Yeah, like THAT is going to happen!

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Ordered to Pay $101M in Restitution to Boston Marathon Bombing Victims | NBC4 Washington:

Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has been ordered to pay $101 million in restitution to the victims of his crimes. The payment is due "forthwith". Penalty Phase in Boston Marathon Bombing Trial Set The restitution order came down today from Judge George O'Toole, who heard the case in early 2015. Tsarnaev faces the death penalty after a jury found him guilty and later sentenced him to death. 

Is this money going to be made available from his Legal Defense Fund?

Any fines associated with the case have been waived.

What I said.

Conspiracy Theory

Attorneys General to Discuss Regional Cooperation on Guns | NBC4 Washington:

 Attorneys general from Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia are getting together to talk about ways they can reduce gun violence in the region. Friday's first-of-its kind meeting in Washington will focus on illegal guns and ways the jurisdictions can work together to cut down on gun trafficking. All three attorneys general are Democrats who support gun control. Brian Frosh of Maryland, Mark Herring of Virginia and Karl Racine of the District will speak to reporters following their meeting.

 Published at 5:30 AM EST on Jan 15, 2016

"Major Nine"

Recent Comment:

"BTW, I need to discuss technical aspects of Major Power 9mm, can you email me @ ............@........."

It's interesting that I've received a couple of questions about "Major Nine" recently.

This is probably in reference to a dialogue I had with someone who wanted to discuss the question of 9mm Parabellum being legally definable as a "Major Power" cartridge in USPSA competition.

(Note: 9mm is usually classified as 'minor power', based on the velocity-to-bullet weight ration) by IPSC.    USPSA has allowed 9mm Parabellum to be classified is a "Major Power" cartridge, when it meets certain velocity/bullet-weight criteria as determined by a chronograph.   It's a little bit complicated, but there have been 'convincing' arguments presented that the 9mm can be loaded to much 'heavier' parameters SAFELY when fired in a modern pistol with a fully-supported chamber.)

The difference between "MAJOR" and "MINOR" power in USPSA/IPSC competition is that there are five scoring zones on the standard targets (both the "metric" and the "Classic" target, and they are:
A-zone .... always worth 5 points
B-zone and C-zone ... worth 4 points in major power and 3 points in minor power.
D-zone ... worth 2 points in major power and 1 point in minor power.

The question of MAJOR NINE is a little confusing, but it does allow people to shoot for higher hit-points with a 9mm pistol (if it has a fully supported barrel).

Personally, I'm not happy with the light-weight engineering of the 9mm Parabellum cartridge, but I can understand why some people would wish to work for higher hit-points by using this technical variation on the rules.

I do, however, think it's prone to abuse, and that developing a load which meets velocity standards for Major Power is an exercise which only very experienced reloaders should attempt.  Having said that, the corallary is that people with less experience, who are not as likely to develop a load for 9mm Major by baby-steps while testing each increment against a chronograph ... is a recipe for misadventure, at best.

Obama plans curbs on guns; but he (or the Liberal Press) is reluctant to define them!

Obama plans curbs on guns - The Washington Post: HONOLULU —

This is a complex issue, so this article is very long.

President Obama will press ahead with a set of executive actions on guns next week despite growing concerns in the United States over terrorism that have dampened some Americans’ enthusiasm for tighter firearms restrictions.

Reading through the reportage at the Washington Post, the first leg of the President's 3-legged stool for Gun Control seems to be:

(1) Universal Background Checks:

While the President won't name it as such, he is obviously determined to deny private purchases between individuals without REGISTERING the firearms involved.

HIS obvious intent to impose this restriction on firearms transfers is to insure that "bad people" (those with a record of felonious actions, including violations of current firearms laws) are not buying guns from "private resources" who may not be required to register the transaction.

He wants to keep the guns out of the hands of convicted criminals.  This is not an altogether bad thing.

Unless you are a firearms owner, and you think that your Government does not trust your judgement in regards to this kind of transaction.

Which is reasonable (not paranoid), because your Government does not trust you. At all.

But there is more to it than your hurt feelings.

WHY IS THIS BAD?

The proposed legislation would require that the transaction NOT be completed without a background check, presumably through the NICS (National Instand Criminal Background Check System).

This is the administrative system where a Federal Firearm Licencess (FFE) who is selling a firearm to an unknown (or know!) person will identify that person and determine whether the buyer is a person who is banned from purchasing firarms; essentially, a convicted felon.

Under the current law, that transaction must be deleted from the system as soon as it is determined to be legal.   Which means, there is no permanent record of what firearm (by make, model, caliber, serial number etc.) has been transferred from one person to another.

This system has been accepted by pro-gun and anti-gun proponents alike because it meets the criteria of both parties,

But in transactions between PRIVATE PARTIES, in which the seller who does not 'make a business of selling firearms' (a term which has not yet been defined by the Federal Government), the reportage requirements are not the same as that of a 'dealer' (which has also not been defined, but is assumed to refer to a person who sells firearms on a regular basis for profit, and his annual inventory 'turn-around' exceeds a certain margin ... which has also not been legally defined.)

PRO-GUN: we can sell our firearms to each other, and everyone is 'comfortable' that it is a legal transaction. Furthermore: we are not Gun Dealers, so we have no registration requirements (by law) and  there is no permanent record, so this process does not present itself as an ipso-facto measure of firearms registration.

ANTI-GUN: We are convinced that the purchaser has no criminal background, so this transaction is not contributing to the increase of firearms crimes.
Which is to say  that the transaction is not recorded, it is not examined by titular authority, and it could be ANYBODY *(even a convicted felon) because the LAW says that neither the seller nor the purchaser need 'check in' with the people who regulate the sales and purchases of firearms!

" ..... After They've Seen Paree"?

We in "the civilized West" have seen a dramatic upswing in random assaults, especially sexual assaults on women, in European countries who have "accepted" a huge number of "immigrants" from countries with a culture which do not accept the culture of their new host country.

Just recently:
Cologne Sex-Attack Spree Sparks 'Huge Spike' in Weapons Sales - NBC News: MAINZ,

Germany — A spate of Hundreds of sex assaults allegedly committed mostly by North African men on New Year's Eve in Cologne has sparked an "explosion in sales" of pepper spray and non-lethal guns, German officials and an industry chief said. 

Breitbart reports on "Europe's Rape Epidemic" in October of 2015, including Germany and England.

In 2015, FORBES asks:

Why Did British Police Ignore Pakistani Gangs Abusing 1,400 Rotherham Children? Political Correctness

In November 2015, Infowars reports:

A group of North African migrants living in a tent city in Stockholm have been found guilty of brutally gang-raping a 23-year-old woman in yet another example of how Europe’s open border madness is exacerbating the sexual abuse of women.

And on January 14, 2016,  in Liverpool, a Muslim immigrant from Eritrea was sentenced to ten years in prison for dragging a young woman into the woods and raping her twice.

APPARENTLY, these "young muslim men" see nothing particularly atrocious in the rape of young white women.  These young muslim men have grown up in a culture which does not value the sanctity of women, and so they feel free to assault and rape women of their host country ... the country which granted them santuary from the 'violence' of their home country.

German and English leaders have stated that there are so many immigrants applying for asylum that it is impossible to winnow out the legitimate sanctuary-seekers from those who seek only the social support (including monthly cash allowances) and relaxed police oversight on new citizens.

One would hope  that if it was impossible to determine who is a refugee and who is a potential rapist, the government would take steps to monitor their activities ... but that's an impossible burden on a police community which is already stressed by domestic crime.

Maybe it would be possible for these government to at least disallow migration of young males, whilc allowing married males and their female family members to enter the country and live a live of ease on the government dole ?  (Just a passing thought .. pay no attention.)

However, leaders of Sweden, England, Austria and Germany have already made it clear that they are trying to save as many innocents as possible, and so they are willing to accept that their background checks are not perfect.    The best thing is for their women is to never go outside. Problem solved!

I'm not sure that the innocent women and girls who are routinely raped by immigrants on the government dole are satisfied by the blatant abdication of their duties by their national leaders.\

Or their metro-men.

But, that could NEVER happen in America!  Because ... oh, well, this IS America!

PS:   THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT

• NORWAY is teaching Muslim Refugees that it is NOT OKAY to rape Women!
• ... and a SWEDISH court rules that it's okay for Muslims to rape Women!      
  

H?T:

White "Men" more dangerous than ISIS?

Dallas Mayor: I’m More Fearful Of Armed White Men Than Syrian Refugees:

So it would seem that Rawlings is thinking of a smarter way to combat terrorism that doesn’t involve demonizing Syrian refugees or other refugees. I hope that trend catches on throughout the rest of the South. But in the meantime Rawlings’ courage to stand against Islamophobia should make his city (and all Texans) very proud. It’s just too bad the same can’t be said about the highest elected Texas official. Maybe that will change one day.

I'm trying to think of "white men" terrorists.

• Navy Yard Shootings *(not white?)
• Texas Army Base (Arabic?)
• Columbine (Disaffected teen-agers, but still "white" and "male", if not "men")
• 911 (weren't these  guys "white", as in "Caucasian"?  Islamic, though; does that count?)
• Ruby Ridge (Hostage Rescue Guy Lon Horiuchi... "White"?  Was he a "Terrorist"?)
• Boston Marathon (well, aren't Arabian males "white men"?)
• Boston Bomber (oh .. it wasn't him)
• The College Student in California who couldn't get laid?

I'm not sure, but I suspect that most mass murderers in this country (and others) find more incentive from their politics, their religion, their disaffection or their culture than from the color of their skins.

The point, which Rawlings seems to be willing to overlook, is that he is the racist.  He's not thinking of Syrians as "Islamists"; he's equating them with "people of color".  Why else would he be railing about "white men"?

“ISIS is no more Islamic than Nazi senior staff was Christian,” he said. He also subtly challenged Christian governors and other followers of Christ who have rejected refugees, referencing Jesus’ scriptural call to “welcome the stranger” in Matthew 25:41-43, asking, “Christ following people like myself — how do we deal with this issue of strangers, and are we going to let them in?”

I've Got Tears in My Ears from Lying on My Back in My Bed While I Cry Over You

WHEN YOU LIVE ALONE, it's funny the things from your past which come back to haunt you8.

Like ... song lyrics!

Today I got this song from the 1960's running through my brain, and I couldn't squelch it.

So I'll share it. and you may curse me for putting it into YOUR brain!



I've Got Tears in My Ears from Lying on My Back in My Bed While I Cry Over You - YouTube:
Homer and Jethro .. oh, that's SO corny!

WARNING: Don't fuss with me on this.  I have another song in the back of my head just BEGGING to get loose!

(Does your chewing gum lose its flavor on the bedpost overnight?)

And if THAT doesn't rot your mind, there's "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport"

But wait ... there's more!

Please, Mister Custer!


Oh don't go yet, I've got a TON of them!

Like, there's that old song the ...(Gargle Gargle Gargle) .......

I was on the phone talking to my new medical insurance provider trying to identify my primary care provider, and confirming one specialist, when the agent stopped talking in mid sentence.]


"Are you there?  Hello?  Is This Thing Working?"   No answer.  The Galaxy 6 Smart  StoopidPhone was showing the Red Screen of Death! BAD!

(Not the actual Red Screen; they don't show that on the website)\

So I pushed the buttons to turn it on again, but I couldn't find the phone number that I had just dialed!

Fortunately, the representative had taking my phone number so she called me back.  We laughed, I praised her phone practices,  she accepted my policy changes and I completed my call.

I only wish the 'good folks' at Samsung (or is it Verizon?) were half as competent as the Insurance Representative.

Then I went to GUNBLOGGERS.COM and found THIS ARTICLE by Eric on the GUNMART blog.
Which starts out:

I wasn’t sure that it was going to be Biden, but I KNEW that this argument was eventually going to be made about ‘smart guns’…Its the argument that ‘The iPhone can be unlocked quickly with just your finger print, so why can’t we do this with guns?’

We don't have a lot of violent crime here in Geekistan, unless it involves drunken college kids dukeing it out in the back yard of the neighborhood kegger.   So I'm not really all that worried.

However, it's a point to remember that sometimes the worst has happened by the time you call 911 and then had to call them again because your $700 "Smart Phone" had just crashed your call.

Remember, when seconds count, your Smart Phone is only 10 seconds plus 5 minutes away ... after it reboots,
By then, anything important that is GOING to happen, HAS happened.

The Beloved Kimber: Good 

No Electronic Failure Points have been use in making this firearm.
No reboot necessary, anytime.
No parts involved in the construction of this tool were manufactured by WWII Sore-Losers from a country which we completely dominated in August of 1945 and then boot-strapped into one of the strongest economies in the world.

Either one of them,

Trump's Trainwreck or Brewster's Millions?

I do NOT like Donald Trump.  I'm outraged that this is the best candidate the Republicans can find.

Donald Trump talks Ted Cruz, gun control and the Clintons | Fox News Video:
Jan. 10, 2016 - 14:11 - Republican presidential frontrunner on 'Fox News Sunday'

I like everyone else on the Republican Report Card even less, because they seem like children.  

ON ONE HAND, Trump is at least a grown up and understands money .... I'm just not sure that this is the same thing as being "a viable candidate" or "presidential timbre" (whatever that means).

On the other hand, everyone who seems to be campaigning for the Democratic Nomination is so extreme that they make Trump seem rational.

Is that what this country has come to?  That there is no rational, responsible candidates available among the hundreds of millions of "natural born" citizens who can lead us?

Trump has predicted that this Presidential election will have 'the highest voter turn-out in history".

I don't think so.

I think that Republicans will either (a) hold their nose and vote for Trump, or (b) stay home on Election Day.

Our Only Hope:   Brewster's Millions!
(The 1945 film version)
(The 1985 film version)

"NONE OF THE ABOVE"

That's a pipe dream,unfortunately.