Afternoon Chuckle

After some serious stuff earlier, I figured we needed some larfs. Ripped from the pages of Facebook (thanks mopar) is this knee-slapper:

A tough looking group of bikers were riding when they saw a girl about to jump off a bridge so they stopped.

The leader, a big burly retired Navy Master Chief, got off his bike and said, "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to commit suicide," she said.

While he did not want to appear insensitive, he didn't want to miss an opportunity, so he asked, "Well, before you jump, why don't you give me a kiss?"

So, she did and it was a long, deep lingering kiss.

After she finished, the biker said, "Wow! That was the best kiss I have ever had. That's a real talent you are wasting. You could be famous. Why are you committing suicide?"

"My parents don't like me dressing up like a girl."

[insert "Price is Right" losing sound here: Wah-WAHHHHHH]

That is all.

A Step In The Right Direction

Both Bubblehead Les and The Big Guy sent in links to this story:

Right to self-defence in homes to be 'much clearer'

Justice Secretary Ken Clarke has said a householder who knifes a burglar will not have committed a criminal offence under plans to clarify the law on self-defence in England.

He told the BBC people were entitled to use "whatever force necessary" to protect themselves and their homes.

This is a sea change for the way things have been done in (formerly) Great Britain. Previously, the homeowner who defended themselves against invading goblins would frequently find themselves in more trouble than the yob who actually broke in. I jokingly claimed that anyone in Britain who had someone break in and defended themselves should take the invader's wallet and claim they were mugging them - then it's only a ticketable offence (note the proper British spelling).

It's nice to see that the Brits are finally catching up to where things were, oh, about a thousand years ago...

That is all.

Not Going to Count...

Skidmark sends in a story that almost made the DGC:

Robbery Suspect Returning for Shoe Fatally Shot

DETROIT (WJBK) - "It just got to a point were we just had to take action for ourselves. It was just happening too frequently," said Hector Martinez.

There have been too many break-ins way too often at a home on Horatio in southwest Detroit.

"We had break-ins at least three times in the last two months," Martinez said.

Okay, sounds good so far. These folks have been the victims of multiple break-ins. That's unfortunate, and it's as good a reason as any to take steps towards improving your security measures. Guys show up, break into the car, it's understandable that someone might go see what's going on.

But folks... DO NOT FIRE WARNING SHOTS. If you are justified in shooting, shoot to stop. Don't fire into the air - gravity will eventually return those bullets. Don't fire into the ground - if you are justified in pulling the trigger, then shoot to stop the threat. If it doesn't warrant shooting to stop the threat, DON'T SHOOT.

The reason I'm not counting this as a DGC is because the goblin in question was killed as a result of a stray bullet fired by someone allegedly firing warning shots. It was not a self-defense shoot, it was a random act. There's got to be a decision made to defend one's self with a firearm as opposed to just picking up a gun and firing wildly.

The shooter is damn lucky that he hit the goblin and not some innocent passerby.

That is all.

Unreal...

Stretch sends in this story from right here in the Volksrepublik:

Body found in public pool 2 days after victim drowned

FALL RIVER (FOX25 / MyFoxBoston.com) - The body of a Fall River woman was discovered floating in a state run pool late last night, two days after she apparently drowned in that same pool.

Police say lifeguards were on duty and people were swimming in the Veterans Memorial pool at Lafayette Park Sunday, Monday and Tuesday and it appears no one noticed the dead body.

I don't know. There's a sentiment in the comments to the story that there's more here than meets the eye, and I'm inclined to agree. The past two days here have been gorgeous; it's hard to imagine that the pool would have been empty so that no one would have noticed a dead body for two whole days. Even on the bottom that'd be pretty darn hard to miss - not to mention, the pool should be cleaned more than once a week.

I suspect there's more to the story here; at least I'd sure like to think there is. It's positively frightening and ghoulish to think that this woman died on Sunday and her body floated in a public pool for nearly three days before anyone said something. I mean, I know the denizens of my state are pretty darn clueless - read my "Road Rage" rants lately? - but this is a new low even for Massachusetts.

But then again, how long did Teddy leave Mary Jo floating?

That is all.

They Know...

Chris, in comments to this post, has an excellent question for the gun grabbers:

So I read the article and your comments and I'm still confused as to why they are looking to restrict peoples rights? I see references to "why are you special" "how to restrict" I don't see why they want to do this. I don't see any reference to danger, just a willingness to take peoples rights away. Am I supposed to assume a reason? I don't automatically accept "the new normal" of restriction just because they want to.

And it kicked over something I've thought about, off and on, for nearly 15 years now. The anti-gun people know. They know there won't be "blood in the streets" or people shot over parking lot disputes as a result of concealed carry. The past 25 years of evidence states otherwise. They know that allowing people to carry concealed firearms into bars and restaurants that serve alcohol will not lead to drunken shootings; many states do not have such restrictions and have no such incidents.

They know that posting a sign on a door is not going to stop a lunatic from shooting the place up just as surely as they know that a woman getting a piece of paper against an estranged lover will not keep her safe. Police logs and news reports are filled with incidents of violence; yet they claim we don't need to carry weapons. "That's what the police are for" even though they know that the police are under no obligation to protect anyone.

• They know that three 10 round magazines have the same capacity as one 30 round magazine.


• They know that a bayonet lug doesn't make a rifle more dangerous.


• They know that you can't realistically shoot down an airplane with a rifle, even a .50 BMG


• They know that real, honest-to-goodness fully automatic weapons are very heavily regulated and are used in crimes so infrequently as to be statistically meaningless.
  

They know all of these things and more; many tropes that I've forgotten out of sheer disbelief that anyone could be so dense. They know these things because we - those of us on the pro-rights side - have shown them, time and time again, the truth behind firearms and concealed carry. We have facts and history on our side - "Wild West" style shootings (and here we have to point out that when an anti-rights believer says "Wild West" they mean the stylized Hollywood version of the Old West; the reality was that most places were safer than DC, Detroit, or Miami) are simply not happening - oh, yes, folks do get into confrontations with firearms, but those people are not concealed carry permit holders.

Knowing these things, then, makes the anti-rights crowd suspect. Why do they want to restrict what kind of magazines I can buy, or where I can carry my firearm? After nearly 20 years of being a permit holder and gun owner, I still haven't shot anyone over a parking space - how many more years must I, and hundreds of thousands like me, carry before they stop the nonsense? People that take the trouble to get the permit to carry are not the problem. They've never been the problem.

In fact, there's a damn good argument to be made that there's not even a problem to be had that banning guns in [insert public place] can solve.

So why do they do it? That's the crux of Chris's question. Why do the anti-rights folks push for gun bans and such when they know it's not going to work? Are they delusional? Do they think that they and they alone can succeed where, for thousands of years, people have failed? Merely by making [action/item/etc.] illegal that it will disappear? Or is it more insidious, and the term "anti-rights" is the correct one?

Is it that they view an individual with a permit to carry as a threat to the monopoly of force they would prefer the state enjoy? It explains their opposition to concealed carry as well as the idea behind so-called "assault weapons" bans - and the current state of heavily regulated and slowly dwindling supply of machine guns. They want the state to be the only entity that can employ force - their reasons for this are known only to themselves, but there can be no good outcome when only the agents of the state have arms.

As Alan says, there's a term for countries where only the police are armed: Police state.

That is all.

Bulldog!

Richard reviews the Charter Arms Bulldog over at The Firearm Blog.

Ever since I talked with Nick Ecker of Charter Arms at last year's convention I've been impressed with the company, albeit with no direct knowledge of their product. Richard's review indicates that the revolvers they are producing are up to snuff, which is good to know indeed. I had a .44 Special revolver at one point in time, a Taurus model 431 with a 3" barrel, and while it shot just fine, it was expensive to feed and I wound up selling it to fund another pistol (that I would later go on to sell as well). At at MSRP just north of $450, it might be worth another shot.

I do love me some big-bore revolvers, and have been getting mighty scarce in that department...

That is all.

Lovely...

Skidmark brings to our attention this lovely bit of news...

Colleges Get Advice on Crafting Weapons Policies That Will Hold Up in Court

When seeking to restrict people from carrying guns on campus, colleges should carefully explain their motivations and should avoid absolute bans that could face trouble in court, a panel of experts advised on Sunday during a gathering of university lawyers here.

Two recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions expanding the reach of the Second Amendment and a flurry of activity by state lawmakers seeking to limit anti-gun policies at colleges have left campus gun bans largely intact. But the panelists said the activity illustrates the need for carefully tailored policies that will hold up in court in the future.

Go read the reasons that schools of higher learning should be allowed to ban guns. Gems such as this:

In particular, he said, colleges could explain that their campuses have heated discussions as a natural part of teaching, or that they house 18- to 24-year-olds who are prone to make poor choices with alcohol.

You know what? If they're that untrustworthy, they sure as hell shouldn't be voting, should they? Or driving a car, for that matter. Good luck with that. I know! Let's make alcohol illegal! That'll fix everything, right?

This line of "reasoning" is so flawed I don't even know where to start. First off, you dolts, those immature and irrational 18-24 year olds that "make poor choices" CAN ALREADY OWN GUNS. By your own admission, they make bad choices, right? Do these imbeciles actually think that having a "No Guns Allowed" policy is going to stop some drunk 20 year old from walking on campus with a firearm? I'm frightened that they might just be thinking that...

Permits do not make someone more responsible; the more responsible people seek permits. Seeking a concealed carry permit means that the potential permit holder is making a conscious effort to stay within the parameters of the law and will follow their licensing state's guidelines for obtaining said permit. These are the people that you have to worry about the least. Why is this so hard for our alleged highly educated peers to understand?

Allowing permit holders to carry concealed on a college campus isn't going to result in blood on the quadrangle. If someone is hell-bent on causing death and destruction on a college campus - like VA Tech - all the "ZOMG NO EVIL GUNZ ALLOWED" signs in the world aren't going to stop them. All the signs and rules in the world are meaningless to someone who has made the decision to break the law. They only hinder those who obey the law to begin with.

One wonders, then, how someone allegedly so educated - we're talking college-level administrators and such - can be so close-minded and willfully ignorant of the facts. School shootings are extremely rare to begin with - but assaults, robberies, and rapes, sadly, are not. The number of illegal shootings committed by concealed weapons permit holders are miniscule, yet these are the very people against whom these laws are written.

Why, it's almost like it's about control more than safety!

That is all.

End of An Era...

NASA: July 8 selected for space shuttle program's last blast

(CNN) -- July 8 will mark the start of the final space shuttle mission and the end of an era, NASA announced Tuesday.

The U.S. space agency announced the date for the final flight of Atlantis following a flight readiness review at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. If nothing delays the countdown, the shuttle would depart at 11:26 a.m.

The 12-day mission will be the 135th and final flight of the space shuttle program.

[pauses for a moment of silence]

The first orbiter was launched in April, 1981 just shy of my 10th birthday. I watched launch after launch as a young child, then pre-teen, then teen. And Challenger happened. The program took a hit that January day, and some would argue that it never fully recovered, becoming little more than a way to launch satellites and deliver parts to the ISS.

For someone raised on Star Trek, Asimov, Heinlein, and Star Wars, the Space Shuttle program was the closest thing I could imagine to the Enterprise. Every young man (and, I would assume, young woman) dreams of breaking the earth's bonds and flying; for a very select few, they were able to escape even gravity's even pull.

Let's hope it's not another 30 years before we have a replacement.

That is all.

I Am The Only One Professional Enough...

...to leave a semiautomatic rifle sitting on the trunk of my police cruiser...

Skidmark sends in this story to go with the picture:

Forgetful cop leaves rifle on trunk of car

SEATTLE — The Seattle Police Department is apologizing for an assault rifle left unattended on the back of a patrol car Monday night, and has launched an investigation into the matter.

First published by The Stranger, Nick Gonzales snapped a picture last night of the menacing-looking rifle on the trunk of a Seattle Police car. It was around 9 p.m. and the car was parked outside the Roosevelt Hotel, near Pine and 7th Avenue, with no police officers in sight, said Gonzales.

Gonzales is lucky as hell the Seattle PD didn't arrest him for daring to take a picture of a police vehicle...

I don't know what Washington's laws are regarding safe storage, but I can guarantee two things if that had happened in Massachusetts (which does require that firearms be locked up or have trigger locks):

1. If it were me, I would lose my LTC and most likely be charged with a crime; and
2. If it were a MA cop, the same thing would happen to him as will happen to that Seattle cop: nothing.

I especially like how he drove off with the rifle still on the trunk. At some point, the rifle was removed from wherever it was the PD stores them while in transport - I would guess/hope they have a case or holder of some sort in the trunk. It was then taken out and put aside, and then placed on the trunk - and immediately forgotten. The cop was so distracted he didn't notice a friggin' rifle sitting on the trunk of his car. That's scary right there.

What's especially funny - in the sickeningly ironic sense - is that if a random cop happened upon a random car in a parking lot with a rifle sitting on it, chances are pretty high that the owner of that rifle would be in a world of hurt. I'm torn over whether that's a good thing or not - I consider it very much like a car with the doors unlocked and the engine running. While we should, in a perfect world, be able to do that, the world is in fact imperfect. I'm not saying it should be a felony, but it should at least be a ticketable offense - do something that stupid, you deserve to pay for it.

The good part about this story, though, is that no one got hurt and I guarantee you that officer is NEVER going to live this down...

That is all.

Seriously Messed Up...

Les points us to this new 12-shot revolver from US Arms:

(image from US Fire Arms website)

Weerd points out that it's probably illegal here in Massachusetts.

I started to leave a comment at Weerd's post about the arcane MA AWB, and realized that it was its own post altogether. Weerd points out that, since this is a handgun, and US Fire Arms doesn't have any models that comply with the Massachusetts Approved Firearms Roster {spit}, it's a moot point and won't be for sale here anywhere.

My first instinct was that it would be okay under the AWB, because tubular magazines are exempt. Difference is, though, that tubular magazines are not removable - the cylinder on the 12/22, however, is removable. A decent case could be made that, since the cylinder is removable, it is a high capacity feeding device under the terms of the AWB. I wouldn't want to be the test case.

Weerd then brings up an interesting point: If Smith & Wesson (or Charter Arms, or Ruger, or anyone who makes a double-action revolver for sale in MA) were to offer a 12 shot .22LR revolver, would it run afoul of the AWB? My money would be on it being exempt, because the cylinder is not removable (in the standard sense) and would therefore quality as exempt akin to the tubular magazines.

Only in Massachusetts would a single action .22LR revolver be considered an assault weapon...

That is all.

A Match Made in... Well... Um... Somewhere!

Dennis has plain lost his mind. In a good way.

Take this:

and add this:
And you get this:

Dragon Leatherworks is pleased to announce the release of the Vicious Circle Edition FlatJack and Talon holsters, available for purchase on July 8th. The Vicious Circle podcast will be streaming its 100th podcast on July 8th, so what better way is there to celebrate this event than with the release of the VC Branded FlatJack and Talon!

A Vicious Circle-branded holster. If cool were people, this holster would be China, man...

That is all.

From Formerly "Great" Britain...

Skidmark sends in this story with the header "words fail me". Words don't fail me; however since most are of the 4, 7, or 12 letter variety, I'll refrain from comment...

War dead to be driven down side streets to avoid the public

For several years, the flag-draped coffins of fallen servicemen and women have been met by large crowds who line the streets to pay their respects as they return to British soil. But repatriation flights are to be diverted and will no longer be flown back to RAF Lyneham and through the small Wiltshire town of Royal Wootton Bassett, where they were saluted come rain or shine.

Instead, they will arrive back to RAF Brize Norton, where they will be driven through the back gate and then down side roads, neatly avoiding the nearby town of Carterton, as they make their way to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.

Some in comments opine that this is a cost-cutting move rather than a change due to sensibilities. Others wonder if the British government is trying to hide the dead to avoid scrutiny on the number killed in Afghanistan. Still others question whether this is a move made out of political correctness, given that there's a significant population in the former area that might be seen as sympathetic to the plight of those killed in battle - from the other side.

Whatever the reason, be it for political correctness, cost-savings, or to "avoid upset", it's a foolish, short-sighted move. Hiding the fact that sometimes soldiers don't come back from war - except in the back of a hearse - doesn't fool anyone; depriving the families of those killed giving their all for their country merely hurts the families - and those who want to fully support the soldiers.

Many here in America accused President Bush of wanting to "hide" the war dead because the decision was made not to photograph the coffins coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan. This is, IMHO, a different situation - in this case, it's the soldiers' deaths being used as political propaganda, not for paying respect. When the evening news runs a nightly tally on the number of troops killed in battle - and then stops said tally once the presidency changes - it's hard to argue that this was anything other than blatant partisanship.

Allow the folks of Royal Wootton Bassett to pay their respects to the fallen soldiers. Please.

That is all.

Go. Watch.

Skidmark sent me a link to this movie:



It's called Porcelain Unicorn and is the winning short film in the Philips "Tell it your way" contest. In a little over three minutes, we're given an insight what must be the defining moment for a young man - and a young woman.

In the face of unspeakable evil, we all hope and pray we'd have the courage to do the right thing. Sometimes, though, the right thing isn't making a heroic last stand, or storming a beach, or jumping on a grenade to save your friends. Sometimes it's just realizing that evil is evil and refusing to be part of it.

Refuse to be part of it.

That is all.

Tuesday Campaign Pic, Part 6

Okay, I gotta make more of an effort to post these every week. Teleprompter Jesus is counting on me!

Yeah, what can I say, I'm a geek...

That is all.

Crimson Trace Grips

At the Crimson Trace-sponsored Happy Hour during the NRA Convention, I had a chance to chat with Top Shot winner Iain Harrison a bit (after he licked my head). I shamelessly whored myself out mentioned that, while I had written several reviews for other handgun laser sight manufacturers, I had yet to review the fine offerings from Crimson Trace as part of my MArooned Product Reviews.

A quick follow-up with Iain after the craziness of the convention had subsided to a dull roar, and he was kind enough to send a few items out to me:

Frickin' Lasers!

There's a Crimson Trace grip for a Smith & Wesson J-frame, a Colt Officer's model, and a third grip laser to be named later. I'm planning a full review for each grip and will get more in-depth during the complete review, but I do have to say that these were extremely simple to install. I couldn't help myself:

Installed, even!

Yeah, I put them on the same night. What can I say? I like instant gratification... I've got some range time scheduled this coming long weekend and will put the grips through their paces then, and should have a more comprehensive review up at that time.

Thanks again to Iain and Crimson Trace for this opportunity!

That is all.

BUSTED!

Heh. Brad_in_MA sends word that Corruptocrat former IL Gov Blagojevich has been convicted of trying to sell Øbama's senate seat to the highest bidder:

Jury convicts ex-Ill. Gov. Blagojevich at retrial

CHICAGO — A jury has convicted Rod Blagojevich of nearly all the corruption charges against him, including trying to sell or trade President Barack Obama's old Senate seat. Jurors delivered their verdicts Monday after deliberating nine days.

Blagojevich had faced 20 charges, including the Senate seat allegation and that he schemed to shake down executives for campaign donations. He was convicted on all charges regarding the Senate seat.

Couldn't happen to a more deserving fella. How's that reality TV gig looking now, ROD?

That is all.

Wait Wait Wait Wait Wait...

...did Al Gore just say what I thought he said?

Gore: Obama has 'failed'

(CNN) – Former vice president and environmental advocate Al Gore sharply criticized President Obama's "failed" approach to global warming Wednesday, forcing the White House to defend its record on climate change.

Gore was supportive of Obama's action in the first six months of his administration, but the former Democratic presidential nominee said the administration has not made the case for action among the American people.

No, that's not what I'm talking about. While it is interesting to note the semantic shift - notice they're talking more and more about "climate change" as opposed to "global warming" - it's not Gore saying that Øbama "failed" that's the issue. It's not unusual for Øbama to come under fire from far-left groups for not being far enough left. What I'm talking about is this:

"Assuming that the Republicans come to their sense and avoid nominating a clown, his re-election is likely to involve a hard-fought battle with high stakes for the country," Gore wrote. "But in this case, the president has reality on his side."

(emphasis mine) Al Gore talking about reality? G'won! Pull the other one!

That is all.

I'm Going Out On A Limb Here...

But I'm going to hazard a guess that the folks involved in the incidents described below did not have valid MA LTCs...

1 killed, another wounded in gunplay

One man died and another suffered life-threatening injuries in two separate weekend shootings in Boston.

Police responded to East Cottage and Sumner streets in Dorchester about 9:30 last night and found a male in his early to mid-20s shot with serious injuries, according to officer Eddy Chrispin, a Boston police spokesman.

I know I'm flagellating a deceased equine here, but it bears repeating. You can pass all the gun control you want - believe me, MA has come close - and it will not make a single whit of difference in the violent crime rate. I'll make a $100 donation to the Brady Campaign if either of the shooters in this story had valid MA Class A LTC permits. Anyone want to match me?

Pandora's box is open, and it has been for well over a century now (just considering smokeless powder). There are millions of guns in this country, and there's more outside of our borders - make them illegal, as in the UK, and someone will get rich smuggling them in. Focusing on the inanimate object used in the act of violence rather than the sentient being actually perpetuating the violence is a fool's errand - as my good friend WeerdBeard shows, people are killed with a dizzying array of weapons that are not firearms.

A firearm is an inanimate chunk of metal and wood or plastic. It cannot hurt anyone by itself. It requires that a person, a living, breathing, sentient being, pick it up and - either through ignorance or malevolence - use it to harm another. Ignorance we can cure - it's part of the big reason we're so happy to bring new folks to the range - but malevolence we leave to the courts to punish. If someone is hell-bent on causing injury to another, it won't matter which tool is used - to the person upon which the injury is heaped.

Again, we ignore the hand holding the gun at our own peril.

That is all.

You Can Tell Summer's Here...

Because the school buses may be gone, but the slow-moving imbeciles are out in force... Actually had some guy stop in the middle of the intersection to let someone make a right turn on red - coming from the red light. Dude. That is not how it's supposed to work. Causing the entire line of traffic to slam on their brakes so you can let Johnny Impatient into the line of traffic isn't exactly gonna endear you to your fellow motorists...

And speaking thereof... Look, here's a little tip. If you think that sticking the nose of your car out into traffic is going to get me to let you in, think again. I'm equally likely to take that bumper off as I am to let you in front of me if being rude is your strategy. This goes double if you're blocking the other lane of traffic - being an asshole isn't going to get you in front of me. It's even better if they don't have a directional on...

And the slow. Holy smokes, what the bloody hell is wrong with people? It's summer. It's not raining. Visibility is excellent, traction is about as good as it's ever going to get (warm tar snakes assist in traction control!). There's no danger of sliding off the road because of snow. You're not going to hydroplane. Why, then, for the love of all that's good and wholesome, are you traveling 15 MPH below the speed limit?

I know, I know, people are stupid...

That is all.

Rollin' Along...

The Big Guy sends in another addition to the count with this story:

Police: 3 Sought In Home Invasion, Shooting

ENFIELD, N.C. -- Authorities say a 17-year-old out for the weekend from a juvenile justice facility was shot and killed during a Halifax County home invasion. Sheriff Jeff Frazier says a resident fired at four people as they were trying to get into an Enfield home at around 4 a.m. Saturday.

Again, we see multiple assailants, including someone recently released from incarceration. We have an early morning home invasion which ends quite unpleasantly - for the bad guys. Again, these are exactly the types of situations the Brady's would have us face with harsh language rather than the best tools currently available. Since most of us don't happen to live next door to a police station, it's left as an exercise for the reader exactly what would have happened had the homeowner been a happy VPC believer and been defenseless.

There's nothing good that can come from people banging on your door at 4 AM...

Dead Goblin Count: 174

That is all.

I Am the Anti-Robb...

Not only do I review tactical pants, I actually wear them! Unlike some people who gallivant around sans pantalons, your humble host puts his on one leg at a time, yessirree bob. And when I get an e-mail out of the blue (meaning I didn't beg for it!) asking if I wanted to review another brand of tactical pants, GenuineGear Lightweight Tactical pants. Well, given that I've reviewed three different brands already (5.11 Covert, LA Police Gear, and Woolrich Tactical Elite), I jumped at the chance - you can never have too many options in the realm of tactical bloomers, right?

So new pants showed up over the weekend:

Tacti-cool!

Haven't had much chance to try them out yet, other than a quick test to make sure they fit, so a longer-term evaluation and more in-depth review will be forthcoming. From a quick scan of the pants, there's a lot to like so far: reinforced front pocket edges for multi-tools or folders, deep front pockets for pocket carry, and a cell phone/spare magazine pocket. As to how they hold up over time, that'll be for the long(er) term portion of the review, but so far, they appear to be a solid entry in the tactical trouser market.

Granted, I haven't had time to duct-tape trauma plates to them yet...

That is all.

Updatin' the 'Roll...

Time for a (waaaaaay overdue) update of the blogroll. Like my lawn, I let it go too long between periodic updates and it got away from me again (and, like my lawn, I swear I'm not gonna let it happen again...)

So, in the interest of just getting it done, here are some new blogs for the blogroll:

1. The Just Nation
2. The Madman Raves
3. A father of four
4. The Shooter's Log (Cheaper than Dirt blog)
5. Gun Guy in New Jersey

And here's an update: Andy of Bus Error is now at In Search of the Tempestuous Sea.

Welcome aboard to the new blogs!

That is all.

And One More!

Several folks sent me links to this story:

Lake Wales Man Shoots, Kills Burglary Suspect

LAKE WALES | Startled by two burglars as they jumped out of a window at his mother-in-law's home, a Lake Wales man shot and killed one of the men Wednesday night, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

Kelvin Lorenzo Bagley, 31, of 2500 Hughes Road, Apartment 1, in Haines City died at the scene of the shooting at 948 Miami St. in Lake Wales.

Now, the story claims "sex offender" status, then at the very end explains that the person in question engaged in acts with a person age 16 - when he was 20. Not sure if I buy that, but it's all a moot point seeing as how he's room temperature now. Bottom line is two-fold: The shooter was obeying the most important rule of surviving a gunfight - Have a gun; whereas the shootee ignored one of the most basic rules of survival - don't bluff a man with a gun defending his home (well, that of a relative, but it's the same idea).

Shorter: when the man jumping out of a window meets a man with a pistol, the man jumping out of the window loses...

Dead Goblin Count: 173

That is all.

Go. Wish Well...

My #1 Blogson turns 3 today.

If his blog were human, he'd throw a tantrum and then sulk in the corner out of defiance. Fortunately, Borepatch has far more class than that. He's been putting out high-brow, high-quality, high-intellect stuff for three years now. Meanwhile, I've got Weiner jokes... ;)

Happy Blogiversary Borepatch!

That is all.

If It's Saturday...

...it must be Vicious Circle time!

Vicious Circle #98: Fast and Felonious is up for your listening "pleasure".

Please join alan, Dennis, THOTpolice, Newbius, TomcatTCH, Gay Cynic and your humble host as we discuss the ATF's "Gunwalker" scandal (hence the title), recording the police, the media losing ground as gatekeepers of information, and other fascinating subjects. Links from last night's VC are here and should be considered NSFW. Only one more show to the 100th Vicious Circle!

Vicious Circle: More fun than a chimp with a defibrillator...

That is all.

Two-Fer!

FarmDad linked me to this one last night in Gunblogger Conspiracy chat:

2 robbery suspects dead at jewelry store

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO – A jewelry robbery turned deadly Friday when gunfire erupted at a busy South County shopping center, leaving a pair of robbers dead.

An employee shot and killed two men during the attempted robbery while a third escaped, managing to elude a police manhunt.

Sure looks like they broke into the wrong store. They walked in with a gun in the middle of the day looking to intimidate the occupants, and two out of three ended up leaving in a hearse. While it would be a better story of the count was 3-for-3, it's not for lack of trying. The story as written indicates that the day's events are unclear, but it looks like three people walk into a jewelry store, at least one of which is armed, and they got more than they bargained for.

Dead Goblin Count: 172

That is all.

Update on Pharmacy Shooting...

PISSED sends in information that the quadruple homicide pharmacy murderer has been captured:

Arrest Made in Pharmacy Slayings

An arrest has been made in connection with the pharmacy shootings that claimed the lives of four people on Long Island over the weekend, including a 17-year-old girl who was supposed to graduate this week, police confirmed Wednesday.

The suspect, identified as David Laffer, 33, is in custody at police headquarters in Yaphank, law-enforcement sources tell NBC New York.

Great. It's comforting to know that in the wake of a senseless, brutal slaying, the police will be able to apprehend the suspected party several days later. Now, don't misunderstand me - I think the cops did a great job tracking this guy down. They showed beyond a shadow of a doubt that, given sufficient motivation they can track down even lowlife drug seekers turned violent, a superb bit of sleuthing. All they had to go on was some grainy surveillance footage and prescription records, and they nailed the guy quick.

BUT...

They nailed him *after* the fact. Four people lost their lives because some drug-addled jackass decided not to leave witnesses - and got caught anyways. The best thing that could come of this would be to send a message to other drug seekers that executing witnesses is not going to prevent you from getting caught. But what's sad is this:

In the aftermath of the shootings, Dormer warned physicians and the owners of small drugstores in the area to be vigilant about anyone "expressing an urgent need for prescription painkillers." He said added police patrols would be deployed near small pharmacies until a suspect is apprehended.

Unless "be vigilant" is code for "put a Mossberg 500 under the counter", what they're setting up for is more compliant victims. What the hell good does "being vigilant" help when someone comes in with the intention of slaughtering everyone in the room? The pharmacist might have an eagle eye for details and everything, but that's not going to help if the perp starts firing when he walks in the door. The likelihood of an updated police patrol happening to be exactly where Donnie Druggie opens fire are vanishingly small.

Like it or not, you are your best line of defense - have, and carry about your person, the best tools for the job.

That is all.

Neat Trick!

Les has an alternate use for those extra rifle straps we all have laying around.

I know what he's saying about the Nikon strap being too short; I've got mine all the way out and it's just barely big enough. I'd imagine for someone taller - or who prefers/needs a wider range of motion - it would easily be too short. Not to mention getting the straps on it was an exercise in fine motor skills and self-censor... The quick-detach mechanism of the rifle strap means it's a lot easier to get the strap off if you want it out of the way for stills and the like, too.

Now, the next thing I need to do is to order up some rifle straps so I have extra - what's a good strap?

That is all.

Sadly, It's Not Just Massachusetts...

The Big Guy sends in the following story about a dumb criminal - and an even dumber criminal justice system:

Freed from GPS device, parolee allegedly takes part in burglary, shooting

Last Wednesday, as part of the state's effort to save money in the corrections agency, a parole agent removed a GPS tracking device from Lawrence Lamar Jackio, a 20-year-old gang member on parole for burglary.

The next day, Jackio, who is known as "Poopie," allegedly made his way to Palm Grove Drive in Rancho Cordova, where authorities say he took part in a burglary and home invasion that turned into a gunbattle with the homeowner.

By the time it was over, Jackio's alleged partner was shot in the head, the homeowner was wounded in the hip and Jackio had been shot in a leg.

He's a "20-year-old gang member" who has been in the CA criminal justice system since 2005 - meaning that he was committing serious crimes at the tender age of 14. That's only a little older than TheBoy. So how does the CA "justice" system respond to this career criminal? They let him go! Of course! There's no need to track gang members released on early parole!

I love the "system" they use: on a scale of 1 to 4. When you're looking to release folks to save money, you think that might have something to do with the decision to classify someone as a "2" rather than a "3"? Why not just cut the BS and have "release today" and "release next week" as the only options, because that's sure what it looks like. I mean, really:

Sacramento County sheriff's investigators believe Jackio had been free of the device for one day when he and an accomplice went to the 9900 block of Palm Grove Drive last Thursday.

One. Day. Gee, there's nothing in his background that would indicate a tendency towards anti-social violence, is there?

Court files show a lengthy criminal history for Jackio that began with a July 2005 burglary arrest and referral to juvenile hall. Since then, he has faced charges of burglary, robbery, conspiracy to commit a crime, robbery involving a firearm, failure to obey a court order and numerous other counts, court files indicate.

"Robbery involving a firearm"? From someone under the age of 21 in California? The highest-ranked state in the Brady scorecard? Obviously this news article is wrong. Guns are tightly controlled in California; clearly this underage criminal could not have gotten his hands on a handgun.

Again, and I know it gets tiresome hearing it over and over, but it bears repeating: It's not the gun that needs control, folks...

That is all.

Politics Make Strange Bedfellows Indeed...

I am forced to admit that I support something co-sponsored by Barney Frank.

Reps. Paul, Frank to Unveil Bill to Decriminalize Marijuana

In an unlikely alliance, Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) and Barney Frank (D-MA) plan to introduce a bill on Thursday that would end the federal prohibition on marijuana.

The bill by the conservative Paul and liberal Frank would allow states to determine their own marijuana laws —including medical marijuana laws - without federal interference.

At least it's co-sponsored by Ron Paul - which makes sense, from a libertarian/wookie suit standpoint. There is simply no reason to keep marijuana on the "illegal" list when it's significantly less hazardous than alcohol. Personally, I'd love to see all drugs legalized, with the same penalties for impaired operation of motor vehicles/public intoxication/etc. and let Darwin sort it out, but that's not going to happen, at least not in my lifetime.

We can at least start by decriminalizing pot and letting the wastoids blaze up without fear of going to jail...

That is all.

Thanks to Brad_in_MA for the tip and the title!

Friday Gun Pr0n #220

It's back-to-back reader gun pr0n from the same reader! Jim, he of the awesome S&W 686, went out and got himself another addition, one about as far from a .357 Magnum revolver as possible:

EBR ZOMG!

From Jim:

I know I just sent in a picture of my new 686-6 Pro, and that you put it up on Friday Gun Pr0n (Thank you!), but another of my must haves became available and I had to get it. Now this one puts me at my yearly limit of 2 firearms per year (self imposed, because if I had no limit I would go all JayG...or broke...or both...). This is a Spikes Tactical ST-15 Mid Length LE Carbine (specs).

So now that I can't get any more firearms for the rest of the year, I guess that I'll just have to make due with accessories... Currently considering a Knights Armament KAC 300 Flip Rear Sight and a Lucid HD-7 Red Dot sight to start, although I am always willing to hear any recommendations (which is probably asking for trouble...lol).

*Sigh* Look at that lovely felony rifle. I need another AR, something with a flattop upper and a 20" barrel. Or maybe one in 9mm. Or .45 ACP. So many choices, so little money...

Anyways, any thoughts on optics for Jim?

That is all.

The Coolest Thing You Will See Today, Part II...

Skidmark sends in this very interesting video:



From the originator:

Sequence of shots of increasing power to show the effects of different weapons. Originally filmed for a medical conference on the treatment of casualties in a 'Major Incident' situation.

The barrels had 60 litres of water. Polyprop material. Total weight about 65kg.

Very interesting to watch. You can see the progression as the bullets get larger and faster - the .308 starts to bow out the back of the barrel; the .338 really creates a dynamic exit; and, as expected, the .50 BMG blows it apart. Is gun. Is not safe.

And I especially like the bit at the end about cover vs. concealment vis a vis the car door...

That is all.

UPDATE: My blogson reminds me that I am a week too late. Sorry MSJ!!!

The Media, Sarah Palin, and "Evil" and/or "Stupid" Republicans

Borepatch has a (yet another) thought-provoking piece on Sarah Palin. I started to leave a comment, and it grew far beyond a simple comment, so I figured I'd stand on my own particular soapbox...

The simple fact is that, thanks to the mainstream media, Sarah "I can see Russia from my house" Palin is lumped in with Dan "If I'd known I was going to Latin America, I'd have studied Latin in High School" Quayle. Neither of them actually said either statement, of course; Palin's was her doppleganger Tina Fey on SNL; Quayle's quote was from a staffer with tongue firmly in cheek. But the media storyline is that they were stupid, so they had to be portrayed as such. Republicans are either evil or stupid; George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan were two examples where the media tried to portray them as both.

Hell, I jokingly referred to Bush as "President Gumby" because of the way the media would alternate between the drooling moron persona (stupid) who mangled "nuclear" and didn't read newspapers and the evil megalomaniac who planned 9/11 and got us involved in two wars to enrich his oil buddies. He was either a drooling moron that had to have Dick "Darth Vader" Cheney pulling the puppetmaster strings, or he was the modern day incarnation of Adolf Hitler - either the dopey figurehead or sinister Skull&Crossbones illuminati bent on world domination.

Palin doesn't fit neatly into the narrative. The media seized upon those e-mails because they were certain - CERTAIN - they were going to find tons of evidence of either a vapidly stupid cheerleader bimbo or a barely-suppressed theocrat hell-bent on closing and mining the borders, making abortion illegal, and rounding up dissident leftists for re-education. You know, everything the left likes to pretend the right wants to do - and using the methods they themselves would use if they thought they could get away with it.

What they found, though, was supremely uninteresting - the simple fact that the story just vanished after the release of the e-mails is proof enough of that. You know as well as I that the first hit of theocracy or stupidity would have been front-page news for weeks - as well as never-ending fodder for SNL, Jon Stewart, et al. If the media had paid half as much attention to "Operation Fast and Loose with the Truth", we might be seeing some real changes at the ATF right now (not really, but it would be nice to see them display some interest in the government deliberately arming Mexican gangs to drum up support for gun control... Wait... Nevermind).

Borepatch is onto something with the media's perception of Palin - and the political "center" and how it relates to Republicans. The media's been on the far left for decades - Joe McCarthy remains one of the most hated men in modern US history, often with good cause, but also overlooked was that, by and large, he was right - the communists had infiltrated large chunks of the media, politics, and popular culture. That McCarthy was a loudmouth drunkard who liked to bully people was the only saving grace for the Fifth column.

Conservatives, at least for the past, oh, eighty or so years (I'm being charitable), have not been as their name suggests. A true conservative would stand in front of the American people and remind them that freedom is not safe; it is messy, nasty business that requires input and hard work. The Second Amendment should be as sacrosanct as the First, for without the right to keep and bear arms on a par with the standing army, we run the risk of turning into a police state like pretty much every other country around the world that bans civilian ownership of arms. A true conservative candidate would approach the national budget with a katana, not a scalpel; the deficit would be a matter of personal and nation pride to reduce to zero.

A true social conservative would oppose, vehemently, issues like abortion and deviations from the nuclear family - but they wouldn't dream of suggesting government intervention is the solution. They might support prayer in school, but never as a mandatory routine. Following the guidelines set forth by our Founding Fathers - the very principles this country was built upon - would be of utmost importance. The Constitution is not a living document, but an ironclad framework of what the government can - and cannot - do; this is the true mark of a conservative, that they understand and abide by the simple elegance contained in those four pages.

Palin isn't all that conservative comparatively, but given the current field, she stands out like Attila the Hun - and that scares the hell out of the leftists and the media (but I repeat myself...)

That is all.

Never Thought I'd See This Headline...

Whitey Bulger Arrested In Santa Monica, California

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (CBS/AP) — Boston mob boss James “Whitey” Bulger was captured near Los Angeles after spending the last 16 years on the run during an epic manhunt that served as a major embarrassment to the FBI and made the fugitive a global sensation as he constantly found a way to elude authorities.

The FBI finally caught the 81-year-old Bulger Wednesday at a residence in Santa Monica along with his longtime girlfriend Catherine Greig just days after the government launched a new publicity campaign to locate the fugitive mobster, said Steven Martinez, FBI’s assistant director in charge in Los Angeles.

I thought it was funny watching the news surrounding Eric Rudolph - the media made it seem like a big deal that he spent like five years on the run. He camped out in the woods and ate bugs and lizards - meanwhile, Whitey was on the lam for nearly 20 years, visiting England and living the easy life out in LA. I thought for certain that Whitey would be another Jimmy Hoffa, never to be heard from again.

Imagine my surprise this morning when I turned on the computer and was greeted with the headline of Bulger's capture. Whitey is a source of bemusement in MA, given that his brother Billy ran the Statehouse for years and then later the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, the largest state-run university in MA. It was a striking dimorphism that one brother became a successful politician and chancellor while the other was a fugitive, a gang leader wanted for murder and a host of other crimes.

We'll leave the inevitable comparison between politicians and the mafia to the reader as an exercise...

That is all.

The Coolest Thing You Will See Today...

Sent in by Northeast Bloggershoot attendee stickman is this super-cool video:



Movie found at this link.

Our future may not have flying cars, but it does have lightsaber dueling robots!

That is all.

We Interrupt This Broadcast...

...for a "man on the scene" report on the TSA. Roving MArooned reporter SCI-FI recently traveled to sunny Texas to attend Phlegmfest 2011, and was kind enough to provide this eyewitness report of enduring the Transporation Security Agency.

Here's his report:

As part of my never-ending job as MArooned's roving correspondent, I was recently deployed to the wilds of Texas to attend PhlegmPhest 2011. I'll submit THAT field report after Jay pays my expense report -- in the meantime, he asked about my trip through TSA. That story is a freebie:

MrsSCI-FI and I got to the airport early for our free grope, mainly because I refuse the nudie-scanners, but also because we had unorthodox traveling companions: six fat lobsters chilled in frozen vegetables.
(Yes, live lobsters. Yes, on a plane.)
[Ed.: I've had about enough of these motherf**king lobsters on this motherf**king plane!]
My wife and I approached the Guardians of the Gate, watching as the Trail Boss and his men herded cattle through the nudie-scanner. We stripped ourselves of anything not safe for airplane travel: bags, cellphones, shoes, dignity, etc, and explained to Guard #1 that the carry-on contains 6 very fat, very live lobsters: "Do these get hand inspected, or do we put them on the belt?"
[Ed.: I am impressed they were not "confiscated" as "contraband". Or rubber band]
The guard stared, utterly nonplussed, and stated that they go on the belt with everything else. Great. Can't wait to see the expression on the X-Ray tech's face when the Six-Pack of Crustaceans rolls through.

Unfortunately, before the lobsters make their debut, we ran into the Trail Boss. MrsSCI-FI announced that she has a medical implant, and must be scanned by hand. Not "Maybe." Not "Scan her Anyway." Not "Subject to TSA override."

Trail Boss, however, knew better. "We get passengers with implants all the time. Just go through." Not a smiling, friendly comment; this was a variation on "Move your ass, you're holding up my line."
[Ed.: Lobsters, OTOH, get a pass]
She repeated her request for a pat-down, and Trail Boss repeated that she is going through the nudie-scanner.

At about the start of the third round of this, I held up my "STOP" hand and repeated what the Mrs had said. Wife, however, was having no problems at this point: she just flat wasn't going through, and the Trail Boss had had enough. He called for a female guard, and told my wife to stand to the side and wait.

Then I stepped up. He looked at me in a manner that I can only imagine Hitler would look at a Jewish mosquito: as if he had some innate "need" to destroy me for interrupting his browbeating.

Doubling-down on trouble, I stated flatly: "Pat down. No scanner." Trail Boss directed me to the "Get out of my way" line next to my wife, and called for a male guard. Somewhere on the scanner belt, our lobsters were laughing up their sleeves at our misadventures.

It's worth pointing out the following: after my wife had been paired off with her designated TSA groper, I saw a family get waved through with no scan. At least five people, one of them an infant, were waved past us all. No magnetometer, no nudie-scanner, no pat-down. I'm not even certain their carry-ons were x-rayed. I pressed the Trail Boss for an explanation: "Why are they just walking through?"

The answer was a load of crap: "We need to relieve congestion." (Wording *not* exact; but damned close.) I went so far as to gripe again (tripling-down on trouble?), but Trail Boss virtually ignored me. No further acknowledgement whatsoever.

After cooling my heels for about five minutes, I was handed off to my male groper. He asked me to point out my carry-on bags, which I did, including the case with the lobsters. He instructed me not to approach them, then took me aside, offered me the choice of doing the colonoscopy in the middle of the TSA checkpoint, or in a private office. I opted for the public grope. I silently wondered if the lobsters had died of boredom by this point.

This pat-down was unlike my previous grope (November 2010). This was rough, like I was being arrested. The more jostling I endured, the more angry I became. When he slid his hands up my inner thighs, each slide culminated in a solid hit on The Boys, port and starboard. I cleared my throat after the first hit, then louder after the second.

Total time for the pat-down was probably just under five minutes. Total cost was my dignity, my appearance (the prodding was enough to untuck my shirt), and two bruised nuts. I tucked my shirt in, grabbed my shoes and carry-on full of lobsters, and stalked off to meet my wife.

The lobsters, for what it's worth, were a hit at the party.

---

Hmmm. Unnecessary and punitive grope-downs. Ineffective and circumvented security procedures. And crustaceans. This report has everything! Thanks for the report, SCI-FI; that expense report should be approved shortly...

The TSA could not be reached for comment, relying on this audio press release...

That is all.

I Am Too Young To Be A Grandfather!

But, apparently, I am not too young to be a blog-grandfather... Borepatch e-mailed me the good news early. Seems as though his commenter Dan went and started his own blog after being sufficiently nurtured by my #1 blogson.

Say hello to "Eff the Elite D-Bags".

I like him. He's silly.

That is all.

It Gets Worse. *MUCH* Worse...

Remember the story I mentioned yesterday about the guy who boosted his pension with a no-show job working for an educational collaborative? Well, turns out he was just the tip of the iceberg...

Special ed director said to siphon $10m

The former director of the Merrimack Special Education Collaborative is facing allegations that he fleeced the publicly funded organization, set up to provide education services to special needs children, of more than $10 million while paying himself, a former girlfriend, and a handful of top staff extravagant salaries and bonuses.

In letters mailed Monday, Gregory W. Sullivan, the state’s inspector general, said that John B. Barranco also racked up more than $50,000 in personal expenses on a credit card issued by a related nonprofit organization, including tickets to the Kentucky Derby, improvements to vacation homes in New Hampshire and Florida, Christmas gifts for a daughter, luxury clothes, and nearly $16,000 in gasoline, purchased from 2003 through 2010.

2003? ZOMG it's Bush's fault!

You know, I honestly think that flogging would be going too easy on this guy if these allegations are proven. Here's a guy working under the guise of helping the community's most needy students get the special assistance they need, and he's robbing the system blind? There's a special extra-toasty section of Hell reserved for you, pal.

It sure looks like any time someone on the board of directors of the Collaborative got inquisitive as to why this dude was raking in the big bucks, they found themselves getting a six-figure job as an assistant assistant or something. Turns out that not only are those who watch the watchers not doing their jobs, they're also easily bribed. In my world, they would be flogged as well. I'm thinking as described in "Starship Troopers" flogged, only I wouldn't go so easy on them...

Sure, I'm a little biased here - first off, those are *my* tax dollars being wasted there. The state - under the courageous leadership of Cadillac Deval - increased the sales tax from 5% to 6.25% because we didn't have enough money. Because of waste like this! This jackass and his collaborative make every damn thing I buy in this state more expensive. Secondly, this was done while the head of the Special Education collaborative - this bastard knew full well that his funding would never get cut, because ZOMG THOSE PORE SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS!!!111

He used the cover of vulnerable kids in need to enrich himself. Hell might even be too good for him.

That is all.

This is How We (Don't) Roll in MA...

Sure, our gun laws suck. Sure, our politicians are corrupt. Sure, we make most of the country look hardcore conservative by comparison. But when we get together to have a shoot, we do it right:

This is a Porsche with 10,000 bullet holes

After the engine of his Porsche 911 decided to die (and take much of the cooling system along with it in some kind of powertrain suicide pact), the owner considered the $20,000 repair job and instead decided to donate the car to a non-profit. A non-profit dedicated to protecting gun rights. Let's find out what happens when you pump a car with 10,000 rounds of hot lead.

Who hasn't wanted to take a few shots at a 911, even an older model, after years of dealing with Porsche drivers? They probably owe us one. So rather than spend more on the car than it was worth, it was nice of this particular owner to donate it to charity.

The pictures used in the article are actually from a friend of mine - z0mbi on the Northeastshooters forum - who has left his photobucket account up for all to see how the shooters at this car shoot absolutely demolished a Porsche 911. And they had fun:



Heh. I think I like the mannequin head best of all...

That is all.

And Then There Was One...

Wisconsin State Legislature Passes Landmark Right-to-Carry Legislation

Fairfax, Va. – Both chambers of the Wisconsin state legislature have voted to approve one of the nation’s strongest Right-to-Carry license bills, by solid bipartisan margins. Senate Bill 93, which was strongly backed by the National Rifle Association, now goes to Governor Scott Walker for his expected signature. When signed, it will leave Illinois as the only state that provides no way for citizens to carry concealed firearms for self-protection outside their homes or places of business.

I suppose it would be tacky and partisan of me to point out that Barry was the junior senator from Illinois, no?

Congratulations Wisconsinites. Your time has finally arrived. Now, one that wasn't certain from the article was whether WI would be shall issue or may issue - that's an important distinction to be sure. I wonder if they might get "may issue" as a way to smooth things over with the liberals in Madison and Milwaukee? If WI goes shall-issue, it tips the balance to 37 - 8 - 4 - 1: 37 "Shall-issue" states; 8 "may issue" states, 4 "constitutional carry" states (WY will be joining VT, AK, and AZ this summer), and one lonely state with no provisions for concealed carry whatsoever.

49 states will have some sort of provision for concealed carry. Of those 49, the overwhelming majority are "shall issue" - if you meet the criteria for the permit, you get the license. There is no "discretion" allowed - you either meet the criteria or you don't. There's no subjective reason not to get your permit - unlike the states with "May issue", where you could meet all the criteria, be a model citizen, never had so much as a parking ticket in your entire life, and still be denied your enumerated Second Amendment right - for any reason whatsoever. It could be that the licensing authority doesn't think civilians should carry guns, it could be that the licensing authority doesn't like you; the reason doesn't matter.

With the stroke of a pen, you are unable to exercise your right as enumerated in the Constitution. That's tyranny in anyone's book. It's long past time we started working to abolish discretionary licensing and the utter unfairness of "May issue". Let's get the number of states issuing permits to 50, and let those permits be "shall issue". Please.

Drop a few ducats in the Second Amendment Foundation's bucket if you can spare it, please.

That is all.

Opinions Solicited...

Friend, mensch, all around good egg, and newly minted MA LTC holder Brad_in_MA has a conundrum:

In a follow-on to yesterday's chat, I've done some more reading . . . and can use some input. Choices:

1) Ruger 22/45

2) Ruger Mark-III

3) Smith 22a

• Fact, there's a "trick" to breaking down Ruger .22 pistols that does not exist in the smith 22a. Lots of rave reviews about how easy it is to break down and clean / oil the smith.
• Fact, all three are quite good and are all available for about $300, give or take. Therefore, price is not much of a factor.
• Fact, I've seen some spotty opinions on all three, but I'm guessing these are "jaded" somewhat by personal preference. Could also be due to how sensitive each particular piece is to varying brands of ammo.

Also just read something about the smith trigger components being plastic? You know anything about this? All else being equal ... wouldn't a plastic trigger component be less durable than steel?

I'm guessing that I can't go wrong with any of the three . . . . and the final choice will come down to the intangibles . . . like how well each fits my hand, etc.

---

Here are the players:

Ruger 22/45

---

Ruger Mark III

---

Smith & Wesson 22A-1

---

To be perfectly frank, I'm stumped. I really like all three; in fact, the single biggest reason I haven't bought another .22LR semi-auto is because *I* can't decide which one I want. All three are MA legal; all three are excellent values for the money; all three will shoot far better than my meager skills can muster.The Ruger Mark III is the most expensive of the group with an MSRP of $362; the 22/45 is in the middle with an MSRP of $335 for the plain jane blued version (although, really, drop an extra $45 for the model with replaceable grips...), and the Smith & Wesson 22A is at the low end with an MSRP of only $319 for the model with the bull barrel. Less than $50 separate all three guns, and the "off-the-shelf" price is decidedly lower than that.

So, of the three, which would you choose and why?

That is all.

[Insert Trite, Overused Cliché Involving "1984" Here]

Obama plays up economy, health care at fundraisers

President Obama was all smiles at two fundraising events Monday night in Washington - one included supporters of a strong U.S.-Israel relationship while the other was attended by dozens of big donors from the Mid-Atlantic region.

At the two events, which come days before the pivotal second fundraising quarter comes to a close, Obama made a strong pitch for his handling of the economy – a preview of the stump speech he will deliver when the 2012 campaign begins in full.

There's just so much wrong with those two little paragraphs I barely know where to begin. I mean, first off, it's hard to imagine Øbama having a lot of support among those who favor strong Isreali-US relationships. But then again, battered spouses often support their partners, so... Secondly, is Øbama really running on his handling of the economy? Really? Aside from throwing money into union coffers at the problem, what, exactly, has he done to help the economy?

The saddest part is that Øbama knows he can get away with it. His lapdogs in the media will run his lies unchecked and slant headlines unmercifully; he is blessed with the poorest field of political opponents since McGovern ran against Nixon; and folks would, by and large, rather watch "American Idol" than take five seconds to educate themselves about the issues (granted, this is not a new problem). He's coasting towards re-election whereas he should be facing an absolute trouncing.

How do we fix it? At this point, I really have no idea. One would hope that after being fed lie after lie in the media, eventually the American people would get tired of it - especially given how pathetically transparent and lazy they've become. Øbama continues to blame George Bush for everything, and yet there is no one to say, wait, you've been in office for well over two years at this point. Then again, this is the same media that blamed George W. Bush for 9/11 - because "it happened on his watch", despite mountains of evidence that showed the attack planned for years before the event.

Choir, meet preacher, though. When the best the Stupid Party can offer is Mitt Romney, it's hard to blame folks for not getting all that excited about the prospect of the 2012 election. However this is no time to get complacent - while I share Newbius's view that we're beyond the point where voting will get us out of this mess, I still urge everyone to follow Borepatch's excellent admonition to "Vote them out. All of them." It's good advice if for no other reason than it removes the entrenched partisans and replaces them with noobs who have to get their bearings.

A re-elected congresscritter goes back to the same office with the same staff and is ready to strip away our liberties the day after the election; but it is not so much with a new critter...

That is all.

Get Out Your Shocked Faces...

Lobbyist’s job was no-show, state says

Lobbyist Richard W. McDonough was making hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, but according to the state’s inspector general, he wanted more.

So McDonough arranged for a client to give him a no-show, no-work job on a public payroll, allowing him to get medical benefits and a state pension he was not entitled to, said Inspector General Gregory W. Sullivan.

It sounds as though this guy turned his lobbying position into a quasi-double dip - while he didn't receive two paychecks, he used his lobbying efforts to appear as though a public employee, making him eligible for a state pension. He also gets - big surprise here - health benefits not available to private employees. You know, the same health benefits that Joe Sixpack has to pay for - and prove he has - in order to not get docked by the state under the RomneyCare bill...

This begs an obvious question: How many more of these "no show" jobs are there still undiscovered in Massachusetts? They "found" McDonough - only after three years of collecting, and I'd wager only because he was convicted alongside Sal DiMasi. How many more lobbyists are "employees" at these "Education Collaboratives" and other such consortiums around the state? How much is this costing the state in pension money, health benefits, and survivor benefits - McDonough was eligible for a higher pension but opted for the plan that continued to pay his wife; if she's significantly younger than him it's possible the taxpayers of MA could be on the hook for decades.

Why do such "Collaboratives" even exist? It appears they operate on little scrutiny, if such "phantom" employees can exist - it's scary to think that all it takes is a single call to get someone "employed" by such a place so they can be a state employee. It's a system rife for abuse - and according to the lawyer for McDonough, it appears it may even be legal. In this day and age, where tax overrides and budget shortfalls are the norm rather than the exception, it seems as though we should be doing all we can to stop these sorts of situations.

Massachusetts: You're more likely to get a cushy no-show job here.

That is all.

Blogout...

As, well, pretty much everyone else out there has already noted, Kevin's going on hiatus for a bit. The news being what it is - recession, wars, pestilence, famine, Justin Bieber - he's just tired of it all and is taking a well-deserved break. As I said in comments, we'll be here waiting for his long-winded triumphant return - take as long as you need. The blogosphere needs Kevin's voice, and I'm not just saying that because I've had the pleasure of doing Vicious Circle with Kevin.

I guess it's one of the benefits of being a pessimist - you kinda naturally expect that people are going to suck and act their worst, and every once in a great while you are pleasantly surprised. It's hard to be concerned about the state of the nation when you've been watching it slide into the crapper for, well, pretty much your entire life (and Kev's got a few years on me!). It's hard to be disappointed in your fellow man when you more or less expect them to plummet to the lowest common denominator off the bat.

I blog because, well, I'd be railing about this stuff anyways, and at least here I'm forced to at least to try to make some sense of it. Rather than yelling back at the TV, I grabbed my own little soapbox and rant away - Blogger is cheaper than Thorazine, after all. Kevin mentions being pissed off and bummed - here @ MArooned, we call that "Sunday through Saturday". The past eighty-plus years have been all about watching this curious experiment called "America" circle the drain; the past two years are but a blip on a long-running decline.

Will it get better? Some folks don't think it will, at least not in the short term. I don't mean to argue with my good friend Newbius, but please. Elections won't save us? They haven't done a damn bit of good the past hundred or so years - why should now be any different? Our government is lying to us? This is different from the past two hundred plus years how? The only thing that has changed in the past two decades is that the information is not as tightly controlled - just because we're hearing about more now doesn't mean that more is happening now.

In any case, I've got enough rage for everyone - and I'll be cranking up the vitriol accordingly to compensate...

That is all.

Just One Chance...

I read this story with great sadness.

2 workers, 2 patrons shot to death at NY pharmacy

MEDFORD, N.Y. – A gunman shot four people inside a pharmacy in a New York suburb Sunday morning, killing everyone inside the store in what police said looked like a robbery gone wrong.

The massacre happened at about 10:20 a.m. inside a family-owned pharmacy in a small cluster of medical offices in Medford, a middle-class hamlet on Long Island about 60 miles east of New York City.

There's little information at the link, but it looks like a robbery turned deadly. Two employees and two customers shot dead, police are assuming a single gunman. I like how the news calls it "a robbery gone wrong" - well, no, no it wasn't. Obviously the person who planned this had every intention of killing the folks inside the building; in their view it went right. Whether they intended to kill everyone inside, or just the employees when someone walked in is a question for the philosophers; all that matters now is that four people are dead over some money and drugs.

Someone in the article mentions hoping that there's a camera so the person responsible is caught. One wonders what will happen in that case; even in a perfect storm of lucky breaks and excellent police work, even if the responsible party is apprehended and brought to trial, what then? New York doesn't employ the death penalty; the responsible party will not pay the ultimate price for the most horrific of crimes. Even if by some miracle they were caught, prosecuted to the fullest, and spend the remainder of their natural born lives in jail, there are still four people who will never see another sunset.

Carrying a firearm for protection does not guarantee anyone anything. A firearm is not a magic talisman that will ward off danger simply by existing; even if one trains and trains hard there are simply no guarantees in life. But there's a better chance than simply cowering there waiting for death; in this case it's a decent bet that *anything* would have been better than doing nothing. Hell, even my first line of defense - running like a scared rabbit - would be preferable; it's harder to hit a moving target.

Who knows what could have happened had someone in that pharmacy been armed? It's possible that one of the employees could have prevailed - the Dead Goblin Count is chock full of shootings where the store clerk stops an armed assailant. It's possible it might not have made a lick of difference - but then again, how would that be different than the outcome as it stands now? Four dead, and the killer on the loose - and armed with a willingness to kill and a winning (for the goblin) game plan.

When you take ownership of your own protection, you at least get a chance - and that's more than those four people had.

That is all.