The Agony and The Ecstasy

The Agony:

In Chicago, Gangland killings continue in an unprecedent rise of violence, while local police and politicians seem helpless to stem the flow of violence:
(July 10, 2014)
Amid gangland shootings, Chicago leaders call for federal resources | Fox News:

Jasmine Curry, a mother of five and five months pregnant, lay dead along Chicago’s Dan Ryan expressway Wednesday morning, the latest victim in Chicago’s epidemic of gunfire with a bullet to the head. It was uncommon that she was shot on the expressway, not uncommon that someone from her neighborhood was killed. In fact, Jasmine was not even the first person in her family to be gunned down.  

“Now I have to bury another child,” said her father, Pierre Curry, sometimes weeping, sometimes with a matter of fact callousness. “I had to bury my last-born last year. I have to bury my first-born this year.” The gangland vendettas raged on the South and West Sides of Chicago over the holiday weekend. Thirteen people were killed, another 58 wounded as the bullets flew. Police were fired on and in at least five incidents, they returned fire, killing two.

The Ecstasy:

MAYOR RAHM EMANUEL : We did a study last year after the Taste of Chicago, there was over a $100 million of economic impact creating hundreds and hundreds of jobs throughout the City of Chicago. We are making sure that people from all over the country, the City of Chicago, in the suburbs come see why Chicago has become the ‘Culinary Capital of the United States.’

He doesn't look smug to me 

Does he look smug to you?

Come on  that's not 'smug'!

 WILLIAM KELLY (REPORTER): Mr. Mayor, can you address the ‘Murder Capital’ moniker. We’ve been called the murder capital as well as the ‘Culinary Capital. ‘Can you please address the ‘Murder Capital’ moniker please?
EMANUEL PRESS AIDE TO REPORTER: I’m not…
REPORTER TO MAYOR’S AIDE: Is there anyone from the Mayor’s Office that can address the ‘Murder Capital’ moniker?
During Mayor Emanuel’s tour through the Taste of Chicago, Kelly continued to grill him on his failure to find a solution to the city’s murder epidemic ....

Okay, so maybe just a LITTLE smug ....

NORTON: The Ultimate Geek

Everybody needs friend; geeks need online friends.  And my best, truest online friend is NORTON 360 Software.

Virus protection, virus profile updates on a regular basis, virus removal, protection against 'untrusted websites', auto-backup to protected websitesd ... woof woof, what Geek could want more.

This geek wants technical back-up that's reliable, on-call 24/7, and can fix what ails ya when something goes wrong.

And the thing about software is ... something ALWAYS goes wrong!

Norton 360 did the job on me today.  It decided that my other friends (all my browsers, including Firefox, Chrome, Explorer) were no longer "trusted sites".  As a consequence, when I started my nightly browsing, I had only "INTERNET CONNECTION NOT FOUND" responses.

I got on my new laptop (the old XP laptop was too antiquated to be functional under the old "XP" protocols, so I had to buy one that would run "MS 7 Professional) and I had Internet connections up the ying-yang.  Since the LAPTOP hadn't had Norton loaded yet, that proved that the problem wasn't with the modem. I called the Symantec Hotline and talked to Jiquad who had me uninstall NORTON, and when I had done so I called the next guy with the funny accent to tweak it so that my browsers were 'trusted'.

Perhaps I could have done all that by myself ... it's not that hard, because NORTON has web-based utilities to do all that stuff for me.

But what else did I spend $49 a year for, but efficient customer support?

Now I've got all my computer things working again, I still have no viruses, and I've learned the value of cultivating an air of incompetence.

Why should I do all the work?  I figure I'm maintaining a viable economy in India, and I can tell them about my ingrown toenail while they're trying to work.

I was technical support for decades.    Call it Payback.

Gun Control by Fiat: It's no longer "A Sign In The Window"

TrackingPoint Patents Technique To Disable Guns Near Schools and “Gun Free Zones” - The Firearm Blog:

TrackingPoint’s chairman John McHale applied for a patent (#20140182179) which describes an invention that can disable the trigger of guns, such as TrackingPoint’s smart rifles, if they are within school zones (1,000 ft. of a school), on the grounds of a federal facility or on the grounds of private business that bans private firearms. The patent was filed on December 31, 2012.

(H/T: Says Uncle)

Yes, I'm stealing from other blogs.

But I think it deserved an "expansion commentary".

(Not that the consequences are not already obvious.)

A few months ago there was a furor about the New Jersey law (established some time ago) that when a single firearm was offered on the market which featured "owner identification technology"  (you know, like the RFID Ring, or whatever), then New Jersey would only allow THAT make/model of gun to be sold in the state.

That lead to some really UGLY things, and a lot of gun-folks came down HARD on the gun store which had announced that they intended to become a retailer for that firearm.

It didn't look good in The Press.  The owner of the gun store found himself a target for his customers, who were outraged ... because he was establishing a precedent for Governmental infringement on the Second Amendment.

[There were 'side issues': (a) The law enabled The State to determine what make, model and caliber you could legally own;' (b) the firearm was only offered in .22 caliber, (c) nobody has yet determined that "owner identification technology", sometimes referred to a "New Age Technology",  was 100% reliable.  That is to say, maybe the OWNER couldn't find his ring, he didn't wear it all the time, or the RFID chip lost its mojo. Make up your own worst-scenarios.]

So ... yeah, gun owners are dubious about New Age Technology.

Now we're presented with another "New Thing".

This New Thing ... this "New Age Technology" ... allows a Third Person to arbitrarily define where and when a firearm may be discharged.

It doesn't do it by enforcement of existing laws, it doesn't do it by anything which might have been considered an "infringement" on the Second Amendment in the view of the Founding Fathers.

It does it by fiat.  Unilaterally. One-sided.  Some Other Dude Done It technology.

Remember that General Motors ONSTAR "option" ('compatible with 4G LTE')?  Yes, you have to pay for it. It can stop your car while you are driving down the freeway.  Isn't that a comfort?  Never mind the 'help in an emergency' and the other stuff ... the 'stop your car' thingie is built in, and you do not have an "Opt Out" option.  You don't have to be the one who orders it; they can do it without your help.

Oh, and if a governmental agency decides that's a good idea?  They'll do it for them.  Not for you ... for them.  The guy with a badge number gets to decide if you can drive your car.

If this new "New Age Technology" for guns becomes accepted, they can do that for your firearms, as well.

The invention uses a GPS or mobile phone towers to determine location, sensors to determine orientation and a mobile/radio network connection to download a list of “gun free” locations from a central database. McHale suggests that a “Gun Free Zone” database could be maintained by the BATFE.

The "PAG" (People Afraid of Guns) [I just invented the moniker] will doubtless laud the technological advance as a way to ensure 'Public Safety',

We'll accept that when the same restrictions are also applied to other threats to public safety, such as knives, hammers, and meat cleavers. And baseball bats (warning; graphic footage!)

And midgets.  (warning; stupid)

Soccer vs HS Football vs ... IPSC!

Soccer may be 'in,' but it's not an injury-free sport:

With all the recent coverage given to the World Cup, interest in soccer is frequently described as reaching a "tipping point." Even President Obama has done his part to popularize the sport: taking time out from his busy schedule to watch the U.S.-Germany match, playing soccer against a robot on his recent trip to Japan, and chatting with foreign leaders about the game's finer points. But the president appears unaware of the health risks. He has strongly warned Americans about the risks of playing football, going so far this year as saying, "I would not let my son play pro football." He hasn't offered such similar warnings about soccer.

Oh yeah.

Osama ... sorry, OBAMA hasn't seen the Geek  Blurb which is the BOILERPLATE sent to everyone who asks to be registered in the "Introduction to USPSA" class at ARPC.

There's a whole big slew of text sent in response, but the bottom line is this:

USPSA IS SAFER THAN HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL!

True fact.  Think about it.

Every year you read about some poor adolescent guy who goes out for football, and drops dead on the field.  It may be a Heart Attack (undiagnosed), Asthma, whatever ... kids try to be jocks, and the end up dead.  Sorry, that sounds rude and unfeeling but folks; if you let your kid play soccer, football, whatever, you may be sending them to their grave.

Not so Practical Pistol competition.

Let's compare:

How many kids have died playing high-school football this year?

Soldiers demand right to roll up sleeves; GENERALS turn blind eye. "Good Training!"

Army guns: Soldiers demand right to roll up sleeves | Fox News:

Spc. Milt Perkins and dozens of other Army soldiers are reportedly ready to roll — their sleeves, that is.
 Perkins, a 26-year-old operating room specialist for a combat support hospital, wants Army brass to allow him to roll up the sleeves of his Army Combat Uniform (ACU) to catch a hint of much-needed breeze at Louisiana’s Fort Polk. But Army soldiers have been denied that pleasure for roughly a decade, since the ACU replaced the Battle Dress Uniform. Troops in the other U.S. services, meanwhile, are allowed to roll their sleeves, most notably leading to the Marines’ “suns out, guns out” mantra.
 “I sweat every day when I walk to work,” Perkins told Army Times. “You get sticky.”
 Army officials told the newspaper that the ACU top was designed to protect soldiers' for
  “When it’s hot in Louisiana, we should be able to roll up our sleeves," Perkins said.

Oh Geez!

I remember being in NCO School in Georgia, in 1968.  We sweat in the morning and we sweat in the night, and the only thing that kept us going was the certainty that we would be in Viet Nam sometime in the next few months ... and this was Good Training!  We were suppose to spend some time in Panama, for "aclimation", but we never went there.  This was the closest the Army could come to Viet Nam, and we were glad to get the time suffering.  At least nobody was shooting at us.

And the Army encouraged us to Roll Up Our Sleeves!

Remember the 12-mile march we took in August, at Fort Benning?  We had a Green Beret dude marching with us ... he dropped out at the ten-mile mark.  He was too proud to roll up his sleeves.

The air was like wet cotton balls.  You couldn't breathe .. we all just wheezed.  And we sweat like frigging pigs!

When the march was over, I asked my buddy to turn in my rifle, 'cause I was too pooped to move.  I made the mistake of drinking half a canteen of water ... and I had cramps all night long, because that was the Wrong Thing To Do.  But I still fell asleep in my bunk, and I slept for 12 hours, until Reville the next morning.

Now the Army won't allow Grunts to roll up their sleeves .. because the new designed uniforms don't "look right" that way?

If you have never been in the Army, you probably wouldn't understand.  But that IS the way the Army works.  If it's regulations, it's STUPID!

The funny thing is, when they sent me to Viet Nam, we in The Field always drew our uniforms from the quartermaster corps.  They clothing they issued us was .. rags.  You never had all the buttons.  We never were issued underwear ... talk about a bunch of swinging dicks!

Elbows and knees out ... barely enough buttons to close our fly.  And the shirts?  we didn't mind that there were only one or two buttons, 'cause more exposure to our chests allowed us the ventilation that we needed very much.

We only had two pairs of socks, and we needed to change them twice a day to avoid Trench Foot. I came down with "Bamboo Poisoning" (horrid runny purple/yellow lesions on my arms, legs, hands, face and feet) which stayed with me for a year after I returned from 'overseas'.

But there were no policies then, about providing adequate uniforms to the troops in the field.

Apparently, the Army hasn't changed a bit.  If there is a way to make one's servitude more uncomfortable, the Generals will turn a Blind Eye to any suggestion to make it more comfortable to do our duty.

In truth, I can't imagine why the Army won't provide uniforms which are comfortable in "sultry climate" conditions.  The old story about "Good Training", I guess.

One thing is sure: the people who make the rules are, still, not the people who have to suffer.

You got to ask yourself why America is relying on a 'Volunteer Army' to defend this Nation.  If everybody knew what petty crap they would have to endure once they were 'admitted' into the Army, nobody would ever volunteer.

Damn sure *_I_* wouldn't!

Concealed Carry on Campus -- Oregon State University

Oregon State University has 'issues' with respect to staff, faculty or students carrying firearms on campus.

Concealed, or otherwise.

Oregon State Law allows students/faculty/staff to maintain a firearm within his/her vehicle on campus ... but University Regulation obviate that State Law.

A 2012 announcement in the Campus Newspaper ("The Daily Barometer) includes the Official Policy of the University in regards to firearms possession.

While the announcement purports to announce a "new" policy, in truth it is the same policy which has been in effect for decades.  If you are a student, staff or faculty member of the university, and are found to have in firearm in your possession (which includes a firearm locked in your car!), you are subject to dismissal, regardless of your relationship; student, staff or faculty.

Oregon State Law allows possession of a firearm if you have a CHL (Concealed Handgun License), so if you are found to have a handgun on your person or on your vehicle (on campus), you are not subject to any legal ramifications from the state.

Except from the University.  Who will cancel your ass in a New York Minute!  Student, Staff or Faculty, you are Adios University!

I carried for 15 years on OSU campus .. either in my car or on my person .. and there was nobody I could feel comfortable with revealing that I had a firearm.  Which was perfectly okay, because if someone knew I was carrying .. it wouldn't be concealed, now, would it?

The thing is, that in 2011 there was a lawsuit by a student who was a veteran (Marine), one Jeffery Maxwell, who was  .... well, I'll let you read the details, but essentially he was arrested for carrying a derringer on campus.

The court found him "not guilty" of any crime .. but the University, in it wisdom, " ... Maxwell was suspended from the college for violating its rule against firearms."
 
He was a student, and he lost his 'privilege' to attend the state university.  He was a veteran, but he was not considered competent to safely carry a firearm.

The University giveth, and The University taketh away.

The University Sucketh, and I'm damn happy that I'm no longer associated with that medieval establishment!

And if I was still associated with that bunch of old maids, I'd still be carrying every damn minute I was on their precious campus!

(Just saying .....)

5 shooting drills to practice; and .. I don't want to DQ New Shooters!

5 shooting drills to practice:

Being able to hit your targets is one of the most important first steps in learning to shoot well. A great drill that I’ve done during almost every practice session is to either start or finish with group shooting.
 1.) Shooting groups is a slow-fire drill. You’re trying to hit the target — not go fast.
 2.) You should shoot groups at lots of different distances. I suggest starting at 5 yards and moving out to 25. At 5 yards, you’re looking for accuracy. At 25 yards, you’re looking to keep all of your bullet holes in a space about the size of the palm of your hand.
 3.) Trigger control is as important as sight alignment. To make sure that you’re squeezing the trigger and not jerking, dry fire a few rounds before live fire and after. While dry firing, the gun should stay perfectly still during the entire trigger pull.

I learned a lot from this short bit of advice, and I took it to my "Introduction to USPSA" class last weekend.

The first drill wasn't just the ordinary "shoot one shot at the target" that I've been using for the past few years; instead, I outlined the Upper A-zone area of the target and challenged the four class members to actually HIT their (very small) .... 2" x 4" .... aiming point.

Two of the four shooters managed it the first pass; the other two needed a couple of tries before the cut the perf of the Upper A-zone on a "Metric" target at five yards.

This gave me a simple way to evaluate the accuracy of my students;  I wanted to encourage them to shoot for ACCURACY first, which doesn't always happen when the class is focused on shooting FAST!

(They usually have preconceptions about IPSC competition, and it's difficult to change their mindset from FAST to ACCURATE.)

Then .. after I got them focused on actually hitting the target, I immediately switched them to shooting FAST.

The second drill was to shoot five shots as quickly as they could.  And I put an IPSC ("Metric") target in front of them ... but I didn't require that they actually shoot at the target.  They just assumed that was The Thing To Do.  Kewl!

WTF?

It may or may not have been obvious to you, from the previous description, but what I was trying to do was to counter the previous misconceptions of my students in last weekend's Introduction to USPSA class. Many of my students have actually visited the range at ARPC (Albany Rifle and Pistol Club;  Albany, Oregon) and in their observation they have got the impression that the thing to do is to shoot just as fast as you can.

Well ... yes.  But they have usually missed the perception that the people who shoot fast, and accurately, have a lot more experience.  The Very Good Shooters have learned how to shoot accurately, and eventually learned how to do so 'quickly'.   New shooters think it looks easy, and try to do what they have seen.  The thing to do, is to dissuade them from the "Spray And Pray" school of IPSC shooting, and convince them that they need to learn how to shoot accurately, all the time.

The speed?  That will come to them.  Later.

Much later.

So what we did was to encourage them to shoot as fast as they could, at a target, consistent with actually hitting the damn target!  Fortunately, I didn't have any "Goofy Guys" in the class, so they all were more focused on hitting the brown-boards rather than looking good on the timer.  (I DID run the timer .. but I didn't tell them what their times were.)

The good news:  they all shot safely!

The bad news: they were discouraged when my volunteer "Demonstrator"  (Michael M.) made them all look like grandmothers.

The VERY good news was .. the demonstrator was a 'graduate' of the previous month's class, who had shot exactly ONE match!  This showed the class members that a Quantum Leap in competence was within their grasp, and the ability to shoot much better than they did during the class was merely a matter of experience.

That's important in teaching an Introductory class.

I've given up trying to be my own "Demonstrator".  I can shoot better, faster, more accurately than most of my students ... and I am a mediocre shooter, at best.  I don't want to discourage my students; it's a positive experience when they see one "new shooter" with a minimum of experience, who has learned so much from a single match that he ... well, he doesn't actually make them look bad, but he shows them how quickly they will learn from experience.

The "Final Exam", the last half-hour of the class, is always when I challenge the students to shoot the "El Presidente" stage.  I cheat a bit ... I don't tell them that it's a Virginia Count stage.  But nobody takes an extra shot, because they already know that "stage time" is important.

So it's not a surprise when my Demonstrator, with one match under his belt, does so much better than ANY of my class members do on the El Presidente Stage.

He's the hero of the day.  He knows what it's like, and he has the experience (one match!) which makes all the difference in the world.

All they have to do, they see, is to get "One Match" under their belt, and they will be GOLDEN!

Well, they will be a helluva lot better shooters than they were when the walked onto the range this weekend.

That is; if they don't DQ, because the sad truth is that half of the New Shooters will DQ on their first match.

Either they can't remember to keep their finger off the trigger when reloading  (or moving), or they break the 180.

But for those who can survive the embarrassment of the Evil DQ, they usually come back again and shoot safely on subsequent matches.

Which is why I don't shoot a lot of IPSC matches any more; because frankly, I just don't have the heart to DQ new shooters.
x

Dude .. is this your cup?

Authorities: Military member with concealed carry permit shoots attacker - chicagotribune.com:

Chicago, July 07, 2014:

A Gresham man fired on a group of people leaving a party, only to be shot himself by one of the victims, a military service member with a concealed carry permit, authorities said.

You got to ask yourself .. do I REALLY want to get into a gunfight with some body who doesn't just wave a gun?

As Mickiel fired at the victims’ vehicle, the military member retrieved his gun and took cover near the vehicle’s front fender, according to Hain. Two unidentified people also shot at the group, she said.

Cover, Concealment, and accurate fire.

Chicago, you think you're bad?  You have a lot to learn about BAD.

The military service member fired two shots and struck Mickiel twice, she said.
A 22-year-old woman in the group was injured by Mickiel in the shooting, suffering wounds to the arm and back, according to court records and Hain.

This may explain a lot of Chicago shootings; "Spray And Pray" just ain't workin' for you, when faced with a Veteran.

  Not everyone is impressed with your gangsta' style.  Lookin' bad isn't the same as BEING Bad!

Maybe this is the answer to Chicago Hoodlums.

More in sorrow than in Anger?

States look to gun seizure law after mass killings | Fox News:

HARTFORD, Conn. – As state officials across the U.S. grapple with how to prevent mass killings like the ones at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, and near the University of California, Santa Barbara, some are turning to a gun seizure law pioneered in Connecticut 15 years ago.
 Connecticut's law allows judges to order guns temporarily seized after police present evidence that a person is a danger to themselves or others. A court hearing must be held within 14 days to determine whether to return the guns or authorize the state to hold them for up to a year.

This is happening in the "Shall Not Comply" state.

Okay, the "state officials" say ... if you "shall not comply", we'll simply come take your guns.

This, in the country whose Liar-In-Chief Commander-In-Chief made it a point to publically state:

"I will not take your [guns] away."

What "Independence" REALLY means

A Completely Different Proposal for Gun Control:

First of all, it is constitutionally-sound to keep weapons out of the hands of those who might be reasonably assumed to have violent tendencies; otherwise, the background checks we already have would never have stood up to the battering they would have undergone in the courts by zealous gun lobbyists.
This means that people who belong to factions that openly advocate or have a history of violence against US citizens or government agencies, or individuals who openly express such ideas, can and should be prohibited from owning firearms.
Obviously, simply being a skeptic or critic of the US government alone would be insufficient; but those who unambiguously express violent tendencies should be subject to an explicit legal requirement to surrender their firearms.

Seems reasonable, doesn't it?

Read further:

Second, we must remember that the US constitution explicitly gives the government the power to suppress revolts.  Most gun nuts seem to hold the constitutionally unsound idea (which no serious scholar of constitutional law agrees with) that the Second Amendment is somehow about their right to fight against a "tyrranical government" but in reality, the federal government actually has sweeping Constitutional powers to keep the peace.  It seems logical to me that it should be within the powers of the US government to seize firearms and prevent the sale of weapons to people who advocate the violent overthrow of the government for this reason as well.  Our government, however, has been incredibly lax in using this power and I think it's time they used it.  Bundy Ranch and Leith were our wake-up call: there are violent, dangerous people who want to overthrow our government and impose something far worse than our borderline plutocracy on each and every one of us, they are armed, and it would be criminal to allow them to continue owning firearms of any sort.

Oh yeah, the emphasis is definitely added!


"We All Doin' What We can!"


Having read all the above, you have to ask yourself: isn't this the same situation as that which Americans faced at Lexington and Concord in 1775?

About 700 British Army regulars, under Lieutenant Colonel Francis Smith, were ordered to capture and destroy military supplies that were reportedly stored by the Massachusetts militia at Concord.

Hmm ... confiscation of privately owned firearms.  To the fanatics at The Daily Kos, that sounds like a "violent overthrow of the government".

(And of course, that is exactly what happened ... to the result which most Americans today are celebrating!) Exactly how would "Rose City Rose" have reacted if she lived under the British Boot 238 years ago, instead of in the insulated, protected environment which America represents today?)

To me it seems sort of ... I don't know, kinda/sorta like ... UNPATRIOTIC for Liberal Democrats to be biting the hand that feeds them (given Food Stamps and other social programs .. literally) on the day when we celebrate our Independence from Foreign Rule.

Trash Shooters: Arizona's Hunter and Ash Canyons Closed to Shooting

The "two percent" who are irresponsible ruin it for the 98% who are responsible.

Shooting Wire:
(July 02, 2014)
Arizona's Hunter and Ash Canyons Closed to ShootingSIERRA VISTA, AZ -

ANOTHER part of Public Lands is closed to shooters, because of the activity of 'some' shooters'.
And the inactivity of other shooters.

Apparently, this area in the Coronado National Forest in Arizona has been closed to "all recreational shooting" due to the irresponsible conduct of a few members of what we may choose to to call "The Shooting Community".

Beginning July 1, 2014 the Coronado National Forest, Sierra Vista Ranger District, will close Ash and Hunter Canyons to all recreational shooting.
 The emergency closure is being implemented due to excessive resource damage to trees and other vegetation in both canyons and large amounts of trash, shells and lead being deposited in trees and on the ground.
 Closing the area to shooting will allow the area to recover, improving vegetative growth and wildlife habitat, and allow for cleanup of damaged hazard trees as well as lead, shells and shooting debris.
 The closure order will remain in effect until July 1, 2015 or until it is rescinded. During this time the Sierra Vista Ranger District will develop an overall Shooting Management Plan for all of the canyons along the east side of the Huachuca Mountains.
 The emergency closure prohibits discharging a firearm, air rifle or gas gun in the restricted area. Binary explosives such as Tannerite remain illegal in all areas of the Coronado National Forest at all times of the year.

This announcement speaks for itself.

I know there must be responsible members of "the shooting community" which also use this National Forest land for shooting.  If so, I imagine that they try to clean up the area when they visit it.  But if the Trash Shooters outnumber the Real People, it's impossible to keep up with the mess those "other people" leave behind.

Perhaps the Real People are outnumbered, and only the Trash Shooters use that area now; in that case, the Forest Service folks have taken the only remaining solution --- to close the area to ALL shooters.

Arizona, you need to clean up your act.  I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but the Forest Service can not, and will not, monitor the activities of everyone who uses that area.  (And no, I am not familiar with the situation; "all I know is what I read in the newspapers".)

I'm not sure if there's anything that can be done to resolve this situation.  I hate to see any area of public range/forest closed to shooting.  If anyone is deprived of the opportunity to shoot, and the Forest Service can't keep up with the damage ... then it seems up to the few (?) who are responsible to take it into their own hands to maintain the area.

The use of Tannerite on public lands is, in my mind, entirely responsible.

This is our land, folks.  We're responsible for what happens there, even (or especially) if we are not the people who are making the mess.

Otherwise ... no matter how responsible you are, you are not part of the solution.

"The Last Round You'll Ever Need" ???

Has someone (link at G2 Research) invented the ultimate "Self Defense Bullet"?   They seem to think so, and so does the author of this article on the Radically Invasive Projectile.

Meet the RIP round from G2 Research. Not only does this bullet look scary, it does scary things. It was intended to be used for gun-toting women against would-be attackers, and it’s guaranteed to kill anyone dumb enough to assault anyone who has this in the chamber.
G2 calls it “the last round you will ever need” and describes its effects as “radically invasive.” As you’ll see in the video, the bullet doesn’t just stay in one piece upon entering it’s target. The round uses its forward momentum to send the edges of the bullet ripping apart into your attacker. This not only puts a round into the target, it also sends shrapnel into various parts of the body as well, effectively destroying vital organs.

- See more at: http://rare.us/story/this-is-the-last-bullet-youll-ever-need-watch-and-see-the-technology-for-yourself/#sthash.Wr2xVdgR.dpuf

Personally, I give it "Two Yawns Up" --- just another version of the hollow-point, except that it fragments rather than expands.   The separated base of the bullet continues through as a mass for penetration --- with 'radically' lighter mass, which might be an advantage if penetration is an issue in, for example, an apartment building.

The originators seem inclined to bill it as a one-shot/one-kill bullet, and I haven't seen enough evidence to evaluate it.  (Video, and links to other videos, presented at the bottom of this page.)

Still, reactions at the YouTube site are mixed; a lot of people tend to consider this "scary" and "shouldn't be used except by the military" (note: does violate the Geneva Convention).

Blue Nation Review provides a little black humor in their social evaluation:

"No Weapon Is Taken From Anyone":

Feinstein on assault weapons ban: “No weapon is taken from anyone” - Salon.com:
(January 24, 2013)

Legislatures can do only one thing: make laws.  They don't solve problems, they don't resolve crises, they don't stop crime.  They only punish.  Too often, the people they punish are the only ones who respect the law.

This is the story of a Lawmaker who has long ago quit trying for "right", but now only wants to preserve her office by seeming to be "Doing Something" while she is in office:

 In a press conference Thursday, Democrats unveiled a new version of the assault weapons ban that they will introduce into the House and Senate, which includes a ban on 158 specifically named military-style firearms. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., who sponsored the Senate version of the bill and who worked on the assault weapons ban from the ’90s that expired in 2004, said in her remarks that this will be a “tough battle,” but she is “incensed that our weak gun laws allow these mass killings to be carried out again and again and again in this country.”

Yes, this original article was published over 18 months ago.

It's offered here as a reminder that the Gun Grabbers will never, NEVER give up!

(And they call ME paranoid!)
_______________________________________________________________

The legislation specifically prohibits 158 types of military-grade firearms, as well as other semi-automatic rifles, handguns and shotguns that can have a detachable magazine and have at least one military characteristic. As Feinstein explained, the 1994 version of the law had a two-characteristic test for a weapon to be banned, but that was “too easy to work around.

Is this a reference to the 1994-2004 "Compromise" legislation, which was only enacted if a "Sunset Provision" which allowed the gun/magazine ban to be deleted if (after ten years) it was found to have no effect on the "Violent Crime Rate"?

Yes, it is!

The problem with the 1994 gun ban, according to Senator Feinstein, was that it was "too easy to work around".  In other words, it was insufficiently strict.

Oldie but Goodie: Michael Z on things that you have to "believe, to believe in Gun Control"

Keep and Bear Arms - Gun Owners Home Page - 2nd Amendment Supporters:

Tonight I re-viewed Michael Z. Williamson's:
 "It's amazing what one has to believe to believe in gun control"


As usual, I enjoyed his caustic wit.  I must have read this a dozen times over the years.  While some of the issues have changed slightly .. every item is a dead-on (excuse the Politically Incorrect verbiage), scathingly accurate analysis of the Progressive "cognitive dysfunction" demonstrated on a daily basis.

That manufacturers are not responsible for damages caused by their products, unless that product is a gun.
 That trigger locks and other devices make guns safer, which is why the police and military refuse to use them.
 That registration of guns will help law enforcement, because that way they won't need probable cause and a warrant to conduct a search.
 That registration of guns, which makes their existence a matter of public knowledge under the FOIA, isn't dangerous to owners.
 That registration of guns, in violation of the McClure-Volkmer Act, and as declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, is somehow still legal.
 That private citizens making private sales of private property is a "loophole."
 That the existence of weapons not banned by previous laws is a "loophole." That making it harder to get a license to sell firearms legally will reduce the number of people selling illegally.
 That it's safer to do nothing than resist with a gun, which is why the military wins so many wars by not fighting.
 That we must close shooting ranges because of the noise, but ban silencers because they are quiet.
 That owning a gun for self-defense indicates an intent to kill, just like owning a first aid kit indicates an intent to impersonate a physician.
 That guns are an "epidemic" even though we can't treat them with penicillin.
 That there's no right to own military weapons, which is why the Civilian Marksmanship Program at http://www.odcmp.com exists to sell military weapons to civilians under Congressional authority.
 That suggesting teachers be armed is an outrageous suggestion for a "civilized" society, which is why the Swiss and Israelis do it.
 That making it harder and harder for even cops to have guns on school property will somehow make it harder for lunatics to kill the utterly helpless students.

If you think he's caustic here, you should read some of his books.

NOTE that he has also co-authored with John Ringo and Tom Kratman.

You can get them all from Amazon, or you can borrow them from me.

Hmmm ... not.  Go to Amazon.  My books are MINE!

Final, Official on USPSA Scandal

Letter from USPSA President Phil Strader on the Paul Hendrix cheating scandal | Gun Nuts Media:

I think that this is a solid, reasonable, and balanced response. Lacking any way to prove that Hendrix colluded with others conclusively, the punishment should fall squarely on his shoulders, and a lifetime ban is the only appropriate punishment. My only question is why this was posted on Facebook, and not emailed to the entire membership at large\

Posted by CALEB, June 27, 2014

I agree ... why did I have to search the internet to find this?

Oh, go to the link at the top of the article to see Pres Phil's statement.

No "I'm Sorry/You're Forgiven".
No "rehabilitation"
No "acknowledge your continuing commitment over the years"

Just "Don't let the screen door hit you on your way out."

It all goes back to my very first comment:

Why cheat at USPSA?

"She No Longer Works There"

http://townhall.com/columnists/johnstossel/2014/06/25/omission-control-n1855230

"Reporter Sharyl Attkisson's story sounds familiar to me: A major network got tired of her reports criticizing government. She no longer works there."

---

"There are people who simply would rather just avoid the headache of going after powers that be because of the pushback that comes with it, which has become very organized and well-financed," she says on my TV show this week. 

I left ABC for similar reasons. When I began consumer reporting, I assumed advertisers would censor me, since sponsors who paid my bosses wouldn't want criticism. But never in 30 years was a story killed because of advertiser pressure. Not once.

I hear that's changed since, and big advertisers, such as car dealers, do persuade news directors to kill stories.

You can find the John Stossel article by following the embedded links, and decide for yourself how much you  believe.  (Or you can read "BIAS", by Bernard Goldberg; I'll loan my copy to personal friends.)

While I'm not entirely certain that I buy the story as written, a funny thing happened on the way to the forum:

EVERY attempt to do the "Blog This" function of Google failed.  I finally had to resort to manually copying the weblink, creating a new post, and building it from scratch.

It worked, eventually, but I was surprised that Google/Blogspot didn't treat this article the same as every other article I've BLOGGED for the past ten years.

I know, It's Just Me, and I did something differently from the way I've blog-referenced the past FOUR THOUSAND ARTICLES ... (most of which actually made it to print, by the way.)

Just saying.

Grapes of Wrath

I just finished reading "Grapes of Wrath" .. the 2014 re-published "75th Anniversary" issue.

Has it been three quarters of a century since John Steinbeck wrote this accolade to The Human Condition?

I know only one thing; this was the most difficult novel to read in my (mumble-mumble) decades of reading everything I could get my hands on.  I usually read a book a day.  This one took me sixteen (16) days to complete its reading.

It's not that it's hard to read ... it's a beautifully written story about Hard Times in America.

And that's just what made it so DAMN hard to digest.

Anyone who can witness this difficult period in American history, learn how hard-scrabble honest folks were deliberately starved to death (by their countrymen) without a tear in his eye .. well, I don't want to know him.

It wasn't that "people" weren't capable of being sympathetic to the folks they called "Okies" (as a term of derision; they perforce considered them subhuman, because if they didn't, they might have to give up their own sustenance to support staring Americans.)  It's just that everyone was frightened during the Great Depression about the very really possibility that they were just one paycheck away from starvation and destitution, for themselves and their children.

People were thrown off their homes by armed deputies; a bulldozer would come through and crush their shacks to rubble, and then continue to plow the entire property because The Bank had to make a profit, or the bankers would find themselves on the road, too.

Damn!  I'm glad I wasn't alive during the Thirties!

I saw the movie, with Henry Fonda, years ago.  But that has little to do with the book (except for one scene).  The Joads were images in monochrome there.  In the book, they became real to me.

I've been a critic of "Social Support" programs, because in the Modern Era they often seem nothing more than a Political Boondoggle.

But it could happen again, and in a rich country (which America was NOT, in the Great Depression), I now understand why there has to be some kind of .. at least a "BootStrap" program for folks who really want to work, who are to proud to accept charity, and find themselves having to do "The Hard Thing" because ... that's all they have.

So, what's the country going to be like in 20#?  See here for a slightly different viewpoint, in a modern version of The Grapes of Wrath.

Teaser Quote:

Another young American soldier is being buried while family and friends watch, having been killed by an Improvised Explosive Device while attempting to suppress "insurgents"—in Ohio. He was trying to keep them from shooting the bulldozer drivers demolishing suburban neighborhoods, clearing the land for a "return to nature" under a United Nations mandate.

(H/T: Larry Codrea)

Oh, you have got to go reread Grapes of Wrath!

Your Cell Phone Is Constitutionally Protected

John Lott's Website: Note that the Obama administration supported police being able to search people's cell phones without a search warrant:

The Constitution still stands, and it's a "living document" in the sense that  your private communications cannot be examined without a warrant.

(Thanks to John Lott for keeping us informed about this.)

What this means is that the Law enforcement people who have braced you for ... say ... allowing your dog to run unleashed in the county park, cannot casually browse through your text messages to determine whether you INTENDED to do so.

And they cannot use any information they found there as evidence of any other information; including evidence of a felony.

So if you just bought a new shotgun and you've used your phone to tell your best friend how neat it is, they can't start their own 'unofficial' Gun Registration Database using information gathered there.

Does this apply to email?  Well, if you sent the message to your friend, that's presumably banned.  If you have accessed your email through your computer?  Since the phone is able to send email as readily as your computer, it's a logical extension to assume that is also constitutionally protected.

However, I don't have any references to specifically declare it.  So if you have the tagline saying "Sent from my IPOD" or "Sent from my ANDROID" ... it wouldn't hurt to delete that default setting.

Not Safe For Work ... according to the EPA (And They Should Know!)

EPA Employees Told to Stop Pooping in the Hallway - Fedblog - News - GovExec.com:

Environmental Protection Agency workers have done some odd things recently. Contractors built secret man caves in an EPA warehouse, an employee pretended to work for the CIA to get unlimited vacations and one worker even spent most of his time on the clock looking at pornography. 

It appears, however, that a regional office has reached a new low: Management for Region 8 in Denver, Colo., wrote an email earlier this year to all staff in the area pleading with them to stop inappropriate bathroom behavior, including defecating in the hallway.

Boehner plans to file suit:

 Republicans have voiced frustration with Obama's second-term "pen and phone" strategy of pursuing policy changes without Congress -- particularly environmental rules via the Environmental Protection Agency.  

AND WHILE WE'RE ON THE SUBJECT ....


How about Lois Lerner's "My Dog Ate My Email" defense?

Computer Expert tell us what we already know:  "No way in HELL there are no backups!"
(Okay, not a direct quote.)

The latter two links are to videos.

Media Bias?

I think ... um, gee, I'm not sure ..... (another video).

Map Of Self Defense Stories Using Firearms | Guns Save Lives

Map Of Self Defense Stories Using Firearms | Guns Save Lives:

The map below shows all of our stories geo tagged on a map. Many stories do not give the exact addresses for obvious reasons, but we try to get the points as close as possible with the information provided. The map shows incidents recorded from August 1, 2011 – Present. There may be handful (less than a dozen stories) recorded prior to that.

Guns Save Lives has a map of self-defense stories ... go take a look at it.   It's interesting to note where the incidents tend to 'cluster'.

H/T: The War On Guns

Paul Hendrix resigns from USPSA under allegations of cheating | Gun Nuts Media

Paul Hendrix resigns from USPSA under allegations of cheating | Gun Nuts Media:

Posted on June 23, 2014 at 13:48 
By now you’ve heard of Paul Hendrix, the USPSA Range Officer accused of cheating. Posted on the Area 6 Facebook page today, here is his “apology” and resignation: 

 To the members of USPSA Area 6. I have spoken with people that I trust and respect their views. In review it appears that I have fallen short in safeguarding the trust and duties place with me in this sport. I apologize for those shortcomings. I accept the full responsibility for my shortcomings, as well as, any pain or embarrassment caused. I have resigned my membership in this great organization. At some point in my future I hope to rebuild that trust.

Humbly Submitted,

Paul Hendrix 

As posted by Caleb, the author of the original article.  Go HERE for his comments.

Fifty Five OH Thousand Dollars Worth of SQUAT in Chicago!

Money for nothing: State paid UIC $498,355 for subpar study | Early & Often:
(June 21, 2014)

The state spent almost half a million dollars on a flawed study of Gov. Pat Quinn’s now-defunct anti-violence program — the Neighborhood Recovery Initiative — after officials rejected a more rigorous evaluation that would have been free, auditors say.

Of course we're glad that the Governor of Illinois has made some effort .. not matter how feeble, to reduce the level of "Gun Violence" (Which equates to Violence regardless of the mechanism) in Chicago.

Unfortunately, our expectations were somewhat higher than his; we would have expected (had we knowb the effort was being made) that some suggestions to resolve the situation would have been made.

It's not an entirely BAD result; that SOMEBODY was at least recognizing that there Is A Problem in Chicago (not that Mayor Rahm Emmanuel has noticed) can be counted as A Good Thing.

Too bad no solutions were offered by the study.
Too bad that a bunch of weasels ignored the situation long enough for the contract to run out.
Too bad nobody took the problem seriously.
Too bad that kids are still shooting each other on the Mean Streets of Chicago.
But HEY!  Somebody noticed that there was a problem; should have been worth something!

I'm been blogging about Chicago Hoodlums for quite a while .. I would gladly have identified the SYMPTOMS of Chicago's murder rate for ... oh, I don't know .. 10% of the cost?

What a bunch of freaking morons .., they spent enough to buy every gun on the street a hundred times over, and for NOTHING?                

Chicago (Mayor Rahm ...) here's the solution and I give it to you for free.  It isn't Gun Laws; it's societal fixes.

Make jobs for kids, and for fathers.  I don't care if it's for fixing the potholes in the streets or .. I don't know, finding lost dogs?

It will cost you a LOT less than the price of of incarcerating Kids Gone Wrong.  And it will give your people some pride ... which they can now only find by shooting each other.

For $500,000, what could you have done for Your People?

Never mind, it doesn't matter. You have already thrown away your best chance to really Make A Difference.

Of course, it wouldn't have looked as sexy in the newspapers as having Funded A Study ... even if it  did come up bonkers.

Freakin'' Liberal Dorks!
You don't even know how to run a STUDY!
I wonder how much of that $500,000 went into your pockets!
Never mind; I expect Mayor Rahm to be buing a new penthouse or something RSN

He'll probably sublet it out to The Pres next month.

And they wonder why we hate them so?

H/T:  SAYUNCLE
LATER:   FOLLOW UP BY CLAYTON CRAMER

It's all about what the meaning of "IS", is .....

When school shootings are anything but:

Well, we’re all for whatever allows people to sleep at night. But the bottom line is that every parent in the world is really only interested in the likelihood that their children are walking around near people bearing arms.

well ....
 we've got people on both sides of the fence talking about what constitutes a "School Shooting".

The Gun Grabbers are hollering that "74 School Shootings This Year", and the Gun Rights folks saying it's "Only 15" or "Only 3" or whatever number you choose to use to present your side of the argument.

 It doesn’t matter to them whether an incident was an accident, an assault, a homicide or a suicide. All they know is bullets are flying, or might fly, near their children. To some small extent, we can empathize with the gun lobby’s desperation. 

Both sides are in agreement ... sort of ... that there's a Semantic element involved; most of us agree that it would be nice (but perhaps not necessary) if we could agree on terms.  Such as: "What Defines A "School Shooting"?

 That's not likely to happen, because there's too much chatter and most of it is vituperative.  It's a Zero-Sum Game here, and nobody is willing to say "you're right" because that means the same as "I'm Wrong", and that is NOT going to happen today.  (As much as both sides, occupied by responsible and reasonable adults, would dearly LOVE to find a middle ground .. this week, there ain't No Such Thing"!)

The Left Side (anti) goes on to say about the Right Side (pro):

It doesn’t have much to stand on, from a morality standpoint, and that’s why we’re seeing these attempts to control the ethical environment. From a practical standpoint, however, don’t expect anything to change, because they’re also sitting pretty on a pile of craven politicians and lobbying organizations. 

Did I forget to mention that it gets ugly, down there in the Trenches?

It's pretty clear that the "Progressive, Liberal, Democratic, Near-Sighted 'if it saves just one child' (and 'never mind our Constitional Rights') folks consider the Right-Wingnuts to be immoral and selfish and not socially responsible.

On the other hand, the "Right-Thinking Americans Who Want To Preserve Our Constitution Regardless of the Liberal Progressive Pap-thinking Leftests" are not entirely unable to sling a few stones.  ("If It Saves Just one Child" misses a lot of important stuff in the middle!)

Gets confusing, doesn't it?

Maybe we can forget the sides for a minute?  Lord knows *_I_* can't keep track of who's slandering whom!

To continue:

 But, unlike the gun lobby, we don’t believe the occasional slaughter of children is an acceptable price to pay for unfettered access to firearms. Unlike politicians who take money from gun lobbyists and the gun industry, we don’t believe that dead or traumatized children are worth extra votes on election day.

That's the real Money Quote, isn't it?

It comes down to 'the slaughter of children', every time.

The Right says: " hey, you're talking about Gang-Bangers in Chicago".
The Left says: "no, we're talking about children who have access to guns in their home and shoot themselves and others by accident or ignorance".

What we're really talking about is .... both issues, and ignoring each other.

I've got my own opinion, and I can quote statistics with the best of them.
Statistics don't tell the whole story, though.

We probably will never find a common ground between the people who are "afraid of guns", and the people who are 'afraid to be without guns'.  (And you can be outraged about either description ....for or against either position ... but that ain't helping.  So just STFU and listen for a minute, dammit!)

I don't know if it's possible to find a Common Ground between the two groups.  I DO know that there are less people in every demographic who are killed by guns via suicide or accident (defining 'accident' as somebody shooting themselves or others with no understanding that the gun may fire) than are killed by deliberate homicide.   And you know that's true, so let's just talk about the folks that shoot other folks for a while, okay?

And I know that "accident" may also be defined as "knowing the gun may fire, but not intending to shoot the person who is hit". (Which strongly suggests "Shooter Negligence" more than "Shooter Inexperience" .. if it becomes a Talking Point.)

But if we can define a common ground, let's talk about something which is "Do-able".  Not something which is pie-in-the sky unfeasible, such as taking all guns away from everyone except for Police of Military.

Those two groups are (forgive me for saying so) not necessarily all that competent; and suggesting that they're more responsible than your average citizen is also not necessarily true.  Can we agree on that?

Probably not. and that may be the crux of the issue.  So, we're basically talking about possession of firearms by private citizens, okay?

What about if you have a group of private citizens who have proven .. by whatever means you choose to measure competence (training, whatever) that they are responsible and competent to own a gun.

Not only are they 'competent' and 'reliable', but they are 'experienced' (by another debatable measure.)

Would everyone agree that this group might conceivable be "allowed" to possess a firearm, under whatever restrictions we might agree on?

That's the REAL crux of the question.

Because, you know, we can't wave a magic wand and make all guns disappear .. however much you might wish so devotedly that it was possible.

Ain't gonna happen.  We will never get rid of all the guns in the country.

And there will STILL be unstable people in possession of firearms.

So .. why don't we quit farting around with the petty crap, and start talking about what WE can do when unstable people start shooting people?  Rely on the police, who aren't there?  Or rely on the stable responsible that we've decided are "okay" to own a firearm"  (Or haven't we agreed that there are some people, even if they are a minority, who can be trusted?)

The NRA has a very unpopular saying: "The Only Solution to a Bad Guy with a gun is a Good Guy with a gun".

The Left has a real problem with that.

Does The Left have a better solution to offer?  (And remember ... I am NOT going to give my guns to The State:  Didn't work in Australia, didn't work in England, and didn't work in Canada!)

Anyone?

I'm running out of steam.  Pushing a rock up hill here.  Can I get a "Well ... maybe ..." from someone on the side that wasn't want ANYONE to have a gun?

Would YOUR doctor certify YOU as competent to Concealed Carry?

Many doctors concerned about physician involvement in concealed-weapon permit process | Science Codex:

 A new survey of North Carolina doctors finds that many are concerned about the increasing number of requests they are receiving to assess their patients' competency to carry concealed weapons. In particular, a majority of physicians who responded to the survey said they were worried about the potential ethical consequences in the doctor-patient relationship if they participated in the concealed-weapon permit process.

This would be a FIRST EXPERIENCE for most of us.

As American attitudes are leaning more strongly toward insisting that people who are .. I hate to use the term, but ...ALLOWED to carry weapons, they increasingly rely on their trusted doctor to say: "Hey, Joe's a Good Man!"

Unfortunately, your doctor might be as reluctant to say you won't go kill anybody as you might be to say the same about your doctor.

Is your doctor professionally competent?
Are you mentally competent?

 "This is not a small problem," said Dr. Adam Goldstein, corresponding author of the study and a professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. "More than 20 percent of the physicians we surveyed have been asked to sign competency permits for concealed weapons, and a majority of them do not feel they can adequately assess the physical or mental competence of their patients to safely have a concealed weapons permit."

 Who is on the stick here?

The answer is ... both of you are very much on the stick today, and the reason is that Americans are looking at Mental Competence as a measure of whether any single person should be 'granted' the right to carry a weapon.

Oh sure, the Second Amendment says it right there: "... Shall Not Be Infringed ..."!

But what does that mean?

Most of us know Crazy Willy; you know, the guy with the long hair and sloppy shoes with no socks, who wanders through the neighborhood all day muttering to himself as he watches his toes?  (Okay, maybe you don't have a Crazy Willy in you life, but I do and -whew- he isn't me.)

Felons give up their Constitutional Right to carry a firearm.  Okay, they've proven themselves congenitally disposed to misuse their rights.

Crazy Willy?  He can count his toes and I don't care, but I also don't care to see him packing a .45.  I do NOT trust Crazy Willy.  And I'm pretty sure his Psychotherapist (who sees Crazy Willy 3 times a week) wouldn't want to 'certify' his patient, either.

But .. why not?  What has he got to lose?

Besides his wife, his life, and his license to practice .. if he's wrong.

Okay, so sometimes it's a "No-Brainer"; some people obviously shouldn't be trusted with a firearm.

What if your state requires certification by a "Medical Practitioner" that YOU are competent to own (and perhaps carry) a firearm?  Do you trust your doctor that far?

 The study, published as a research letter in the June 29, 2014 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, is believed to be the first that examines physicians' attitudes, beliefs and behaviors regarding their emerging role in the assessment of physical and mental competency and the licensing of concealed weapons.

 More important; does HE trust YOU that far?

Colorado Governer Explains .. sort-of ... we think. Maybe. Or maybe not.

Hickenlooper supported gun magazine limit because of staffer promise - The Denver Post:
(June 19, 2014)

Gov. John Hickenlooper told county sheriffs at a recent gathering he felt conflicted about supporting a bill that limited ammunition magazines, but because one of his "staff made a commitment," he felt compelled to sign it into law.
 "To be honest, no one in our office thought it would get through the legislature," Hickenlooper, a Democrat, said in an unedited video recorded by the conservative group Revealing Politics. "There were several Democrats who said without question they weren't going to vote for it."

 .. Hickenlooper didn't believe in the bill, no one in (his) office thought it would "get through the legislature", but still one of his "staff made a commitment" ?

So he felt obliged compelled to support that single committed staff member ... who was not in his office?

What the heck?  He has a 'staff' member who is not 'in (his) office'?

Well, hell, no WONDER he's "Conflicted"!  He doesn't even know whether his committed staff member is a member of his staff.

He can't tell the truth from a lie without a teleprompter.

(Sound familiar?)

(Video available here, but the background hum is so annoying on this 11 minute video that I couldn't stand more than a few seconds of viewing.)

Gabby Y MArk on Facebook. YAYYYY!

What an absolute thrill today for our... - Coalition to Stop Gun Violence:
(June 18, 2014)

What an absolute thrill today for our staff to see Gabby Giffords and Captain Mark Kelly at a wonderful Center for American Progress event titled "Protecting Women from Gun Violence." Senator Amy Klobuchar, South Carolina police chief Saundra Rhodes, Rob Valente of the National Domestic Violence Hotline, and domestic violence survivor Sarah Engle of Wisconsin made up a fabulous panel that talked about what we can do to ‪#‎ProtectAllWomen‬.

Wonderful!  Fabulous!
What we can do to ProtectAllWomen ...
   who are totally vulnerable to physical assault by Violent Mean Men ...

Oh, DO go read the comments!

(Is a Nobel Peace Prize in store for Gabby and Mark?  They are SOOooooo likeable!  I wish I could get shot in the head so people would like me, too!)

[GUSH]

(Does that include the 50,000  men who died in Vietnam (some of whom were my friends), and the thousands who died in the middle East? And the First Responders who died on 9/11?  And the policemen who take a bullet so you don't have to?)

Mississippi has 2nd highest rate of gun deaths

Mississippi has 2nd highest rate of gun deaths:

In addition to hospitality and humidity, Mississippi also is among the leaders in the nation for gun deaths, according to a report issued by a crime prevention advocacy group.
 In fact, the Magnolia State has the second highest rate of gun deaths – at nearly 18 deaths per 100,000 residents – in the country, following neighbor Louisiana perched at the top of the list compiled by the Violence Policy Center.

Do these studies include suicides?
I ask because I have driven through Mississippi .. this is the only state where I saw a man plowing a field behind a mule.  If that was my only choice, I would be sorely tempted to suicide.

 The study found that states with weak gun violence prevention law and higher rates of gun ownership tend to have more gun deaths, while states with stricter laws and lower ownership, such as Rhode Island, have much lower rates of gun-related deaths.

Do these studies include Chicago and Washington, D.C.?  I thought not.   These are among the municipalities with the highest murder rates in the nation .. and with the most strict gun-control laws.

It isn't the laws, it's the society.

Personal to Josh Sugarman:
When you insist that more laws are needed, you're not paying attention to reality.  The laws only work for the people who are inclined to obey the laws.  When the people ignore the laws .. the law-abiding have no 'fall-back' options.  And it is this option which you are attempting to remove.

I would call you a stupid f**king Son-of-a-Bitch, but I'm pretty sure you know exactly what you are doing.  You don't care about the people; you only care about the laws.  Well, that and promoting a sinecure by which you can profit from the misery of millions.  It's not being Socially Responsible, but (given certain mendacious criteria) one cannot call it "Stupid".

I take back the "stupid" part.
The "F**king Son-of-a-Bitch" part, however, seems entirely appropriate.

 In Mississippi, more than half of its residents own guns. 

Where are the statistics? I don't trust the VPC (agenda-driven at best) and any time they make a bold statement such as this .. without showing supportive sources AND without referencing death rates by cause by state ... it sounds just like a LIE to me.

There are Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics.  In your case, you don't even bother with Statistics.

That shows how believable you are, doesn't it?

"Gun violence is preventable, and states can pass effective laws that will dramatically reduce gun death and injury," states VPC Executive Director Josh Sugarmann. "Our analysis also shows that states with weak gun violence prevention laws and easy access to guns pay a severe price with gun death rates far above the national average."

Yes gun violence IS preventable; but states can NOT legislate "...the rate of gun deaths and injury".   That's just so much hogwash; you and VPC know it. There was never a law which would not be broken; and every time a death results from a broken law, VPC and their (your) agenda-driven cronies are first to announce that: "We Need tougher Laws!"

As if firearms are not the most highly regulated retail product in the world.  Pthaaaa!

[end personal]

VPC is a hope-and-dream organization, hiding their propaganda behind un-cited statistics in pursuit of their hidden agenda; to totally eliminate firearms from the American culture.

And if their dream is realized, then this country is reduced to Rule By Brute Force.
Anyone who is bigger and stronger, and able to intimidate the weak, can dominate the American public.

At least, those who cannot afford to hire armed body-guards is subject to Rule by  Brute Force.

VPC, the Brady Bunch ... they seem comfortable with taking away YOUR means of self-defense.  When they go out in public, they and their lackeys are invariably accompanied by armed guards.

(See, for example, here, and here.) (But also see here.)

That is just how comfortable they are, in their elitist/well-funded status.

A pox on both your houses!

Lock Up Your Gun!

McManus to Gun Owners: Lock Up Your Gun Every Time You Get Home!:

 Following the deaths of two children in San Antonio after they got their hands on guns that had been left lying around the house, Police Chief William McManus is issuing a heartfelt appeal to holders of Concealed Handgun Licenses---lock up your guns!

Um ... no, I don't think so.

Any 'children' who break into my LOCKED house (I live alone) and find my guns, and shoot themselves?  Or their play friends?

Darwin Moment.

Most of my guns reside in the gun safe; those that do not, are stashed where they are 'difficult to access' unless you already know where they are .. and sometimes even then, if you're a child.

Children are not welcome in my home, for that reason.  Any parent who allows his child to roam free, to the extend of breaking through locked doors and ransacking my house?

You're the criminal.  You are responsible.

Parents: teach your children about guns, even if you hate guns and wouldn't have one in your home .... teach your children.  Listen to Eddie Eagle, if it helps.

STOP!  DON\'T TOUCH! WALK AWAY!  TELL AN ADULT! etc.

If you don't teach your children about guns, they'll find out themselves.  The hard way.

They're not MY children; I can live with that.

Can you?

NOTE:  This is not intended to suggest that I am indifferent to mishaps which may endanger the health or life of a child; the intent is to impress upon parents that THEY are singularly responsible for teaching their offspring the knowledge, wisdom and forbearance which will enable their brats to grow up to be Progressive Parents who believe that a child's search for knowledge and experience should not be hindered by parental admonitions.

The 3.5 Rules of Gun Safety:

Deputies: Man shoots stranger in leg while trying to sell gun | HeraldTribune.com:

 Masotti took the gun out of a lock-box and “racked the slide,” which involves manually moving the gun's slide so a gun can load the first round of ammunition from a magazine into its chamber. As he tried to adjust the gun, it fired a round into the stranger's right thigh. Masotti tried to give the handgun to a friend, who arrived just after the shooting, to hide, but Masotti's friend refused to hide the gun and instead stayed in the parking lot with the victim. 

Things to remember:

1. ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction;
2. ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until you're ready to shoot;
3. ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to shoot.
4. The Florida Rule: "Hey, Y'all!  Watch THIS!"

Showing The Results Of Gun Control

Chicago Homicide Rate 1960-2012; Showing The Results Of Gun Control | Extrano's Alley, a gun blog:

The effects of the State of Illinois FOID law, the Gun Control Act of 1968; Fred Roti’s gun ban bill Mayor Jane Byrne signed into law, and other hindrances to private gun ownership have all done their part to drive Chicago’s violent crime and murder rates sky high.

Here's a novel suggestion: Chicago should make it illegal for cops to carry guns.
Everybody else?  Knock yourself out, go buy whatever makes you feel comfortable.

What?  They could do worse?

OOPS! My Bad ....

Investigation Underway After Officer Fired Gun In Courthouse  CBS Miami:

"I'm the ONLY ONE here who is qualified to carry this gun".

Yeah, well ....

Court interpreter Peter Fleitas says he worries every day about the weapons in the family law courthouse. “These accidents happen. They should not allow anyone in the building with a gun. That’s definite. They should have other means to restrain people,” said Fleitas.

What he said.

Tips On Staying Alive When the Bullets Start to Fly

Tips On Staying Alive When the Bullets Start to Fly:

For the past couple months, shootings seem to be all I see on the news. Violence is running rampant, and though the people doing the shootings seem to definitely have mental illnesses or grudges, you can’t help but wonder if this is the new status quo for our country. With all the attention and media hype given to the subject, (I’d go so far as to bet that if the media stopped reporting and sensationalizing this violence, the number of shootings would drop – but what do I know?) as well as the always present debates of gun control and help for the mentally ill, it seems to me that these acts of violence are becoming more and more prevalent in society today as a way to “show the world” what your problems are, what your beliefs are, and how far you’ll go to show what a martyr you’ll be for your own cause. It’s appalling and frightening – and a reason to be prepared.

Geek Advice:

RUN!   

Run away as fast as you can, and find something solid to hide behind!

If you do anything else, you will either get shot, or find yourself searching for an affordable lawyer because ... let's face it ... your friendly neighborhood GOVERNMENT has no interest in protecting someone who carries a gun for 'self-defense'.

Or for any other reason, except perhaps to rob a liquor store.

Drone Alert!

Oregon Company To Create Drone-Detecting Devices | The Daily Caller:

An Oregon company is developing drone-detecting devices because of peoples’ concerns about privacy and drone use. Domestic Drone Countermeasure has started a Kickstarter campaign to develop these sensors. And according to The Verge, DDC has been working on this technology for over a year. Their desktop sensor system will be able to identify when a drone is within 50 feet*. “There are legitimate uses for domestic drones, but there are still concerns about privacy and surveillance by various entities,” said Amy Ciesielka, founder of DDC.

* That's just SILLY!

Your Government's drones can spy on you from much higher altitudes!

5 Dead, 19 Wounded in Weekend Chicago Violence | NBC Chicago

5 Dead, 19 Wounded in Weekend Chicago Violence | NBC Chicago: Latest homicide took place around 7:30 p.m. near 55th Street and Lake Shore Drive

So, it was a relatively quiet weekend in Chicago?

Mayor Rahm: Has it occurred to you that "Hope and Change" isn't working for you?  Maybe you should .. I don't know .. actually DO something more than merely HOPING that things will CHANGE! Has that proved to be an inadequate method of leadership?

Just believing really HARD in Fairies isn't going to keep Tinker Bell alive.

Just thought I would mention that; feel free to ignore my hopeful wishes.  You've ignored your constituents, so this shouldn't prove very difficult for you.

After all, you're only responsible for the welfare the entire city of Chicago.  You managed to ignore the welfare of a Nation for years.   This should be a slam-DUNK for you!

Dear Carlolyn B. Maloney ....

You're an idiot ... you know that, don't you?

Oh, you're a politician, and so I repeat myself.

Sorry.

(PS: So are your friends, the editors of the New York Times who give you free column inches to say absolutely nothing ... illiterately ... operating within a Hidden Agenda?   Has it occurred to you that they are giving you space to make a fool of yourself in public because they are laughing at you behind your back?  No, I suppose not.)

Congress and Guns - NYTimes.com:

“Legislating Ignorance About Guns” (editorial, June 17) rightly points out the shocking lack of research into the causes of gun violence and what might be done to lessen the toll. That is why I have introduced legislation in the House (H.R. 4707) to fund critical gun violence research.

"I'll be blamed for this!"

[Video] WHY I CARRY: Suspect Brutally Beats Pregnant Clerk During Robbery:
(June 21, 2014)

The video shows the suspect enter the store, mill around for a few moments and then brutally punch the pregnant clerk in the face before taking money out of the register. Now, a gun would obviously not have helped the woman as she was sucker punched, but she certainly could have drawn it before the suspect got around the counter and been ready.

THIS is how "Non-Firearms" violence looks.  It isn't pretty.

Note to Robber:  We're better off without you.

(H/T: "Guns Save Lives")

Note the detachment of the assailant/robber.  He just wants the money; he doesn't care about anyone or anything else.

Where are you "more safe" than clerking in a Cell Phone Store?

This happened in Florida, but it could happen any where.

The sheer brutality ... I've watched people die, I've done worse.

But not worse than this.

I don't think that the outcome would have changed if this woman was carrying a firearm; she was completely brutalized by a single punch.

I disagree; being armed would not have changed a single moment.  If I was the victim, and I were armed, I would probably acted in exactly the same way .. including her dismay at discovering that the cash drawer had been emptied; her first thought was probably:

"I'll be blamed for this!"

This is probably close to what a "Home Invasion" looks like, if anyone videotaped one.  Complete and immediate domination by the invader(s) and the "resident" completely unprepared for "The Worse Thing That Can Happen".

Except nobody got killed.  That's A Good Thing ... and isn't that a Sad Thing to say?

Could be worse: they could have stayed in Minnesota

Somali-Americans leave homes, friends in Minnesota to fight alongside ISIS jihadis | Fox News:
(June 22, 2014)

 As many as 15 Somali-American men have left their homes in Minnesota in recent months to travel to the Middle East and join up with ISIS, the jihadist army at war with Syria and Iraq, according to Minnesota Public Radio.
 The fighters appear to have made the decision to go fight with Islamic State of Iraq and Syria/Levant while the terror group was fighting to overthrow Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, but some may now be in Iraq, where the marauding group is seeking to topple Baghdad.
 "A Muslim has to stand up for [what's] right," Abdirahmaan Muhumed told MPR News through a series of Facebook messages dating back to the beginning of the year. "I give up this worldly life for Allah." 

It's just a short step from leaving America for the sake of committing Jihad in the Middle East, to deciding to stay in Minnesota for the same purpose:

Overthrowing a political entity which holds goals and values with which the "Jihadists" do not agree.

Well.  Americans did the same thing in the 18th Century, and for much the same reason.  Is that the same thing?

Possibly.