I’ve been in the market for a 22 caliber sound suppressor for a while now. I’ve been checking out a few brands:

Advanced Armament
Gem-Tech
Reflex

I decided that they were too expensive. In addition to those prices, you also have to pay a $200 transfer tax. Then I had a thought: Being the cheapskate that I am and my tendency to build things, I’ll build one. Then I’m just out money for parts and the $200 tax.

Long story short, I did some quick web searches for suppressor designs and the searches always linked to thousands of things that were either links to books you could buy from shady people, or militia whackos. The searches were pointless. I don’t want to buy a book and I don’t want to support some separatist weirdos.

What was the solution to finding suppressor designs? Well, (dramatic pause for irony) the solution was none other than the US Patent Office. I particularly like this one, complete with pictures (click the Images button).

Anyone out there a machinist?

The NRA has responded and is denying rumors that it cut a deal to get the immunity bill by not opposing the gun show law and the Assault Weapons Ban.

KABA states it’s the first time the NRA has issued a response to their criticism. Also, the Geek’s unverified facts indicate that people were burning up the phone lines.

Publicola explains (and I agree) why the rumor may have been a good thing.

Cool. I am the number one google for maryland assault weapons ban. Beating out Join Together, The Brady Campaign, and Cease Fire Maryland. Go me.

I got a calendar that lists dumb things people have said. Today’s is a beauty:

My colleagues and I are upset by this blatant attempt to replace diversity with fairness.

NJ State Assemblymen Joseph Doria – D on a bill repealing racial and gender preferences. Little Freudian slip.

The geek reports the anti gunners are getting more desperate:

In a move that indicates an acknowledgment that this bill has no chance at all of seeing the light of day, McCarthy and several other representatives introduced H.R.3831 several days ago.

Shockingly, this bill only appears to renew (for another 10 years) the “assault weapon” portion of the ban, and allows the “high capacity” magazine restrictions to sunset in September of this year as provided for in the original law. Clearly, these anti-gun politicians are hoping that, with the removal of the magazine ban, opposition to the AWB will wane as fewer gun owners feel they will be directly affected by the ban.

Desperate, indeed.

Jed emails a link to this:

The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence this morning delivered a complaint to the Senate Ethics Committee, arguing that Senator Larry Craig has “impermissibly acted in his capacity as a Senator to further the interests, including the financial interests, of an organization for which he serves as a member of the Board of Directors.”

Senator Craig (R-ID) is the Sponsor and Senate Floor Manager of the bill before the Senate that would provide broad immunity from civil litigation to gun manufacturers, gun dealers and trade associations in the gun industry. As a trade association under the definition of the bill, the National Rifle Association (NRA) would benefit from the legislation. Senator Craig serves on the Board of Directors of the NRA. “Because of this conflict of interest, Senator Craig should immediately recuse himself from any further action on this bill, including any votes,” said Michael Barnes, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence united with the Million Mom March.

The complaint states “nothing could present a more obvious and glaring conflict than that presented here, where an agent or representative of the NRA (Senator Craig) is attempting to carve out unique and unprecedented immunity from the civil justice system for the NRA, some of its members, and the rest of the gun industry. What makes the conflict here particularly extraordinary is that Senator Craig is using his legislative position to carve out a narrow, special exemption to the law that only applies to his organization and its gun industry members and allies, in order to further their financial interests.” It is signed by Barnes.

Nevermind that Craig has used, ya know, facts and stuff to support his contentions. It really is a sign of desperation, in my opinion. 36 or so states with concealed weapons permits, gun control is unpopular, the house won’t renew the ban. They’re on the losing side, they know it, and they’re desperate for something.

The guy considered the swing vote says he won’t vote for it. Cool.

Tom says find the NPR bias. I’m pressed for time but figure I’d do something. Well, a quick google and:

NPR admits it.

A FAIR alert.

NPR’s coverage of the Israeli conflict.

Update: Rich found some bias there today.

The continuing war against the self-employed:

Via Mises, a teen who started his own successful business of rat proofing roofs has been shut down by the state.

Reuters:

South Korea’s third-largest credit card issuer fired a quarter of its workforce via mobile phone text messages on Friday, after negotiations with striking unionized workers broke down.

When I was finishing up graduate work, I was looking for a job. I interviewed with SAP. The interview went well and the interviewer told me to expect a call some time soon. Long story short: SAP started not doing well.

Then SAP did one of the dumbest things in the history of dumb things. They sent out a mass email to 60+ potential employment candidates that had a Power Point attachment. I get the email and am excited. I think that it’s an itinerary, some HR paperwork, or a schedule of some kind. I open the Power Point file and it’s one page instructing all 60+ of us that SAP was going through lay offs and wouldn’t be hiring any of us.

SAP should have called each of us individually. At the least, they should have sent individual emails without the Power Point files telling us that. The group was pretty mad about it and a volley of emails went back and forth telling them how unprofessional they were. Some SAP shill intimated that it was the most efficient way and SAP was an efficient company. Lame. No excuse for treating people like that.

I hoped some HR peon got fired over that. I didn’t want to move to Atlanta any way.

On a lighter note, in 1997 a girl I was dating dumped me via email. That was pretty bad but I don’t hold a mildly neurotic woman to the same standards as I would a company like SAP.

I told you Jeff’s banner looked like boobs.

A must read.

I gave the recipe for Mustgo a bit back. Tommy has some advice on what to avoid.

I guess it is odd to list a recipe that tells people to use their own judgment.

I have confirmed my editorial is in The Prince George’s Sentinel. It’s not on their online version. Any Maryland residents out there who want to send me a copy?

Here’s a discussion of the armor piercing bullet amendment.

The Senate passes the amendment to the bill for safety locks.

The special privilege law exempts cops and retired cops from local CCW restrictions.

The DC chief of police is telling Hatch to withdraw the amendment that repeals the DC gun ban. Chief, how’s that ban working out for you? DC still have that low crime rate? No. Oh, wonder why.

DiFi and company are accusing Bush of political trickery. Bush said he’d sign the ban and they’re upset that he’s not really twisting arms to push this political placebo through.

The Democrat amendments could kill the bill. Well, yeah. I think that’s the point. At this point, I hope it’s killed too. I’ve always been kind of lukewarm over the immunity bill. I like it because it’s a slap in the face to the anti-gun folks but if it didn’t pass it wouldn’t break my heart.

Another liar intimates the AWB affects machine guns. Give it a rest guys.

Spoons opines on the coincidience of the Columbine report being released and the senate debating the gun bill.

Publicola has more. As does the geek.

The NRA has rather strongly denied rumors of some back room deal on the gun bill as has been speculated. Still, I think the rumors (if founded or not) were good because it got a lot of people to call their senators and it got people to call the NRA and tell them no dice.

First, I thought this was hysterical. But this is just brutal.

Meanwhile, Day by Day is (as the saying goes) like Doonesbury but funny.

Tom is looking for examples of liberal bias at NPR. I would research it but me and the Mrs. are busy packing knickknacks while watching CSPAN’s coverage of the gun bill.

Go show him some. I should point out that it is hard to do a post on because NPR’s site posts everything in audio and not transcripts. No, I don’t think it’s a conspiracy to avoid being fisked but it is odd.

If I understand this right, Mikulski wants an amendment that would exempt any case involving Malvo/Mohammad from protection that would be provided by the protection bill. Ludicrous.

While senators accuse judges of legislating from the bench, she’s advocating judging from the floor of the senate. Dumb.

They’re voting on the armor piercing bullets amendment, which is lame. It increases penalties for using armor piercing bullets in crime. Unfortunately, it looks as though they have defined armor piercing bullets to be any centerfire rifle cartridge. Of course, they need that definition as cop killers don’t really exist.

Looks like they’re back on topic. Craig is discussing how none of these laws would have stopped the DC snipers.

CCW in Missouri. Go team.

Michael is blogging it too.

Go read him and the Geek. I’m getting tired of watching and they’re discussing some unemployment stuff.

Kennedy babbled on about cop killer bullets, which coincidentally have killed exactly zero cops because they don’t exist. Mumbling about Al Qaeda buying these non-existent rounds at gun shows.

Kennedy opposes the law enforcement carry bill (I guess because he doesn’t want off duty southern police roaming through Mass).

Other stuff about handgun .50 cals taking out helicopters.

Looks like they’re voting to add a child safety lock amendment which requires child locks on all guns and that they meet some sort of standard set by some arbitrary official.

This idea is lame. Sure, they may come with locks but if people don’t put them on they don’t function. Plus, someone said 90% of current guns come with them any way.

Update: I’m hearing an awful lot of Ayes.

More: Frist said Aye.

Still more: Amendment passed, will be attached. Reed says to reconsider. The special privilege law enforcement bill (allows current and retired police to carry nationwide) is up next.

Unimportant update: Dodd is lying through his teeth. Now he says he represents more gun manufacturers than any other senator (he is in CT) but he calls the immunity bill unforgivable.

Unimportant update again: Dewine wants to name the CCW bill after somebody. Because that is apparently important. Don’t these morons have better things to do with their time and my money?

Supposedly, my editorial will appear in today’s Prince George Sentinel. If any readers are in MD, can someone send me a copy. The online version isn’t up.

The geek:

Hon, they where flat out lying. Bold faced lying. As in pissing off God, making baby Jesus cry, goin’ to hell lying.

Looks like yesterday’s amendments are up:

EXTENSION OF THE TEMPORARY EXTENDED UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION ACT OF 2002.

No comment

LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS SAFETY ACT

Exempts law enforcement from CCW requirements. Special privilege nonsense.

That’s only two. Supposedly, there were four then a slew was added last night.

The AP:

Legislation that protects gun manufacturers and distributors against lawsuits involving gun crimes passed its first Senate test Wednesday.

Democrats said the cost to Republicans would be public votes on extending the assault weapons ban and requiring comprehensive background checks at gun shows.

The bill providing for immunity from lawsuits won the support of 75 senators in a test vote, and opponents acknowledged the measure has the backing to pass. Still, several Democrats and Republicans plan to force votes on less popular gun measures.

“We all know this underlying bill has legs. That’s why we want to get some amendments on there,” said Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif.

Democrats want to add a plan that deals with gun shows, where unlicensed sellers do not have to check buyers’ backgrounds. They also want to extend for 10 more years the ban on assault weapons, which will expire in September.

“If we can’t amend this bill to add the assault weapons ban, we’re not going to have another vehicle this year,” said Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.

But the bill’s Republican supporters insist that any attempt to make changes would simply amount to an attempt to kill the bill. For example, the GOP-controlled House already has said it does not plan to approve an extension of the assault weapons ban.

Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, a sponsor of the bill, said the amendments were an “attempt to divert legislation and delay final consideration.”

The White House, which has indicated support for the assault weapons ban and the gun show measure, called on the Senate to pass the legislation without amendments.

“Any amendment that would delay enactment of the bill beyond this year is unacceptable,” according to a White House statement released late Tuesday.

Democrats took that statement as an indication that President Bush was backing off his support for those two separate measures. “For the president to say he’s for the assault weapons ban and act against it, that is a flip-flop if I’ve ever seen one,” Schumer said.

John Lott warns the immunity bill could be shot down. If there are AWB and the other amendments attached, it needs to be shot down.

John Warner (RINO-VA) has completely reversed his position from ten years ago. Guess he doesn’t like his day job because I doubt he’ll have it much longer.

Speaking of, it is odd that Daschle co-sponsored the immunity bill and has been satisfied with Bush’s Iraq efforts. I think Alphie is right, Daschle must be in election trouble at home. Liberals in conservative states usually are.

And in case you don’t know it, Lautenberg is a liar. It was funny to watch his Freudian slip in which he referred to liberal, uhm frivolous lawsuits. I’m not being smarmy, he really said it like that.

Well, this is pretty bad (it’s New Zealand):

Christchurch’s menacing dog breeds to be neutered

Christchurch owners of American Pit Bull Terriers and Dogo Argentino dogs will be visited in the next few weeks to be informed that their dogs are now classified as menacing and need to be neutered.

Christchurch City Council Animal Control Team leader, Mark Vincent said, members of his team will visit the dog owners to discuss the new classification recently introduced by central government and the Council requirement that they be neutered. The breeds and types of dogs that the Council is now required by law to classify as menacing are Dogo Argentino, Japanese Tosa, Brazilian Fila and American Pit Bull Terrier.

“There are currently three dogs registered as Dogo Argentino and 265 registered as American Pit Bull Terriers and American Pit Bull Terrier Crosses in Christchurch,” Mr Vincent said

So, they are done for the night. After several hours of nothing, they took a break for several hours. They come back and some guy droned on about considering amendments. Some words thrown out:

DC gun ban amendment

Sniper amendment

Assault weapons amendment

Concealed carry amendment

Gun show amendment

Cop killer bullets

Kennedy amendment

They will resume debate tomorrow and try to vote on Tuesday (hoping maybe Edwards and Kerry show up?).

The saying is true (paraphrased): Law is like sausages. If you like either, you should never watch them being made.

Update: Publicola has more. It appears some sort of deal has been made and it’s not looking good. Call your senators. This would seem, on the surface, to support some of the allegations that the NRA is willing to sell gun owners out for this immunity bill. It does fit their MO to cater to industry first and gun owners second.

Peggy is rightly upset about Bush’s stance on gay marriage. In fact, one of my favorite quotes from her site:

George Bush, I will not be your post-modern nigger.

Good for Peggy. Oddly, Kerry gets a pass from Peggy. On her main page, I counted three instances of the word Kerry (nothing dealt with him having the same position on homosexual marriage as Bush: marriage is between man and woman) and sixteen instances of Bush.

Odd how Kerry seems forgiven by gay groups in general.

Some people are still unconvinced that the NRA hasn’t sold out gun owners. I remain skeptical. I hope Clayton Cramer is right but, as I’ve been told, the NRA could have stopped the first Assault Weapons ban but didn’t.

Oh and for the record, I’m not too scared about the Senate as I’m fairly sure the AWB won’t pass the House.

Larry Craig R-Idaho for referring to the Assault Weapons Ban as a political placebo. He then compared gun shows to car shows. Sweet.

And he said: What happens when we no longer produce high-quality firearms in this country for our military and our police? Do we rely on China?

The SayUncle kick in the nuts goes to the opposition for using the following rhetorical references:

Good for the economy because emergency room jobs would increase.

Saturday Night Specials.

Racists use these guns

Carnage in the streets

Cop killer

And the whole host of other anti-gun rhetoric.

Update: Hatch threatens to add a repeal of DC’s gun ban to the bill. Nice.

Another Update: At this point, it looks like they may vote and there is talk about adding four amendments. No one knows what those are but I hope one is Hatch’s DC bill.

More: They pointed out neither Edwards nor Kerry was present. Shocking.

This would say:

Kucinich, Sharpton to stay in race to end. Nobody expected to really care.

Over at the High Road thread on the gun immunity bill (which the bill isn’t but I call it that to save typing, for future reference):

Don’t forget, when unloading a firearm, especially a Saturday night special, be sure to point it at the kid you are babysitting.

I just noticed that Jeff’s banner graphic across the top of his page looks like boobs. And I thought he was gay.

The AP:

A Republican-led bill to shield gun manufacturers and distributors from lawsuits arising from gun crimes passed its first Senate test Wednesday, but Democrats plan to complicate its future by forcing votes on extending an assault weapons ban and requiring background checks on purchasers at gun shows.

The Senate, with a 75-22 test vote, showed that there is enough support from both parties to get gunmaker immunity legislation through, but Democrats plan to try and add their gun legislation to the package before it heads to the House.

Democrats want “provisions that will close the gun show loophole, that would reauthorize the ban on assault weapons,” said Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I. “We should require effective safety locks on handguns. We should improve the National Instant Criminal Background Check system.”

Those measures are less popular with the Senate’s GOP majority and could cause problems for the bill if included. The GOP-controlled House already has said it does not plan to approve an extension of the assault weapons ban.

“Some of our colleagues already announced they intend to play politics with this bill,” said Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, one of the legislation’s main sponsors.

The White House — which supports the gunmaker immunity bill, extending the assault weapons ban and closing the gun show loophole — nonetheless called on the Senate to pass the legislation without amendments.

“The administration urges the Senate to pass a clean bill, in order to ensure enactment of the legislation this year,” the White House said in a statement. “Any amendment that would delay enactment of the bill beyond this year is unacceptable.”

Republicans, along with some Senate Democrats, have been pushing for the gun immunity legislation for some time. Gun advocates say firearm makers shouldn’t be forced to spend millions of dollars fighting off lawsuits designed to win large rewards and bankrupt them for making legal products.

Democrats including Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota agreed to back the legislation after gun supporters accepted a specification that firearms manufacturers and distributors would not be immune to lawsuits involving defective products or illegal sales.

But getting the 1994 assault weapons prohibition renewed also is Democratic priority this year. They picked up support Tuesday from GOP Sens. John Warner of Virginia, Mike DeWine of Ohio and Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island.

Not out of the woods yet but it’s close.

The senate just called for cloture on the bill limiting frivolous lawsuits against gun manufacturers. The High Road is providing up to the minute coverage, if you’re interested. CSPAN’s site sucks. The video won’t play.

Update: Looks like cloture is the order of the day. Depending on your reading of the cloture rule, no amendments can be added or they can but have to do so quickly with the blessing of Frist. I don’t trust Frist so I hope the former is true.

Boortz is quoting Spoons.

“Orrin Hatch is less likely to bark at a Democrat than to wet himself at the sight of one.”

Bjorn has a sample of some NPR goings on.

So, there’s this guy. Apparently, he’s a politician in San Francisco (maybe you’ve heard of him). Anyway, he’s supporting gay marriage in San Francisco. That is so courageous. I mean, those homosexuals are so unpopular in that city. Glad to see him take a moral stand that may cost him votes. Meanwhile, he’s saying Bush tried to divide this country in order to advance his political career by messing with the Constitution.

Well, if you take the last six words out of that sentence, that’s exactly what you’re doing. Irony is lost on its perpetrators.

I guess it’s a good sign for the Assault Weapons Ban that you see the desperation of the anti-gun crowd. Some lies for today:

“I can’t believe that with 31 Americans being murdered with guns every day we would put assault weapons back on the streets. So many families have been torn apart by these weapons of war. Our police officers, routinely outgunned ten years ago, will suffer the consequences of inaction. This will be an all out fight to renew the assault weapons ban,” McCarthy added.

You never took them off the streets, you idiot.

Criminals and gun traffickers who are prohibited from purchasing firearms at gun stores are using what the group describes as the gun-show loophole to fuel the market with guns, the group claims.

“Felons, children and terrorists can get guns at gun shows now without questions,” said Deborah Barron with Americans for Gun Safety.

In 1993, Congress passed the Brady Law, which requires federally licensed gun dealers to perform background checks on all gun buyers. But under federal law, firearms may be sold by unlicensed sellers at guns shows without a background check.

By the way, an unlicensed seller is a citizen engaging in lawful commerce. I have sold and traded guns in the past. So, I suppose they want to license everyone? According the Fed’s own data, guns used in crime are rarely obtained from gun shows.

GOA rips the WaPo a new one:

Perhaps the Post might want to exempt rifles from its one-in-20 criteria when it hears that the one officer dying from a rifle wound was actually shot in 1977 and died 23 years later and 10 years after retiring with 20 years on the force. If we remove that one death from the list, then no officers died from rifle wounds received in the 16 year period cited.

That’s right, Maryland officers have not been shot and killed with AK-47s, AR-15s, M-1As… or any rifle whatsoever during 16 years examined (and this is the record in one of the most violent states in the union). Perhaps the Post should re-think its support for banning “assault-style” firearms.

The Geek links to Neal Knox:

The White House issued a “Statement of Administration Policy” calling for an unamended industry liability protection bill — on which VOTES ARE SCHEDULED BEGINNING AT 10:30 A.M. WEDNESDAY.

About 7 p.m. this evening Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist scheduled a vote at 10:30 a.m. on S. 1805, the renumbered S. 659/H.R.1036. First item up will be a filibuster-ending cloture vote on a motion to proceed.

ONE MORE TIME: Please call your Senators’ D.C. and state offices!

The White House “SAP” is important because it tells Republican Senators “President Bush doesn’t want to see the ‘assault weapon’ reenactment on his desk.”

George Bush may well have just said No! to the AWB. Given the fact he hasn’t met a bill he won’t sign, I am optimistic but not sold.

With that, I can get some sleep.

A group is criticizing Gibson’s The Passion because Jesus is portrayed by a white man. The group (The New Black Panther Party, which can only lead to its credibility) states that Jesus was black.

Well, that whole thing occurred somewhere around northern Africa/the middle east if I recall. I’d say Jesus was more olive skinned. And I saw this thing on Discovery Channel once that tried to piece together what Jesus would have looked like. They concluded he’d be olive skinned, have a large-nose, low brow and have short, dark curly hair.

I do tend to doubt that he looked like Chris Cornell.

Update: It occurs to me that I should now time it to see how long before this post offends someone and I get hate mail or nastygrams: You hear that, Ethyl? He thinks Jesus was an A-rab.

The Assault Weapons Ban has picked up three GOP supporters.

Getting the 1994 assault weapons prohibition renewed has been a Democratic priority this year. They picked up support Tuesday from GOP Sens. John Warner of Virginia, Mike DeWine of Ohio and Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island.

“Although I voted against the ban a decade ago, over the past 10 years it has reduced crime dramatically and has made our streets safer,” Warner said. “The legislation also has protected the rights of gun owners better than many of us predicted.”

No, it hasn’t and no it hasn’t.

Update: Cool quote: From the 1999 Justice Department report on the effectiveness of the ban: “Given the limited use of the banned guns and magazines in gun crimes, even the maximum theoretically achievable preventive effect of the ban on outcomes such as the gun murder rate is almost certainly too small to detect statistically…”

I linked to Neal Knox who stated that people who thought the NRA would sell gun owners out were hysterical. I hoped it was good news.

Publicola says that the NRA probably plans to do just that, sell us out.

If the lawful commerce protection bill (which has now been renumbered and modified though pretty much the same) winds up getting the Assault Weapons Ban and the gun show bill (which would make otherwise lawful commerce illegal) attached to it, it needs to be killed.

If a modified bill passes the Senate, I will be angry. If the modified bill also passes the house, I will need 2,000 armed men be absolutely livid.

Update: It seems the NRA is emailing members (not me) and telling them to call their senators. They are to urge their senators to not allow the poison pill amendments to be attached. Good for the NRA. But if they kowtow after poison pills are added, I’ll be disappointed.

I make this pledge: If the Assault Weapons Ban sunsets this year and the NRA actively pursues the sunset without kowtowing to the immunity bill, I’ll join the NRA for life.

Looks like law enforcement officers can be held personally responsible when they mess up and violate someone’s constitutional rights:

A divided Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that a federal agent can be sued for violating the constitutional rights of a couple during a search of their ranch, refusing to shield officers from personal liability when they make mistakes on search warrants.

The court, on a 5-4 vote, said that a mistake in the paperwork for a 1997 search in rural Montana was serious enough to allow a lawsuit against the officer who led a team of people on a fruitless hunt for illegal automatic weapons.

Officers are ordinarily immune from lawsuits over their conduct on duty, but the high court has made exceptions when they violate someone’s constitutional rights.

“It is incumbent on the officer executing a search warrant to ensure the search is lawfully authorized and lawfully conducted,” Justice John Paul Stevens wrote in the decision. “Even a cursory reading of the warrant in this case – perhaps just a simple glance – would have revealed a glaring deficiency that any reasonable police officer would have known was constitutionally fatal.”

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Agent Jeff Groh went to the ranch of Joseph and Julia Ramirez armed with a search warrant that did not list any items officers were searching for, Stevens said.

The four justices in dissent said he should have been forgiven the clerical mistake.

I’m sorry, but we can’t excuse clerical errors when it comes to someone’s civil liberties. Otherwise, every violation would suddenly involve a clerical error.

By grandfather used to make this all the time. Essentially, it is a soup. You make this when every thing in your fridge Must Go. It’s the end of the week and you leftovers are about to go bad, what do you do? Make Mustgo, of course.

Ingredients:

Beef stock (or beef bullion; or any sort of meat drippings)

Any meats and veggies in the fridge that you don’t want in there tomorrow. This includes cabbage, carrots, potatoes mashed potatoes, corn, beans, chicken, beef, pork, turkey, whatever. Use your own judgment. If it’s good in soup, it can go in the pot.

Bring beef stock to boil, add remaining ingredients. Let simmer until ingredients cook. Add water if necessary. Cook for at least an hour, preferably more. Eat with corn bread. It really is delicious and it’s different every time.

Neal Knox:

We’ve also been seeing an increase in hysterical speculation on the
internet – stated as fact – that NRA and “the Republicans” have cut a
deal to sell out gunowners.

It ain’t so.

I worried out loud back in 2002 that there would be efforts to combine
NRA’s “No. 1 Priority” – S. 659 – with the Clinton gun ban reenactment. In January 2003 I buttonholed some people who would know. As I reported at the time, they flatly denied any deal had been made, or would be made “because as important as 659 is, it’s not worth a gun ban.”

In April, at the annual meetings at Orlando, all the NRA brass, from President Kayne Robinson and Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre on down, at every opportunity, put equal emphasis on passing S. 659 and preventing reenactment of the ban. (I was delighted to see they were even using my description, “reenactment” – which is what a new law would be.)

Last September, again as I reported, I obtained a memo from turncoat
Robert Ricker to his anti-gun handlers excitedly describing the enthusiasm of a “moderate” Republican Senator’s staffer for combining S. 659 with an “assault weapon”; reenactment.

The Senator himself said “No deal.”

This week, after the hysterical reports of a sellout started bouncing around the internet, I had a chat with someone in NRA who knows: “We seek to pass S. 659 as a clean bill and will not accept a Clinton gun ban extension – for ten years or ten minutes — or the McCain-Reed ‘gun show loophole’ as the price for its passage.”

I am confident that there is no deal, and won’t be one – not from NRA at least.

I wonder who they could be talking about? Regardless, if this is true, it is excellent news.

Via Gunner comes this story:

A farmer who left two dead cows by the side of the road for rubbish collection got a nasty surprise from local police.

Authorities in Rutherford county deemed the dead livestock as “unattended vehicles” and issued them with the tickets.

The justification for this: The local sheriff’s department said they thought the cows were asleep.

Live cows are vehicles? Dead ones must be litter.

Kevin has a post on the lengths anti-gun folks will go to to scare us. Lies and more lies.

On John Kerry:

On the campaign trail, he claims he is for fiscal responsibility, but voted for the 1993 tax increase, the largest in history. He also voted against a balanced budget amendment at least five times. In April 2002 on CNN’s “Crossfire” he said that if the most recent tax cut aided economic growth he would see no reason to repeal it.

But despite the fact that the economy has grown — faster rates than in almost 10 years — he flip-flopped to pander to Democratic primary voters. Now he wants to repeal the exact same tax cut.

His website claims that he will fight for “affordable healthcare for every American.” This is a noble calling, considering he has reneged on his responsibility to the American people to make his obligatory votes as a U.S. senator. As of late November, he had missed nearly 300 votes, with at least 21 pertaining to healthcare.

I just spoke with the people who answer the phones for Bill Frist and Lamar Alexander. They stated that they were unaware that the Assault Weapons Ban would be attached to the frivolous lawsuit bill. That means not enough of you are calling.

To contact your Senators, go here.

If you’re in Tennessee, go here.

Kathy reports Bush is backing the FMA:

Why is it that our ’states rights’ party becomes vehemently anti-states-rights when a state does something they don’t like?

Good question.

This is number 400 in the guns category. Today’s topic is the Assault Weapons Ban, the gun immunity bill and any thing else I find interesting.

Robert Douglas says it’s time to get off our collective asses.

The Geek is all over it. Just go here and scroll down until you can’t take it any more.

Manish is gun blogging here and here.

Jeff is on it too.

Insty predicted some Bush silliness back in 2001.

Les has his gun links up.

Some how a right to arms discussion turned into a discussion about porn taxes. Don’t ask, just read.

Clayton Cramer concedes the house is the way to go. I say yell at your senators too.

Kim du Toit is pissed. Nothing new, he always seems to be pissed.

Guy Montag, not this Guy Montag but the other one, goes to the range.

Kevin points out a crazy person.

Eric, a gay gun nut, has some insight with respect to the comparison of the right to arms to the right to marry whoever you choose. Quote of the day:

To those possessed of the regulatory mindset, though, they are an argument for repressive laws. The argument that “homosexuality kills” is about as logical and persuasive as the argument that “guns kill.”

The geek says it looks as though the battle for the Assault Weapons ban may start tomorrow:

S.659, the bill that will help eliminate frivolous lawsuits against the firearms industry, will be taken up in the Senate this week, possibly as soon as tomorrow. It is widely reported that Sen. Feinstein will attempt to amend the bill with a renewal of the 1994 “Assault Weapons” Ban.

The anti-gun lobby is staging a “phone-in” tomorrow (Tuesday, February 24th) in opposition to S.659. Though the bill already has enough co-sponsors (54) to ensure passage, a filibuster could still be attempted, which is presumably what the anti-gun side is hoping for.

To ensure our elected officials know they will lose more votes than they gain by supporting a renewal of the AWB, we all need to do our part by calling our Senators and voicing our strong opposition to the Feinstein AWB renewal amendment that will be offered for S.659… not only should this ban not be renewed, it should not be allowed to cloud the issue of whether S.659, an unrelated bill, should be passed.

The anti-gun folks are asking their people to call between the following hours:

9:00 AM – 1:00 PM Eastern Standard Time
8:00 AM – 12:00 PM Central Standard Time
7:00 AM – 11:00 AM Mountain Standard Time
6:00 AM – 10:00 AM Pacific Standard Time

Call 202-224-3121 and ask for one of your Senators’ offices (you’ll have to call back to reach the other one).

Get on it.

Update: Publicola has a very pessimistic take on it. Clayton Cramer has a more optimistic view. I wish I could share Clayton’s enthusiasm. As such, I’d advocate not taking the current situation lightly.

My editorial (which SayUncle readers got a free preview of here) will appear in the February 26 issue of The Prince George’s Sentinel.

Amendment 6:

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

Yet, today:

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday allowed the Bush administration to keep secret all documents in the case of a Middle Eastern man detained for immigration violations after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

In keeping with its record of declining to hear cases challenging the government’s secrecy rules in connection with the Sept. 11 attacks, the court rejected without comment the appeal of a man, identified only by the initials “M.K.B.”

The man’s lawyers contended the secrecy was unconstitutional. They said even the docket, or summary, of the proceedings had been sealed by a federal judge and a U.S. appeals court that considered his challenge to the detention.

A while back, Tom had a post that was to tackle (quite satirically) Libertarian solutions to common problems. It was pretty funny. In response, here’s my attempt at the liberal solution to this situation:

The other day, Kevin and I were coming back from lunch, and noticed a car double-parked in the lot. Now our lot is already overcrowded, and parking is at a premium, and here’s this jughead taking up two spaces.

Liberal solutions to parking problems:

First, we must form a committee to study the problem. Said committee will conclude that the existing law (i.e., which states double parking is illegal) is not enough; parking irregularities are out of control; and that citizens are incapable of making their own parking decisions.

Then, we will begin drafting new legislation. This legislation will create the Bureau of Parking Irregularities (BPI). Said bureau will be a special taskforce within the State Troopers Association, a subsidiary of our local Department of Justice.

The DOJ will appoint someone to head the BPI that is either:

A relative of a prominent official

A business associate of a prominent official

Some one who a prominent official thinks should hold higher public office some day

This person will be incompetent and appointed for life.

The BPI will be given free reign to draft policies and procedures to prevent the problem of double parking. They will draft solutions that include:

Mandating that all parking spaces in the area must meet minimum and maximum size requirements. These requirements will be set arbitrarily by some staffers surfing the web and will have no meaningful impact on parking irregularities, other than the fact that a standard sedan can’t fit in any of the spaces.

Mandating that all vehicles must be parked exactly parallel with lines in the parking space.

All lines in parking lots are to be painted orange.

The department will specify the distance from all sides of the vehicle to the lines painted on the parking spaces in inches.

There will be a five day waiting period on parking spaces.

The government will evoke Eminent Domain and all parking lots will be government property.

They will establish a hotline so that citizens can report parking irregularities. However, when you call the number, you will be connected to someone at the Department of Finance and Administration, who will have no idea what you’re talking about; no idea where to transfer you to; and will put you on hold until you give up and hang up the telephone.

They will offer incentives to police to crack down on parking irregularities. Suddenly and seemingly unexplainably, parking irregularity statistics will skyrocket. The BPI will now need more employees, facilities, and money to combat this massive increase in parking irregularities.

The fine for double parking will rise from $14 to $350.

A parking irregularity ad campaign will kick off. Unsurprisingly, no one will pay attention.

Later, a subcommittee formed by the BPI will conclude that certain vehicles are more likely to be involved in parking irregularities. Legislation will be drafted to register, tax, license, and regulate these vehicles separately from other vehicles. Eventually, a group of soccer moms will advocate banning these vehicles outright, prompting the formation of a vehicle rights group. The cost of these vehicles will double.

Al Gore will claim to have invented parking.

The BPI will be involved in litigation from the vehicle rights group who claim that such regulation infringes on citizens’ rights to park.

The BPI will form a vehicle buyback program.

In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court will conclude that no one has a right to park.

The BPI will begin licensing parking spaces.

The cost of litigation and buyback programs will increase parking irregularity fines to $500 and one year in jail for each offense.

Jails will be overcrowded prompting a late night budget session to fund more prison space due to the rabid increase in crime our area is currently experiencing.

The mayor of San Francisco will issue parking space licenses to motorboats.

Al Sharpton will misunderstand the legislation involved and prove that on national TV.

The increased regulation of parking spaces will make businesses who maintain parking spaces less profitable. Central Parking will hire lobbyists and suddenly Republicans will oppose unreasonable parking regulations, until the money runs out.

Parking irregularity fines will increase to a maximum $10,000 fine and up to three years in prison.

George Bush will blame the increase in parking related crime on terrorism. He will push to federalize parking regulation and the Department of Parking Security will be created at a cost of $15B.

The Department of Parking Security will exempt judges, senators, and Sean Penn from following parking laws.

Kerry, who advocated the idea a year ago, will now oppose it.

Krugman, Franken, Coulter and Limbaugh will all say something really stupid about parking irregularities as the debate heats up in America.

Maureen Dowd will list a bunch of facts about parking. They will all be wrong.

By 2015, it will be illegal to park any where.

Smijer summarizes a certain supposed Libertarian’s conclusion:

If the 700 Club stays home over gay marriage, then they are helping the terrorists win.

Brutal Hugs links to a story about an assistant principle planting drugs on a student:

The excuse for framing a child for this crime was that he was suspected of dealing drugs, and they wanted to make sure he was caught.

Et tu, Georgia? Never thought I’d hear that phrase either. But there really is a bill. The bill is full of lies:

(a) The General Assembly finds:
(1) Semiautomatic assault weapons are military-style guns designed to quickly kill large numbers of people. The shooter can simply point, rather than carefully aim, the weapon to quickly spray a wide area with a hail of bullets;

No, sorry. You still have to aim it just like any other gun.

(2) According to data of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, between 1998 and 2001, one in five law enforcement officers slain in the line of duty was killed with an assault weapon;

Another lie.

(3) Gun manufacturers have for many years made, marketed, and sold to civilians semiautomatic versions of military assault weapons designed with features specifically intended to increase the lethality for military applications; and

No. The features listed do not affect a weapons’ lethality.

(4) Assault weapons have been used in some of America´s most notorious murders, including the 1999 massacre at Columbine High School and the 2002 Washington, D.C., area sniper shootings.

Uhm, no. The DC snipers used a post ban weapon and the Columbine kids used a Tec9, if I recall.

And go read the text of the law, it is quite amusing.

A Nader supporter and a Nader protester (never thought I’d hear of a Nader protester) square off.

Jeff has the weekly thing up, which addresses the Maryland ban and other issues.

Maryland gun stores report booming business of Assault Rifles, even though there’s a ban on them currently. That sounds familiar.

Ahnold quoted:

“In San Francisco, it is licence for marriage of same sex,” Schwarzenegger said yesterday on television. “Maybe the next thing is another city that hands out licences for assault weapons and someone else hands out licences for selling drugs. I mean, you can’t do that.” (sic – not so much sic really, as cultural differences)

The gun industry protection bill may have the Assault Weapons Ban attached to it.

A media outlet gets the facts about the ban right, for once:

They argued that anti-gun zealots have blurred the distinction between semiautomatic rifles, which fire one bullet each time the trigger is pulled, and fully automatic weapons, which continue to fire as long as the trigger is pressed. Fully automatic weapons are already severely restricted by federal law; the proposed state ban affects semiautomatic assault rifles.

“People assume wrongly that an assault weapon is fully automatic,” said Jim Moffitt, a 33-year-old surgical technologist from Frederick who bought a Ruger rifle for $350. “It’s a lack of education.”

Here’s a new one:

Proposed measures include preventing people from openly carrying guns into bars and restaurants that sell alcohol; letting local school boards decide, after holding a public hearing, whether they want to establish gun-free school zones; mandating criminal-background checks on all gun sales at gun shows; requiring training for people applying for concealed-handgun permits; and banning the sale of high-powered, .50-caliber assault rifles in Virginia.

Odd how last year those .50 caliber rifles were called .50-caliber sniper rifles. After all, an assault rifle is a weapon capable of automatic fire, that fires a light or medium powered bullet. Nope, no scaremongering here.

I predicted it a while back. And someone is floating the idea.

President Ahnold sounds a bit scary.

Got home last night from a friend’s. Prior to that, I was at the range with my father-in-law. Me and the Mrs. settle down to watch the final episode of Sex and the City and I start cleaning my guns. I look at the Mrs. and say: I’m probably the only person on the planet who has cleaned a gun while watching “Sex and the City.”

My name is SayUncle, and I’m a gun nut.

Because it makes it hard for us to get our suicide bombers into town. And that land grab think isn’t cool either.

If you’re going to write a letter to the editor that says the CCW in Utah is useless because no permit holder has defended a life, you should make sure your facts are straight.

Of course, those who opposed this said there would be blood in the streets. We haven’t seen much of that, now have we?

Hammond, Indiana is considering Breed Specific Legislation that states owners of pit bulls must:

* Carry a minimum of $300,000 in liability insurance in case of bodily injury or damage to property.
* Provide the city with two photographs, including a profile shot, of the pit bull.
* Pay a $50 fee to register pit bulls, as opposed to the $3 fee imposed for other breeds.
* Have no more than three pit bulls per household.
* Leash and muzzle pit bulls when outside the home or kennel.
* Implant pit bulls with a microchip as a means of permanent identification.
* Remove all newborn pit bulls from the city within six weeks of birth.
* And, post a “Beware of Dog” sign prominently on their property.

Taxing pit bulls and generally making them expensive to own. Additionally, they want to register dogs.

BSL doesn’t work.

It happened. Some one took another guy’s hard work and passed it off as their own. Lame.

Update: Well, the problem has been resolved. Good. But, geez folks, if you didn’t write it, at least put quotes around it.

Oh, and I love the fact they delete the comments of everyone who has pointed it out.

A while back, I harped on the Prince George’s Sentinel for an article on the Assault Weapons ban and actually got them to state that a correction of the error was forthcoming. As a result, Darren Harrison (the managing editor) asked me to write an op-ed on the ban. I did. Actually, I did with the help of Kevin Baker and Publicola.

Well, I sent the article that I wrote to him and haven’t heard back. I’m either getting blown off or they’re real busy. So, this is either an advanced copy for my readers or the only copy ever published. Regardless, here it is (let me know what you think):

Are you scared yet? Capitalizing on fear.

In Maryland, the debate over the federal Assault Weapons Ban, which is set to expire in September of this year, has heated up. There will be carnage in the streets! The end is nigh! Or is it?

The anti-gun crowd is playing on fear cultivated by the public’s misunderstanding of the current ban. People are lead to believe that the ban rids our streets of assault rifles. What is an assault weapon? That depends on the context. If you ask a member of the armed forces or a gun enthusiast, an assault weapon is a rifle capable of fully automatic fire that fires a medium caliber round. However, if you consult the text of the Assault Weapons Ban of 1994, an assault weapon is:

a semiautomatic rifle that has an ability to accept a detachable magazine and has at least 2 of- (i) a folding or telescoping stock; (ii) a pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon; (iii) a bayonet mount; (iv) a flash suppressor or threaded barrel designed to accommodate a flash suppressor; and (v) a grenade launcher

The difference between fully automatic and semiautomatic is substantial. A fully automatic rifle (AKA a machine gun) fires bullets at a high rate of speed so long as the trigger is pulled. Essentially, a fully automatic rifle sprays a constant barrage of bullets. A semiautomatic rifle fires one shot for one pull of the trigger. To gun enthusiasts, this distinction is widely known. Proponents of the Assault Weapons Ban would lead you to believe that the ban affects machine guns. It does not. The law does not even ban guns, per se. It merely limits the number of features (listed above) that new semiautomatic rifles can have.

Machineguns have been regulated in this country since the National Firearms act of 1934. For that matter, grenades and launchers have also been regulated since 1938. What does the Assault Weapons Ban actually do? Essentially, it allows a rifle to have either a folding stock, a pistol grip, a bayonet mount, or a flash suppressor. None of these four features (nor any combination thereof) make the rifle more deadly. The Assault Weapons Ban is about aesthetics. Though folding stocks are a regulated feature, it is rather irrelevant. You can still purchase short stocks or long stocks but the stock you purchase can’t have the ability to change from one size to the other. A pistol grip in no way makes a rifle any more deadly, it just alters the feel and appearance of the rifle. A flash suppressor redirects the muzzle flash of the gun to the sides of the muzzle instead of allowing the flash to go straight out of the muzzle, this does not affect firepower and doesn’t make the flash invisible. And drive-by bayoneting has ever been a problem.

Anti-gun groups are capitalizing on the misconceptions regarding the Assault Weapons Ban. They are taking advantage of the general public’s failure to distinguish between fully and semi-automatic weapons to push their agenda, which is gun control. After all, do you feel banning the features listed above really makes our streets safer? Even worse is the fact that the Violence Policy Center (VPC) has admitted to exploiting this fear. In reference to assault weapons, their website says:

The weapons’ menacing looks, coupled with the public’s confusion over fully automatic machine guns versus semi-automatic assault weapons—anything that looks like a machine gun is assumed to be a machine gun—can only increase the chance of public support for restrictions on these weapons

The VPC also makes many other equally ludicrous statements that attempt to portray semiautomatic rifles as machine guns:

Semiautomatic assault weapons (like AK and AR-15 assault rifles and UZI and MAC assault pistols) are civilian versions of military assault weapons. There are virtually no significant differences between them.

Fully automatic rifles and semiautomatic rifles have a very significant difference. The former are capable of fully automatic fire. The VPC does, at one point, differentiate between the two but offers that this is a distinction without a difference in terms of killing power. This is an equally ludicrous statement.

Additionally, the VPC states: The distinctive “look” of assault weapons is not cosmetic. It is the visual result of specific functional design decisions. They are referring to the regulated features listed above. The VPC even refers to such rifles as bullet hoses, which again implies they are machine guns.

The press eats these misconceptions up. When you see a story about the Assault Weapons Ban, the press is quick to show images of machine guns, even though the ban does not address them in any way. Even CNN, in May of 2003, mislead by Sheriff Ken Jenne of Broward County, Florida, implied that assault weapons were more powerful and that the Assault Weapons Ban applied to machineguns. CNN subsequently corrected the story. Was this willful ignorance to push an agenda as many pro-gun people think? No, it appears that CNN fell for the Assault Weapons Ban propaganda issued by anti-gun groups.

The Sentinel fell for the same thing. John Erzan wrote that the bill targeted . . . weapons that can fire multi rounds with just a squeeze of the trigger. The managing editor has stated that a correction of the error is forthcoming. The Catonsville Times also had to retract a story claiming the Assault Weapons Ban targeted fully automatic weapons. The misinformation spread unintentionally by the press does influence people’s decision about the issue.

Not only are the distinctions between fully and semi-automatic; and banning rifles vs. banning features important, the crime statistics show that the Assault Weapons Ban has had no meaningful impact on crime (actually, a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control failed to find any correlation between any gun control laws – particularly bans that that target specific guns – and changes in crime statistics). The VPC released a study that concluded that of the 211 police officers killed in the line of duty from 1998 to 2001, 41 were killed with assault weapons. The problem is that this statistic includes guns that are not legally assault weapons. Analyze the VPC’s own data (which is questionable) and you will find that 19 police officers were killed with “assault weapons” as legally defined. Study further and you will also discover that the number of annual police deaths by firearm has been apparently unaffected by the relative explosion from the mid 1980’s of “assault weapons” (as defined by the VPC) into the general populace.

Other key facts about crime and the assault weapons ban:

Nationally, “assault weapons” were used in 1.4% of crimes involving firearms and 0.25% of all violent crime before the enactment of any national or state “assault weapons” ban.

The ban covered only 1.39% of the models of firearms on the market, so the bans effectiveness is automatically constrained. (sic)

To conclude, here is an amusing quote by Deputy Chief of Police Joseph Constance of Trenton NJ, who testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in Aug 1993 before the passage of the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban:

Since police started keeping statistics, we now know that assault weapons are/were used in an underwhelming 0.026 of 1% of crimes in New Jersey. This means that my officers are more likely to confront an escaped tiger from the local zoo than to confront an assault rifle in the hands of a drug-crazed killer on the streets.

The always excellent Publicola has more on the guns and gays issues. Funny how, when it suits them, some liberals sound, uhm, libertarian. Well, as long as it doesn’t involve guns, taxes, social programs, funding for the crap arts, etc.

My last attempt at creating some sort of infectious list to spread through the blogosphere was a miserable failure. Here’s another attempt. List your top 10 cover songs. That is, a song that was released after someone else already released it. In no particular order:

1. Soft Cell – Tainted Love: A hit in the sixties for Gloria Jones, redone with 80s flair. I think this song was the number one single for a very long time.

2. Limp Bizkit – Faith: Who knew a George Michael tune could be so angry?

3. Driver – White Lines: Metal meets Grandmaster Flash and the furious five.

4. The Gourds: Gin and Juice: Mandolins and hippie groove meet Snoop.

5. Dynamite Hack – Boyz in the Hood: The last rap tune cover on the list. This song is amazing.

6. REM – Word Up: I’ve only heard it live during REM’s encore shows but it rocks. Cameo had nothing on these guys. Too bad they sucked the last several albums. I may have lied but I don’t know if Cameo is considered rap.

7. Dinosaur Jr. – Just Like Heaven: Another tune that I’ve only heard live or live recordings of. Who knew a Cure tune could be so in your face?

8. Jimi Hendrix – All Along the Watchtower: ‘Nuff said.

9. Anthrax – Got the Time: I’m one of many folks who thought he was saying Got a time chicken in my head. What’s a time chicken? Regardless, this song rules.

10. Whatever song you’re thinking of that I left off the list. That way, no one is offended.

Update: Any Johnny Cash cover. Personal Jesus, Hurt, and Rusty Cage all rule.

Update2: It’s The Gourds not BNL.

The Everlasting Phelps. Good stuff. But he thinks I’m a monkey. Go figure. And he’s funny.

He may as well. FoxNews reports his advisers say he’s going to run.

Said Kerry: Oh shit.

Peggy and Tom both take issue with a comparison of gun rights and gay rights I mentioned here. Tom says:

I like it. However, I do feel compelled to point out that it would awfully difficult for somebody to kill me with their homosexuality, so it’s not exactly a valid comparison…

Peggy says:

That guy made the classic apples & oranges mistake, so no wonder someone cried foul fruit.

First let me be clear, I support the right of homosexuals to get married and I support this act of civil disobedience. However, I tend to think this whole incident may well prove disastrous for gay rights instead of helping the cause. In the same way, if the man who wrote the letter actually did walk into SF with an AR15, he wouldn’t be doing gun owners a big favor either. I would still applaud him.

The incidents, however, are quite the same. Each is a peaceful protest to laws that are viewed as unjust.

The right to arms is constitutionally guaranteed. The right to keep and bear your homosexual marriage is not. Of course, I wonder what the opinions of gay gun nuts are on the issue?

States that allow Tennessee Handgun Permit owners to carry: By combining info from this site with the functionality of this site, below is a map of states where I can legally carry a gun. Neato.

One more thing, the list of states doesn’t include Vermont, but I’m pretty sure I can carry there too.
Read the rest of this entry »

You’ll find this guy:

Aryanfest’s gates opened at noon, and about an hour later, the gathering assemblage gradually hushed as all eyes turned upon the young man who had just paid his entrance fee and was casually perusing the hate-rock compact discs, swastika flags and white power watch caps at Panzerfaust Records’ merchandise booth.

He was in his late teens or early 20s, had a shaved head and sported Nazi and white power tattoos on both arms, in addition to wearing the white tee shirt with bold, black script.

He would have fit in just fine, except for one thing: He wasn’t white. Not even close. There was at least half a cup of Kahlúa in his cream.

Beautiful! Hats off to you, sir!

Quote:

I just wanted to come out and show my respect for the white race and support the cause.

Via Kevin.

It seems that gun control is working pretty much as usual in Haiti.

Yup. Drugs are still winning the war on civil liberties err some drugs.

Jeffrey Tucker:

First an inventory to establish what I mean:

You have the vague sense that your bed linens are not so much comforting you as hemming you in, restricting you and just not breathing as they should;

To clean your bathtub and kitchen sink requires an inordinate amount of cleanser and bleach;

Whereas you remember showers that once refreshed you, they now leave you only feeling wet;

It should be pleasure to put on a bright white crisp undershirt but instead it seems rather routine, dull, even uneventful;

The mop has a dusky smell of an old rag and you keep having to replace it to get rid of the reappearing and never disappearing stink;

Your dinner tonight reminds you of your dinner last night and that night before, and the flavors seem to be piling up into one big haze

His suggestion, up your water heater to 130 degrees. Me and the Mrs. upped ours to 125 a while back. Typical default is 120.

A guy sent a letter to San Francisco politicos that says in part:

I am a gun owner and I live a gun owner life style.

I don’t know if I was born with a tendency to be this way, or if it was an acquired disposition. All I know is, I don’t see why I should be forced to change. Truth be known, I like owning guns, and am happy with who I am. I hope I suffer no repercussions by “coming out of the safe,” but I just can’t hide the truth any longer.

We gun owners have been living and working among you. Our kids go to school with yours. We may be your doctor, or minister, or your child’s teacher. We may even work in city administration, or the courts, or on the police force. And we are sick of being abused for simply being who we are, all because of hoplophobic prejudice and fear. We don’t see any reason why we should have to put up with it any more.

Which brings me back to my dilemma and the reason I am writing you.

You have shown progressive thinking and tolerance for that which the majority condemns. So I was thinking of coming up to San Francisco and exercising my right to keep and bear arms, maybe showing up at City Hall with a state-banned AR-15 and a couple 30-round magazines, and also carrying several pistols concealed without a permit.

He’s referring to the gay marriage licenses. For his troubles, he’s under investigation by the police. One thing, I don’t like the authors after the fact defense that the letter was satirical. Stick to your guns, man.

If he loses, it will be because of people who have historically voted Republican but are more libertarian, will not vote for him. Also, the Christian right is threatening to stay home on election day.

If Bush were smart, he’d stop trying to appease some liberals with his spending habits. After all, they hate him any way.

WBIR writes about Frist making moves for a possible 2008 Presidential run. I predicted that back in March.

The Tennessee legislature has bill pending that would place the responsibility of fee hikes on the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission. This way, when fees are raised, Tennessee’s sportsmen won’t get mad at their senators. That is quite lame.

Senators in Mississippi have exempted themselves from the ban on firearms on capitol grounds. See, they’re special and deserve special privilege, just like vets with war trophies; Sean Penn getting a gun permit despite a criminal record; retired police officers being allowed to carry; and judges in DC.

New Hampshire is looking into dropping the permits to carry altogether. This would allow anyone to carry without a permit, much like Alaska and Vermont.

Took the new toy to the range today. How’d it do?

That is at 50 yards. And I was shooting as quickly as I could re-acquire the target. The entire diameter of that target (the whole round portion of the target, not the 10 in the center) is three inches. The group measured 3/4 inch.

Not too bad.

I think I just heard George W. mention RTB’s own Rex Hammock on the radio. Congrats!

Yup, I did! Cool.

Some TSA stats for us to swallow:

Tom Blank, assistant administrator for transportation security policy, testified before Congress last week that the Transportation Security Administration has intercepted more than 1,650 firearms, more than 3 million knives and more than 57,000 incendiary devices since shortly after the terrorist hijackings on Sept. 11, 2001.

No word on how many toenail clippers, paper clips, scissors, or sewing equipment was confiscated. No count on how many violations of civil liberties either.

Look to your right, I am running my first blogads.

With apologies to SKB.

For reference, the ads are being added to the More button.
Read the rest of this entry »

The AP:

Frederick, 54, said his problems with the National Park Service show an increasingly hostile attitude the agency is taking toward private property owners inside the country’s largest national park. There are several hundred inholders inside the 13.2 million-acre Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, and collectively they own about 1 million acres.

“The Park Service will do anything to get `inholders’ out,” Frederick said. “They don’t want anybody living in their park.”

So, the plan is to deny road access to his land and enact arbitrary fines. The government land grab continues. Thankfully, no one has approached the park service about building a Wal-Mart there.

Michael examines the voting records of some senators. Edwards and Kerry seem to be skipping on their day jobs.

Jeff rips Kerry a new one.

And if you’re a gun owner, Bitter has some pictures of Kerry you must see.

Xrlq has more here and here. Personally, I love civil disobedience and wish all the people getting married well. Power to the people. But Xrlq addresses the breaking of the law, which is a valid criticism. After all, we expect Roy Moore to comply with court orders.

Chris Muir, who does the entertaining strip Day By Day, wants your help to get his strip syndicated. Go here and help a brother out.

John Kerry’s camp is apparently guilty of referral log spamming. I continue to not like this guy.

Les has the latest VTP up. Give it a read.

Does it bother anyone else that we refer to an official in this country as the Drug Czar?