Patterico has a round up of people taking the free speech pledge. If I knew I was going to be quoted, I’d have said something more astute.

Continuing the blog meme, Tom volunteered. CounterTop also volunteered, which means I need three more people to ask random questions to. If you want to be chosen, leave a comment. CounterTop’s questions are coming later. Update: Jay committed as well, still need two more. Tom asked first, so here’s his:

Here’s his questions:

1 – Got a gun yet? If so, what? If no, why not and what are you considering?

2 – A while back, one of your co-bloggers tilted at windmills err defended CBS over the now completely substantiated memogate scandal. You were, for the most part, silent on the issue. What do you think now and what did you think then?

3 – What do you call those little things on the ends of shoelaces?

4 – You claimed to vote straight-line Republican up until 2000 (if I recall), what event changed that trend?

5 – Kevin T. Keith: Real or made up?

Well, not a US Senator. An Australian Senator.

Bjorn has returned to blogging.

So has my favorite gun-toting moonbat lefty, The Mullet.

It’s up over at TechnoGypsy. Lots of gun stuff.

Mark reports that Tennessee’s taxes on illegal drugs are working as expected:

A Bloomington Springs house and the land it sits on yesterday became the first real estate in Tennessee to be seized for unpaid tax on illegal drugs. The property belongs to Jerry [redacted], and the tax is for the marijuana crop that law officers found growing inside an unoccupied house there last month — 80 marijuana plants three to four feet tall.

No due process. Unchecked confiscation. Drugs continue to win the war. More:

The taxing of the marijuana there and the seizing of the property to force payment of that tax are not connected to the criminal charges that are pending against [redacted] in the case.

The tax, a civil matter handled by the Tennessee Dept. of Revenue, comes from a new state law which, in effect, says to drug dealers: “The tax man is coming.”

The tax, the total amount of which is not publicly disclosed in individual cases, is levied under a new law which went into effect this January taxing “unauthorized substances,” namely marijuana, cocaine, crack, meth, and untaxed liquors and spirits.

And, as reported here, even if you try to pay the tax, they won’t take your money. It’s purpose is an additional civil issue and the taking of property.

This is just priceless:

Tighter gun ownership laws are pushing South Africans to buy crossbows, spears, swords, knives and pepper sprays to protect themselves from violent crime.

“We’ve had to build an entirely new shop because the demand from people is so great,” Justin Willmers, owner of Durban Guns and Ammo, told Reuters. “It can be anything from a Zulu fighting spear, battle axes, swords, crossbows.”

Crime is a bit high there. It’s a pity they can’t get the best tools for defense.

A local couple outsmarted a Nigerian scam and that makes the news? I outsmart it like 12 times a day by adding it to my spam software.

Proving they don’t know guns, the folks at Reuters:

Greek prison guards will go on strike next week demanding a change of their American-made weapons that date back to the U.S. wars in central America almost a century ago.

While antique shops would be eager to get their hands on them, prison guards just want to get rid of their obsolete 1911 U.S. Cavalry revolvers. The guns do not scare inmates any more as safety experts have advised guards not to fire them.

I guess they could mean either the old 38 revolvers or the Colt 1911. Surely with all its glory, they don’t mean the 1911?

the question:

Who out there will make this pledge:

If the FEC makes rules that limit my First Amendment right to express my opinion on core political issues, I will not obey those rules.

Absolutely.

At some point today, the old Sitemeter will roll over to the 500,000 mark. Good for me.

It has taken me 2.5 years to get the traffic this guy gets in three days. Other fun stats:

4,990 Total Posts
597,212 Total Words
742,040 Total Words in Comments
12,633 Total Comments

Head has a round up of AK47 links.

Without understanding what it entails, I agreed to participate in a blog meme. I assume after I answer Xrlq’s five questions, I have to get five other bloggers to agree to be interviewed by me and answer 5 questions. If you want to be asked some questions, leave a comment. Xrlqy Wrlqy asks, I answer:

1 What’s your take on the proposal to arm judges in Illinois? Support as a baby step in the right direction, or oppose under the time-honored legal doctrine of tu et me similis autem melior?

I don’t understand your crazy, moon language. But I figure from high school Latin (actually, a friend who took high school Latin) that means Like you and me, only better. Not a legal doctrine but a catch-phrase. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned following politics, it’s that catch-phrases are better than actually, you know, having substance.

Update: I thought by picking the catch-phrase, that would imply I opposed it. However, Xrlq doesn’t think I answered. So, I oppose packing judges, unless everyone else can pack too.

2 What to do about the regulation of blogs? Sign the petition, or “don’t just do something, stand there?”

I have not signed the petition because petitions are about as useful as 10,000 hippies gathering in a square to protest oil/war/blood/SUVs/Tibet/etc. Like Seagulls, they come in, make a lot of noise, crap all over everything and leave. Hippies, not petitions. But petitions don’t accomplish much. I’m much more inclined to call my representatives and bitch. I did add blogs (along with dogs and guns) to My Cold Dead Hands list. Good thing I didn’t add money or I’d be dead.

3 Do all peeple from Knocksvill spel krappyly, or jist the wons yall eleckta publick offus?

Shore do seem lack it. Jus aks dis feller.

4 ANWR drilling – good or bad?

Anything that kills off caribou is good. What have they done for us? And I hear there’s oil there.

5 How about that bankruptcy reform?

Do you mean actual bankruptcy reform or the corporate benefit version? Long and short: If you wanna play, you gotta pay. People who are capable of paying their debts should pay them. Or they should be sued senseless. If you’ve ever been paid pennies on the dollar, you know how much it sucks.

Conversely, predatory lending is also a problem. These stupid credit companies that intentionally loan to high risk people should not be rewarded for engaging in the high risk = high return game. If you loan to someone who can’t pay, you’re a dumbass. You can’t take the risk part out of the game.

The current bill only addresses one side of the equation.

Update: I didn’t answer this one good enough either. I would say the reform of making people who can pay actually pay is good. However, it should be accompanied by a crackdown on predatory lenders.

My concern would be that po’ folk or until recently affluent folk who suffer some sort of financial setback (like illness) and are now effectively po’ folk could be forced to file under Chapter 13 when Chapter 7 is more appropriate. I would not put it passed some overzealous attorney or bureaucrat.

Donald Sensing and Kim du Toit weigh in on the pending military adoption of something new. The adoption of a military arm consists of two primary issues: Caliber and Operating System.

The standard military handgun and rifle rounds (9MM and 5.56 Nato, respectively) leave a lot to be desired. The problem with both rounds is that they are underpowered as currently configured. The military is limited to ball ammo and cannot employ hollow point rounds, which would aid both rounds in terms of stopping power. The solution is to up the calibers to something with more oompf!

For pistols, the return of the 45ACP has been kicked around as this round does have proven stopping power. It’s weakness is that it is less effective at penetrating light armored targets. The 45 is a bigger, slower bullet than the 9MM. While 9MM offers penetration, its lightweight and high speed make it an ineffective people stopper compared to the 45ACP. A bigger bullet with more power behind it may be in order. As such, some folks suggest the 10MM, which, IIRC, is basically a long 40S&W (what most police departments use). A friend of mine even brought up the return of the 45 Long Colt.

For rifles, some folks long for the return of the 308 Winchester. While a more than adequate round, it is not suited to assault rifles as it is powerful and heavy. It’s safe to say that the US won’t adopt the 7.62X39 because it’s a commie round. The new 6.8MM SPC was designed to fill the void. The 6.8MM will fit in AR15 lower receivers and has essentially the same ballistics as a 308 out to about 500 or 600 yards. The 6.8MM would be, in my opinion, the logical choice if the military chose to keep its current operating system, the AR15 family of rifles.

For both rifles and pistols, the issue would be re-training soldiers to acclimate them to the new rounds. The 9MM and 5.56MM both have minimal recoil compared to, say, a 10MM and a 308 Winchester. Troops would essentially have to re-familiarize themselves with shooting. I do not know what the recoil on the 6.8MM round is like.

As for the operating system of the rifle, the schools of thought seem to be 1) change the AR caliber and address a few issues it has; 2) scrap the AR for something new, like the XM8; or 3) go back to an older gun. The military will not go back to an older gun and I don’t understand why some people advocate this (or why they advocate going back to older 1911s for handguns) as the newer designs are better. The new designs (like the XM8) are lighter, mostly plastic and cheaper to make new. Configuring existing ARs for a new round would be cheaper as you only need to swap out bolts, barrels and magazine followers in the case of the 6.8MM. While they’re at it, they should move to a gas piston system as opposed to a gas tube system (Armstech already makes one!) because the AR eats where it shits. This isn’t a problem if you keep it clean but, in combat, cleaning may not be an option.

My opinion is that the military should change caliber first, weapon later.

No one, it seems, likes the current pistol or its caliber. I personally think that hands down the military should adopt the Glock 20 or 21 (10MM and 45ACP, respectively). The Glock is easy to operate, durable, long-lasting, and reliable. Some folks have a real love of the 1911. I think it’s a fine gun but there’s so much on the market that is better (Sigs, H&Ks, and Glocks). 1911s are not user friendly for cleaning, they’re clunky, and their controls are hard to operate.

There, that ought to annoy some readers.

Elmer Smith:

And, with the repeal of the assault weapons ban last year, there is no limit on the amount of automatic weapons or ammunition a “known or suspected” terrorist can buy in America as long as he or she is not a felon, mental patient or illegal alien.

The ban was not repealed, it expired as part of a sunset provision. The ban did not cover automatic weapons nor did it cover ammunition. It covered semi-automatic weapons that had certain cosmetic features. In other words, it banned guns based on what they looked like.

Chris Byrne on why he likes the AR:

The point is that the AR is a great system, versatile, reliable, accurate, lightweight and packable.

Read the whole thing.

Council Bluffs banned dogs based on appearance and nothing that is objectively provable. Now, they’re sending out registration notices:

Council Bluffs animal control officers will send out letters next week to pit bull owners.

The letters will tell owners they need to register the dog or surrender the animal. The letters come after Council Bluffs passed a pit bull ban in November.

If owners fail to comply with next week’s letters, a citation with a $550 fine will be issued.

Boston.com:

Known on the street as the cop killer, the Five-seveN is easily concealable and is designed to shoot ammunition that can pierce 48 layers of Kevlar, the material in bulletproof vests.

The .50-caliber rifle can accurately shoot a target up to 2,000 yards away and can potentially shoot down commercial airplanes during takeoff, supporters of the bill said. The rifle is not covered by the state assault weapons ban.

No mention that the likelihood of hitting a moving aircraft is about zero. And no mention that the armor piercing ammunition is not available for sale to the public.

I have like 50 Gmail invites. If you’re one of the last two people on earth without an account, leave a comment. What’s gmail good for anyway? I prefer Yahoo!

Security Door Blocks Overweight Officers

To quote Uncle, “Just like you and me, only better.”

It’s definately not local, unless you live in Sweden, but I’m fairly certain it applies everywhere. The police had a scale built into the door to determine if more than one person was trying to gain entry at a time, and some of their overweight officers aren’t able to open the door. The door greets them with the simple phrase “Stop! One at a time!”

Exactly one day from mentioning them on my blog, I am the number seven Google for titties. Gotta be a record?

Update: Oh, and clicking on a Google for titties is probably not safe for work, for you people that need to be told that.

Via Bill, one of Tennessee’s reps is blogging, Stacey Campfield. One post in a week? Not a good start.

And, despite typos (like I’m one to talk), his office confirms it is his blog.

Triggerfinger has the latest on the DC gun rights case.

Jeff has the latest.

GOPUSA notes that the law to prevent people, who may not be terrorists but are on a terror watch-list, from buying guns could open up the door to back-door registration of gun owners.

Hilleary, fresh off his defeat in the run for governor of Tennessee, has announced that he will be a candidate for Frist’s soon to be vacant seat. Hilleary will likely get the backing of the local Republican machine would be my guess. His ties to former (and disgraced) governor Sundquist may be almost forgotten now. The mayor of Chattanooga, Bob Corker, will also be in the race. Ed Bryant, a former congressman, is also in the race. Beth Halteman Harwell has also formed an exploratory committee to look at the race.

Bryant has apparently gotten into the blog game, unofficially. Blogging for Bryant is the unofficial Bryant blog. And the unofficial Blog of the 2006 Senate Race.

Kudos to local politicos for getting into the blog game. Too bad more haven’t done so.

As for my endorsement: Not Hilleary!

Maybe I’ll run as a write in candidate. Can a pseudonym be elected to public office?

I think it’s pretty clear that the Democrat in the race will likely be Harold Ford, Jr.

The bill restoring the rights of the residents of DC to keep and bear arms is making a comeback.

The fifth amendment specifies that owners of land taken by the .gov for public use receive just compensation. How just is just? A bill in Indiana may specify that said compensation is 150% of assessed value. I don’t find it unreasonable that just compensation include potential earnings on property as well.

I have been truly encouraged by some recent media coverage of guns (twice in a week!). Now, Deb notes a story in which the reporter goes out of their way to explain that a semi-automatic is a semi-automatic:

The common misconception is the “semi-automatic” is equal to some high powered assault weapon, but any number of weapons, small or large caliber, can be semi-automatic.

“When you hear semi-automatic rifle a lot of people assume it’s a high powered rifle but that’s not always the case” says Longview gun expert Craig Clotz .

Excellent.

Bruce has the skinny. Aren’t papers supposed to check that stuff? How hard is it to Google someone’s name?

Ricky has correspondence from a regular reader who is serving in the middle east and who was anti-Bush. Worth the read.

It’s odd what search engines pick up on. I am the #1 Google for mmmmmm.

Phelps on Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell:

If these two knuckleheads are so influential, why is it that I only hear about them from liberals?

Anarchangel on how to make your Glock not suck. I actually like the Glock stock trigger, though it could be smoother. I like the trigger pull because it is consistent, minimal creep, and reliably predictable. It is probably the easiest pistol out of the box for someone to get adequate trigger control with.

That said, I’d like to smooth it up but would not want to lighten the pull.

Say you’re a student at a school. You find in your book bag a BB gun that you’re not supposed to have. You do the right thing and tell school officials about. Your reward:

A district-court judge in Yadkin County ruled yesterday that 11-year-old Micheal Beam should remain in the group home where he was placed after he found an unloaded BB pistol in his book bag and reported it to school officials.

I thought schools were supposed to encourage kids to do the right thing. Not punish them for it.

I realize that the Lebanese protests are an important world event. However, this is how the blogs and media are covering (heh!) them.

Lebanese hooters answered an opposition call for a massive protest to demand a full Syrian troop withdrawal.

Read the rest of this entry »

Local pressure continues to threaten Sunshyne Video 2 here in Blount County:

A temporary injunction prohibiting Sunshyne Video 2 from selling any adult items until its owners obtain a license was granted in Blount County Circuit Court.

The store had stopped selling adult merchandise March 3 after owners David and Kristie Anderson received a restraining order. The store has continued to sell general merchandise, however.

Friday’s hearing was to determine whether the restraining order, sought by the Adult-Oriented Establishment Board, should be changed to a temporary injunction until the store obtains a permit.

And the Good Ol’ Boy networks strikes again:

David Anderson said he represented himself Friday because he could not get any Blount County lawyers to take the case because it involved Blount County government. Anderson said he did not object to the restraining order, but was confused by part of it.

Maybe he should call the ACLU? IIRC, my understanding is that Blount County recently set up this sham of a board (I say sham because it’s only purpose apparently is to harass Sunshyne Video) to approve licenses for adult oriented businesses. The law seems fairly clear to us laypersons but the legal establishment seems content to make people jump through arbitrary hoops while not answering questions:

Anderson asked Young why he could not sell any adult items when the law defines an adult store as one that offers sexually oriented material “as its principal or predominate stock or trade.” Anderson said after the hearing that he has 8,500 general items in stock and less than 2,800 adult items.

The judge didn’t answer and the guy can’t get legal help. They established this board and the owner of Sunshyne did not file for a permit. Rather, he added to his general merchandise so that the majority of his business would not be adult oriented. That doesn’t matter apparently as the GOB’s seem intent on making Mr. Anderson’s life hard. At this point, it looks like a vulgar display of power to get the guy to buy a permit and that’s the real obscenity here.

Next to get Concealed Carry: Nebraska. The legislature has made it a top priority:

Legislative Bill 70, to allow some motorcyclists to go helmet-free, and LB 454, to allow people to carry concealed handguns with a permit, are among 79 bills that individual lawmakers and legislative committees gave priority status for the 2005 session.

And then there were three. Once the last three no-issue states in the union offer concealed carry, gun rights types should start targeting the nine may-issue states to convert them into shall-issue. CCW map can be found here.

DiFi has introduced a bill that would re-establish the ban on guns that look like assault weapons:

Sen. Dianne Feinstein introduced legislation Monday to re-establish the federal assault weapons ban, which expired last September after Congress did not reauthorize it.

Feinstein, D-Calif., was the author of the original 1994 ban on the manufacture and importation of at least 19 types of common military-style assault weapons [Outright lie, these weapons are not military style, which would denote that they are machine guns - Ed.]. She got an amendment through the Senate last year to extend the ban, but it was killed when the piece of legislation it was attached to failed after lobbying by the National Rifle Association.

Feinstein announced bipartisan co-sponsors Monday: Republican Sens. John Warner of Virginia and Mike DeWine of Ohio, and Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer of New York. But getting the bill through the Republican-controlled Congress will be an uphill battle.

Good ol’ Rinos. More:

“We know the ban worked. We voted for its renewal in the Senate last year. Yet, it was allowed to expire,” Feinstein said in a statement. “This failure will have deadly consequences on the streets of America. It is time to re-establish the ban and help make our communities safer.”

It worked? At what? Restricting the right of people to own guns? It had no effect on crime, as attested to by the Centers for Disease Control and the Justice Department. And these deadly consequences would have likely come to fruition by now but have not.

It’s never to early to get on the horn and start calling your senators and reps to tell them to oppose this nonsense.

Gunlaws has the skinny on HR1195. The purpose of the bill is:

To increase public safety and reduce the threat to domestic security by including persons who may be prevented from boarding an aircraft in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, and for other purposes.

This bill will prevent people on terror watch-lists from passing the NICS background check conducted when they buy guns. In other words, without any conviction of a crime, a person’s rights will be denied.

Affirmation:

Alphapatriot links to the Citizens’ Self-Defense Act of 2005, which gives everyone the right to keep a gun in their home for defense.

He states that this act is Partially Reaffirming the Second Amendment. Doesn’t the existence of the second amendment reaffirm the second amendment?

All smarminess aside, the bill notes that defensive gun uses are beneficial and has other justifications, such as the fact that courts ruled the police have no obligation to protect individuals.

Alphie also has a roundup of some gun stuff in Tennessee.

Thomas has the skinny on The Count Every Vote Act. On paper, it looks like a good idea but I have issues with the fact it would essentially federalize a lot of state functions.

I’m no fan of baseball but I’m less a fan of Congress. It seems that Congress (having solved every problem, ended all crime, stopped terrorism, made us all completely safe, cured disease, brought peace to the Middle East, ended the Sudanese Genocide and addressed campaign finance reform) wants to investigate baseball for steroid use.

This is nothing more than showboating and grandstanding. I want my money back.

Via Michael Silence, the local GOP has started a blog. The Dems have had one for a while but you’d think they’d spring on a domain name, or something.

Joe Huffman notes that a woman’s nomination into the Florida Women’s Hall of Fame is creating a controversy because the woman also happens to be the former president of the NRA.

Isn’t that a hoot.

GOB and land grabs in NY. Lobbygow is on it.

Paul has it! It’d be nicer if someone automated it. Heh.

Or more to the point, only they won’t have to fill out paperwork. Ravenwood notes the push to allow judges to carry weapons to defend themselves in light of the judge being shot in Atlanta last week. I’m all for it. In Georgia, it’s pretty easy to get a carry permit and that’s what the judges there should do. I think in Tennessee, judges can carry without getting a permit. They also get a license plate that says they’re a judge and use it as license to disregard traffic laws.

However, the push Ravenwood refers to is in Illinois. There’s a lot of gun stuff happening in Illinois these days.

Triggerfinger links to the actual report that notes the NICS doesn’t stop people on the terror list from buying guns. Of course, the NICS wasn’t set up to do that.

Montana, which has been awful snippy with the Federal government lately, continues to poke the Feds with a pointy stick. Gunner notes that Montana politicos have asked the feds why they think they’re exempt from campaign finance laws.

Bubba has three Rocky Top Brigade items up. New members, newer members, and a fancy new sign up form.

Welcome to:

Head has his fourth installment of building your own AK.

Robert has just finished his new Polish under folder.

Jeff has a rifle for sale. If you’re looking for Marlin 9mm Camp Carbine, head over there.

I’m sort of surprised it hasn’t happened yet, but Time is reporting that Zarqawi may be planning attacks on soft targets in the states:

Two weeks after intelligence officials confirmed that Osama bin Laden had sent a message to Jordanian-born terrorist Abu Mousab al-Zarqawi, urging him to plan attacks on U.S. soil, details are emerging from one of al-Zarqawi’s lieutenants about what the man behind many of the terrorist attacks in Iraq could have in mind. Intelligence officials tell TIME that interrogation of a member of al-Zarqawi’s organization, who was taken into U.S. custody last year and has been described as a top aide, indicates that al-Zarqawi has given ample consideration to assaults on the American homeland. According to a restricted bulletin that circulated among U.S. security agencies last week, the interrogated aide said al-Zarqawi has talked about hitting “soft targets” in the U.S., which could include “movie theaters, restaurants and schools.”

Careful out there.

There’s a push for a local Civic Arts Center in Blount County. Supposedly, it exists to bring culture to our fair county.

They way the scam works is that our local college will put up some money, as will the County and a few cities. They’ll build it and the college will assume responsibility for it and, of course, get the most benefit from it. Then, so I hear, they’ll use it for symphonies, arts shows and other stuff that won’t be popular or make money. Several local folks support this boondoggle that is in the works. I don’t.

If the county and city I’m in have the extra dough laying around to build this fiasco, then I’m paying too much in taxes and want my money back. Or they could put street lights in some county areas that need them. Or any other useful, meaningful thing (such as county trash pick up and re-paving some of the older roads). This thing will not bring substantial revenue to the city. If you don’t believe me, look at Knoxville’s mostly unused convention centers or go to a Knoxville Symphony Orchestra show. Unlike Blount County, Knoxville is actually on the map.

A bunch of small gun posts pointing to news items like I usually do each day or one big linky round up, like I did here?

What do you think?

Fûz talks about his votes for the NRA Board of Directors.

Gun nuts show their nuttiness:

Surely, the gun lovers out there have lost sight of the target when they start defending a person’s right to carry rockets and grenades into a school and when they oppose attempts to keep high-powered weapons out of terrorists’ hands.

So, what law being discussed actually permits someone to buy grenades and rockets?

The NRA, you see, has blocked attempts to use the federal watch lists to ban gun sales to terrorists. Osama’s troops have Second Amendment rights, too.

First, he NRA has done no such thing. The NRA advocated the laws that are on the books. For this terror list ban thing to work, I’d think it would actually require a law. No law was even discussed until the GAO report. Also, because someone is on a list, it doesn’t make them a terrorist. Ask Senator Kennedy or Cat Stevens.

In Illinois, the Democrats are not pushing for more gun control:

Two years after Democrats won control of the Legislature and the governor’s office, gun control proposals so closely identified with the party have gone nowhere.

Lately, bills to remove gun restrictions have been making as much progress as legislation to add restrictions.

Gun control advocates have learned, sometimes painfully, that party labels don’t matter much when it comes to guns in Illinois. Downstate lawmakers, whether Democrat or Republican, represent large numbers of hunters and sportsmen, so they tend to oppose gun control.

“The Second Amendment is a right, it’s not a privilege, so we’re just standing firm with what we believe in and what our forefathers gave us,” said Rep. Brandon Phelps, a southern Illinois Democrat who is sponsoring a bill, now headed to the House floor, to let people carry concealed firearms.

Another article ties the gun lobby’s success in Illinois to 9/11:

The gun lobby in Springfield has been hitting its targets this year like never before, advancing a barrage of bills that would allow concealed handguns in Illinois, make it easier for people to buy and trade guns, and make it harder for the state to track gun owners.

However, this piece details a bunch of anti-gun bills in Illinois.

Soldiers get to keep their assault rifles. Not here in the states but in Switzerland.

Today’s hysterical idiot who can’t be bothered to actually, you know, read about the issue is Sherry Long:

Who needs a semi-automatic weapon?

I fully understand the United States Constitution allows people the right to protect themselves and their homes by owning guns.

But semi-automatic weapons?

What in the world would you kill with a semi-automatic, unless you are just purposely going hunting for other human beings?

Are you going to go out and shoot a deer with a semi-automatic?

I admit that I don’t know a lot about hunting, but seems like if you use a semi-automatic there won’t be much left of the very animals you’re trying to take home for dinner.

Clearly, you don’t know much about anything. A semi-automatic fires one shot per pull of the trigger, just like a policeman’s service pistol.

Florida is looking for a ban on the police use of Tasers:

Two senators called for a statewide ban Friday on police use of Tasers – at least until medical studies can verify their effect on people – but law-enforcement officials said the electric shock is much better than using a nightstick or handgun in a violent situation.

I’ve been critical of Taser use but I don’t think they should be banned for use by the police. I just think they need to stop using them as compliance tools.

Michael Bane worked with NPR’s On The Media to do a gun piece. Have a listen (last one on the page).

Today young Boudreaux and I had a few idle minutes, so we cruised into downtown Raleigh to stop by the North Carolina Museum of History. I had been itching to visit for some time, because they have on exhibit the workshop of David “Carbine” Williams.

Williams, a North Carolina native, was a prolific inventor and firearms designer; during his lifetime he would be awarded forty patents for firearms-related inventions. The exhibit highlights two of his inventions that were adopted by the US Military in the years leading up to World War II—inventions that he conceived, designed, and prototyped while in prison for murder.

Williams was born in Godwin, NC. After a year in the Navy (from which he was discharged for being underage), a year at Virginia’s Blackstone Military Academy, and a short stint working for the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, Williams began making moonshine in 1919: the year the 18th Amendment was ratified, kicking off that noble experiment we call Prohibition. In 1921, a sherrif’s deputy was killed during a raid on Williams’s still, and Williams was charged with murder. His first trial ended in a hung jury, but in November of 1921, he plead guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to thirty years in prison.

Williams had worked in a blacksmith’s shop as a youth, and had an interest in firearms. He was put to work in the prison’s machine shop repairing the guards’ weapons. He also began working on his own firearms designs in secret. Here, between 1923 and 1928, he built four rifles which incorporated his two most famous inventions. His first rifle he built from “scrap iron and a walnut fence post.” Another was made from a tractor axle and the drive shaft from a Model T.

Of course, his activity didn’t stay secret forever. By 1928, his inventions began to be noticed by the press and by Colt Firearms company. In 1929, thanks in part to efforts by the widow of the man he was accused of killing, the governor granted him a pardon, and he returned to his family farm, where he kept working on his inventions.

William’s first prison-built rifle used a floating chamber design that later became the basis for several designs that allow firearms to fire a sub-caliber round. For example, Colt’s .22-.45 conversion kit, which allows a Government Model 1911 to fire .22 Long Rifle ammunition, was based on a floating chamber. The US Military adopted several conversion designs for firing .22 ammunition in several different firearms, including the .30-caliber Browning Machine Gun. Because .22 ammunition is about as cheap as it gets, using it during training seemed like a great economy measure during the Depression. Williams received a patent for the floating chamber in 1936.

However, the invention that earned him his nickname was the short-stroke piston gas system that was used in the M1 Carbine. Williams had invented the short-stroke system while in prison. In 1941 he went to work with Winchester on the carbine project. He received a patent for the short-stroke piston in 1944.

He spent the post-war years back in Godwin, working on several projects, civilian and military alike. In 1951, a police captain who knew Williams from his prison days wrote an article about Williams that was published in Reader’s Digest. This became the inspiration for a Williams bio-pic starring Jimmy Stewart.

The museum exhibit itself is fairly small. Besides Williams’s workshop, there are three displays of note. The first focuses on his two major inventions, with mechanical drawings and physical examples of the short-stroke piston and the floating chamber. I was a little underwhelmed by the technical explanation of these devices; the phrase “amplifies energy” offends my engineering sensibilities. The display also has an M1 Carbine as well as those other two workhorses of WWII, the 1911 pistol and the M1 Garand.

The second display is a time line of Williams’s life, outlining the major events from his birth in 1900 to his death in 1975. Finally, there is a display of his work from prison, including the four rifles and mechanical drawing of the floating chamber that Williams made on a piece of scrap cardboard.

Most impressive is the reproduction of Williams’s workshop from his farm in Godwin. This exhibit contains 3,000 artifacts, including a mill and lathe Williams got from Winchester. Unfortunately, this part of the exhibit is enclosed, and it’s difficult to get a good look at things through the viewing windows.

In summary, if you’re ever in beautiful downtown Raleigh, and you have a few minutes to spend, it’s worth it to drop by. Admission is free (donations are welcome), and the museum has lots of other great exhibits. And give me a holler, too; maybe we can go to the range together, in honor of Carbine Williams!

The Carnival is a round up of gun posts. Number four is up.

A Tennessee regular over at AR15.com needs help:

I’m in the Army and will soon be PCSing to New York. Does anyone have a pre-ban lower they could sell me or trade for an unfired Bushy lower? Looking for a FTF. I live in Greenbrier but work in Nashville.

New York passed it’s own version of the AWB and pre-ban receivers are a hot item as they are exempted from the state Assault Weapons Ban. In fact, there’s a movement over at AR15.com to send pre-ban lowers up to help our oppressed BRD sufferers up north. If you have an old receiver and want a new one, consider contacting him. Besides, wouldn’t you rather have a new one? It’s win-win.

Regarding the DEA agent who is clearly too stupid to own a gun, a Farker writes:

Actually, it went “kerpow” because the dumbass had his booger hook on the bang switch.

The round up of gun bloggers will be held by Chris. If you haven’t submitted anything, get over there now and do so.

A reader emails that Reporting standards fail again:

Police said they recovered a 10-gauge, .22-caliber Ruger rifle with a modified stock and multiple 10-gauge magazines from the car.

I’m sure they could mean a 10 gauge and a Ruger 10/22. I’d says it’s more likely they got a Ruger 10/22.

Head has part three up.

Radley Balko notes that there’s no way Congress people can read the laws they pass. Yet, we’re all expected to abide by them.

About a year ago, I mentioned a DEA agent who shot himself while giving a class on gun safety. There’s a video of it you can find here:

“I’m the only one in this room professional enough, that I know of, to carry this Glock .40. I’m the onl–BOOM!”

Here’s a report that says there’s about a 50-50 chance that Illinois will pass concealed carry laws:

Supporters of concealed-carry laws say Illinois residents have about a 50-50 chance of joining Minnesota, Ohio and Missouri in winning the right to carry hidden handguns.

Two bills that won approval in a House committee Tuesday would bar the City of Chicago from enforcing its ordinance prohibiting carrying a concealed weapon if state legislation is approved.The National Rifle Association and state groups are aggressively carrying the fight to Mayor Richard M.Daley, a staunch gun-control advocate.

Good strategy of taking the fight to the anti-gunners.

I have to say that I am impressed with this article on the California 50BMG ban. No hysteria. No lies. Just factual reporting. Good job. Even more, it’s considered an opinion piece.

Regarding Tennessee’s tax on illegal drugs, a commenter over at Michael Silence’s blog writes:

The Department of Revenue claims that to date nobody has attempted to voluntarily pay this tax. I would like to point out that this is untrue.

I attempted to voluntarily pay this tax on January 6, but all of my attempts were rejected by DOR because I am unwilling to travel to Nashville and stand before DOR employees to pay the tax.

This is the only tax in Tennessee that must be paid in person, which serves only to intimidate and unduly burden the taxpayer, discouraging them from paying the tax. Because of this, I believe this is not truly a tax, rather a penalty, which is unconstitutional under the Supreme Court decision Montana Department of Revenue v. Kurth Ranch, et al.

The Department of Revenue should change their tune from “nobody buys them” to “we won’t sell them.”

Actually, I think the tax serves only as an additional charge and fine in the event someone is caught with drugs.

People are starting to notice and get a little mad:

An opinion piece reporting that ED caters to developers:

Mayor Adam Schneider claims Long Branch citizens just don’t understand the need to use eminent domain to take property. Unfortunately, we understand all too well. No property is safe from being stolen if a developer comes up with a plan for high-end condos and better ratables. Most homes in the affected area were well kept and family owned. Only a few rentals could be called blighted.

More residents are taking up the fight:

According to the Bobrows, the new coalition will have two goals, “to stop eminent domain abuse and to obtain equitable compensation for property if taken.”

The coalition is open to all interested parties, including individuals who do not live in the Beachfront South area or any redevelopment zone he added.

“If other people want to join who think eminent domain abuse is wrong, they can come too,” he said.

And what would you expect from a town called Liberty:

Under this nation’s original property law, the Fifth Amendment, “A man’s home is his castle” carried the weight of Scripture, but present laws suggest, “A person’s home is his government’s, which can buy and sell that home to anyone for a profit.”

The situation is an injustice perpetrated upon Northlanders and other people nationwide by the government’s unrestrained, oppressive use of eminent domain.

People who used to live around Kansas City International Airport learned that fact the hard way.

Cat shoots owner:

A man cooking in his kitchen was shot after one of his cats knocked his 9mm handgun onto the floor, discharging the weapon, Michigan State Police said.

Sniper Kitty denies involvement. I should say that I don’t believe this story at all. Dropped guns typically do not fire. It’s possible, I suppose, but highly unlikely.

Via Buddy Don.

Look over there ————–>

Or go here for AR-15 Magazines.

When I was a wee lad, I went to the zoo with the family. While there, I took a particular interest in those giant tortoises. You know the ones, they’re virtually indistinguishable from large rocks, unless they’re moving, at which point you’d think That rock is moving. How odd. However, you wouldn’t be concerned because the rock wasn’t moving fast enough to be a threat to anything other than stationary rocks. After many minutes of watching the tortoises, one tortoise mounted another. While the tortoise was astride, his mouth was agape and he was making this bizarre sound. It sounded exactly like:

Mraaaa

Sort of like if Fran Drescher was a sheep and said Baah. The tortoise on the receiving end was making no sounds and had pulled all of its appendages into its shell. Either she was not too amused and open to said mounting, or she was a he. At the time (being a wee lad), I didn’t realize the tortoises were doing it. I got to witness some tortoise poundage but didn’t know it. I asked the parents and they offered no real explanation. I just figured it’s what giant tortoises did. Never thought about it much after.

People associate certain sounds with certain animals. Dogs say woof. Cows say moo. Ducks say quack. I assumed that certain animals were mute because we don’t associate a sound with them or we never hear them, like the tortoise. No kid’s books say that the tortoise says Mraaaa.

When I was a teenager, I took the family German Shepherd out to take care of business (he’s German, so he said Wüf). Suddenly, he took off running through the yard. Then I heard a horrible sound, it sounded like a baby crying only it was higher pitched and ceased almost instantly. The dog had caught and killed a rabbit. I always assumed rabbits were sort of mute, but they are not. I’d say that was the worst sound I’ve ever heard.

And I was once watching this Discovery Channel special on hippos. The first half of the special, the hippos were all videoed while in the water. They were peaceful, serene and had a delicate grace about them. Then the show had footage of them on land and you realize they’re just big, stupid, clumsy cows. They also say Moo.

Junior has all sorts of baby toys. She has various plastic and stuffed animals. In the process of teaching Junior about life, I’ll sit around with her and pick up one of her toy animals (like a toy dog) and inform her of the sound the animal makes. My wife was watching as I did this. I picked up the Duck, noted it went quack for Junior’s benefit. The dog says woof. The cow says moo. Then I realize junior has a toy turtle. And the turtle (being not entirely dissimilar from the tortoise) must obviously say Mraaaa.

I had to explain to the wife that horny turtles do make that sound. She got a kick out of my tale of tortoise sexuality.

Junior also has a toy whale. If there’s one thing Star Trek has taught me, it’s that impersonating a whale can only be done by computer. Junior does not have a toy donkey. Since I can’t do the whale sound, her whale says Eee Aww.

Easter’s coming up and the wife bought Junior a stuffed bunny. Great.

Quite odd:

Federal investigators said a bullet hole found in the side of a U.S. Airways jet could be nothing more than a hunting accident.

U.S. Airways workers at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport discovered the hole early Monday morning or late Sunday night, WCNC-TV in Charlotte reported.

The FBI, which is investigating, said there’s nothing to indicate that terrorism is involved or that there was any malicious intent.

So, Dan Rather signed off last night. I don’t really care because I don’t watch network news. The only time I can recall watching it recently was when I TiVoed the show after Ra^thergate broke. Supposedly, Rather signed off with his signature Courage. I don’t know, I didn’t watch. By Courage, did he mean:

The Courage to run a story without checking the apparently easily verifiable facts for partisan gain?

The Courage to deny it until it was an absolute embarrassment?

The Courage to stick to your story, no matter the facts?

The Courage to run news reports devoid of facts but full of hysteria?

The Courage to resign gracefully and completely.

Don’t get me wrong, Rather had a prestigious career as a newsman but his flat refusal to take responsibility for (and his willingness to defend) a bogus story will forever mar his career. And it should. His non-resignation will only embarrass him further. Get out of the news, Dan. Completely out. Write a book and do tours, but leave 60 Minutes. Leave CBS. And take your dignity with you.

Weekly gun links with a sweet looking Mosin.

In Illinois, of all places:

Two gun-control measures cleared an Illinois House committee Wednesday, but Chicago Mayor Richard Daley and other gun-control proponents are still trailing gun supporters in the spring legislative session.

Major restrictions on guns failed last week in a Senate committee, and on Tuesday, a House committee approved two measures that would expand gun-owners’ rights by allowing them to carry concealed firearms.

“The Second Amendment is a right, it’s not a privilege, so we’re just standing firm with what we believe in and what our forefathers gave us,” said Rep. Brandon Phelps, sponsor of one of the concealed-carry bills.

Phelps, a Democrat from Norris City in southern Illinois, represents the state’s deep divide on gun issues, which typically breaks along regional rather than party lines. Metropolitan residents typically back restrictions to curb gun violence; rural residents fear hindering hunting and sport-shooting.

Looks like there’s a push for a ban on guns that look like assault weapons in Iowa. No details of the bill that I can find.

Junaid M. Afeef of the Institute for Social Policy Understanding. Some random snippets:

In the Fight Against Terrorism, Some Rights Must Be Repealed

Then the terrorists win.

Read the rest of this entry »

What is a right? Some folks address it:

The right in my garage

Kevin on what is a right?

Natural rights.

I’m not one to wax philosophic about, well, anything. As such, my definition of a right for all intents and purposes are those enumerated in law. I think the more important issue is the justification by the government for regulating something.

Head has part two up.

Someone should get fired, arrested and prosecuted:

The police document said Wheeler was handcuffed to a hospital bed and then secured with leather straps after he refused to urinate in a cup. When medical staff tried to insert a catheter to get the sample, Wheeler refused.

At one point, police officer Peter Linnenkamp noted that he jumped on the bed with his knees on Wheeler’s chest to restrain him. Then, when Wheeler still refused to let the catheter be inserted, Linnenkamp said he twice used his Taser gun, which sends 50,000 volts into a target.

Another local judge refused to jail an elderly man convicted of selling guns without a permit.

If you ever sell a computer that has illegal stuff on it, wipe the hard drive clean first:

A Maryville man was arrested Tuesday on a charge of sexual exploitation of a minor and may face additional charges regarding child pornography found on a computer he sold to another individual.

Not here, here.

GOA has a piece on proposed CCW national reciprocity:

Rep. John Hostettler (R-IN) will soon be reintroducing his national reciprocity bill that protects the right of citizens to carry their firearms into other states.

Hostettler’s language has a huge advantage over other reciprocity-type bills in that it does not punish states for being too pro-gun. His bill would not penalize citizens from states like Alaska and Vermont, because his proposal doesn’t require a citizen to first get a permit to enjoy reciprocity in another state.

Boy, California will be mad.

Another CCW to be issued in Tennessee. Excellent!

Commies for Tenncare. Via SKooBie.

Any of my Tennessee readers know the street value of 42.5 grams of marijuana in Knoxville? Actually, can someone translate that into some useful measure for me too (such as joints)?

I’m not up on drug values since I don’t do drugs but I am thinking of heading down to the local Tennessee Department of Revenue office and buying some of those Unauthorized Substance Tax stamps. You can read the silly tax FAQ at the DOR site here. I’ve talked about Tennessee’s tax on illegal drugs before.

I read the law and it doesn’t make it a crime to possess the stamps and no drugs. Wonder if I could buy them and get a refund? Of course, it’s probably a crime to falsify a tax document. I may just pick up a form and see.

Thanks to Marc for the inspiration.

Update: Thanks to hellbent, I learned that’s about $200 of cheap stuff and a whole lotta joints.

Update 2: A reader obtained a copy of the form you’re supposed to fill out to pay your tax on illegal drugs. Here’s a copy of the form.

I think there would be broad public support for a National Do Not Mail Registry. I should also point out what I do with junk mail:

Each time I get a credit card application or some other variety of junk mail that has a postage paid return envelope, I take all contents of the envelope and I rip them to shreds. I then place the shreds into the postage paid return envelope (which will be paid by the company sending me the junk mail), attach a note that says Please Recycle and place it in the mail box.

Every time someone sends me junk mail with a return envelope, it costs them 26 to 37 cents. I encourage everyone to do the same. If all 300 million of us did it, we could bankrupt the junkmail (sic) industry.

Heh! I sicced myself.

Gunner reports that the list may not be, well, a list:

“Really not a list at all” is the words from Transportation Security Administration spokesman Nico Melendez. Only problem is that GOA(Government accountability office) and other law enforcement agencies disagree with him.

So while the no fly list reminds me of the famous McCarthy black lists I guess the best way to describe the selectee list is “McCarthy lite”

Also, last night on CBS, they reported that there were 50,000 people on the list.

And Denise notes civil liberties hypocrisy from the left.

If you want to crack down on underage drinking, what do you do? Well, if you’re a dumb ass, you arrest designated drivers and charge them with furnishing a place for minors to drink.

Regarding my AK, reader Robert writes:

It’s really just a big, robust pistol.

Yup.

CCRKBA reports:

Sen. Lautenberg announced that he will introduce legislation requiring the National Instant Check System (NICS) to retain records of gun purchases by suspected terrorists for at least ten years.

Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty. Wasn’t one of the Kennedys on that same watch list? I’m just, you know, saying.

This looks like a first step toward maintaining a gun registry, by the way.

Head has the first part of his series on how to build your own AK-74M. Excellent. I need more tools.

Jeff has the latest edition focusing on the Canadian drug shooting that went very badly.

This time, in Cali:

The lawsuit had originally been dismissed by California Superior Court Judge Vincent P. DiFiglia in March 2003. The lawsuits, filed by Berkeley, Compton, Inglewood, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco, and West Hollywood, and the counties of San Mateo and Alameda, alleged that gun makers engaged in unfair trade practices and that resulted in criminal misuse of firearms, causing a “public nuisance.” The First Appellate District, Division One, in the Court of Appeals of the State of California upheld the dismissal.

It claims another victim! Nice AK!