be a stun gun, according to the statement, read over the phone by David Bernard, assistant chief patrol agent out of the CBP's Havre office.

"In an act of self-defense, the agents discharged their service-issued weapons," Bernard said.

So, in this instance, even though the agents outnumbered the other guy two to one, it was still justifiable self-defense for them both to shoot him when he tried to pull a stun gun. Of course, they apparently didn't know what he was reaching for at the time.

The incident concerned Pellerin-Fowlie because Canadian customs agents are not armed, despite pushing for the policy change for years with the Canadian government.

"Our members are not armed and this man was heading to the Canadian border," he said. "We have been calling for the arming of our officers for some time."

It's a good thing our guys stopped him. Otherwise those poor Canadian border agents would have been completely at the mercy of a car thief with a stun gun.