Headlines, if I wrote them:

Canadian Government Falls, no one – not even Canadians – notices.

U.S. reportedly planting stories in Iraqi, U.S. papers

US Christian Group Names Captives in Iraq, Blames US, UK and surprisingly not selves, terrorists.

Counter-Terrorists Worry About Illegal Immigration – No shit

A deal has been reached in the bill to allow CCW in the state:

Police could check whether the owner of a car they stop is carrying a concealed weapon under a compromise that sponsors of a bill to let Wisconsin residents carry hidden weapons have reached with law enforcement groups.

Sponsors say the amendment eliminates police lobbying organizations’ major hang-ups with the Republican-authored bill. The bill’s authors and representatives of several law enforcement groups planned a press conference this morning to announce more details.

More:

Under the measure, whenever an officer runs the registration of a vehicle he stops, a screen would pop up alerting him if the owner has a permit to carry a concealed weapon, said Casey Perry, executive director of the Wisconsin Troopers Association.

Some states require CCW holders to notify police when stopped. A similar bill passed there in 2003 but Gov. Jim Doyle vetoed it. Looks like it’s coming, if you ask me.

Having realized that to date no plane has been taken down with toenail clippers, the TSA says we can keep our scissors. The AP:

Airport security screeners are reportedly going to let passengers bring sharp objects on board airplanes again. Today’s Washington Post says the Transportation Security Administration plans to announce security changes Friday.

Sources quoted by the paper say the new rules will allow things like scissors in carry-on bags. The reasoning is that such items are no longer regarded as the greatest threat to airline security. Homeland Security Department officials are said to be more concerned about preventing suicide bomb attacks at airports. Officials want screeners to focus more on finding things that can explode rather than things that are sharp.

Good.

Heartless Libertarian has more on the CCW holder who attempted to engage the Tacoma mall shooter:

“I’m looking at this guy,” McKown said. “He’s a kid. I would have had to shoot him in the head.”

McKown just wasn’t ready for that. It’s not easy to shoot someone in the head, McKown said. McKown also didn’t want to get in the way of the police if they were handling the situation

HL asks CCW holders a simple question: are you prepared, psychologically, to take another person’s life?

Blake links to a piece on the Miami PD:

Miami police announced Monday they will stage random shows of force at hotels, banks and other public places to keep terrorists guessing and remind people to be vigilant.

Deputy Police Chief Frank Fernandez said officers might, for example, surround a bank building, check the IDs of everyone going in and out and hand out leaflets about terror threats.

“This is an in-your-face type of strategy. It’s letting the terrorists know we are out there,” Fernandez said.

Papers please. This is truly abysmal. The police should not randomly accost citizens. Ever. This will make people leery of the police more than anything else. In Miami, it’s like the terrorists have won. Where’s the ACLU? Oh:

Howard Simon, executive director of ACLU of Florida, said the Miami initiative appears aimed at ensuring that people’s rights are not violated.

“What we’re dealing with is officers on street patrol, which is more effective and more consistent with the Constitution,” Simon said. “We’ll have to see how it is implemented.”

As Blake says:

So, the police surrounding a bank and checking everyone’s IDs for no apparent reason is not a violation of people’s rights?

Gunner has more on this lunacy.

The Supreme Court has will hear an abortion case:

The court will hear arguments on a 2003 New Hampshire law requiring minors tell at least one of their parents 48 hours before having an abortion. The only exception is if the girl’s life is threatened.

Opponents of the law say that exception is not enough. They want girls to be able to obtain an abortion immediately without prior parental permission in cases of medical emergency.

I don’t really see a reason why a parental notification requirement is a bad thing. However, the importance of the case is the court will take up the sacred cow of politics. It will be interesting to watch. I find the pro-abortion crowd’s opposition to the law a bit odd. Seems they, like gun control advocates who endorse any gun control law no matter how silly, oppose any limits just because.

On this Oak Ridge High School birth control article nonsense, R. Neal sums it up best:

Setting aside the debate as to whether birth control is an appropriate topic for a high school student newspaper, it’s sad that the “abstinence only” crowd has driven these students to seek out the information on their own and share it with their classmates. Good for them.

Ayup.

Reader Don writes:

My step daughter [name withdrawn] playing with her boy friend’s, AK-47. [Her boyfriend] is the photographer.

Obviously she doesn’t remember a thing I told her. But then, when they are 17 you can’t tell them anything anyhow.

Hopefully, posting her photos on Idiots With Guns might shock her as much as shooting her boyfriend would.

Actually, it’s Xavier that runs that series (Part 1,Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5). I couldn’t find his email so I’ll run my own submission to Idiots with Guns. Far be it from me to turn down a reader request, so, here’s idiocy number one:

Keep your finger off the trigger unless you’re ready to shoot! Here’s another:

Never point a weapon at something unless you’re willing to destroy it.

Update: Meanwhile, here’s some idiot terrorists with guns.

Seriously, that’s funny.

The administration of the Oak Ridge School System is caught in a Gordian Knot as it tries to explain it’s decision to censor and confiscate 1800 editions of the Oak Ridge High School newspaper. School System Superintendent Tom Bailey was reported as saying that an article detailing different birth control methods and a two-page feature about student tattoos and body piercings were the reason for the decision.

The story has leaped to national coverage and has created an Internet Blogging response. On local radio WNOX’s George Korda agreed with the schools decision and referenced that a school newspaper is like any newspaper and the editor has the privilege to decide what should be printed. Korda noted that the principle of the high school was the final editor of the newspaper. A Supreme Court decision backs up Korda’s contention.

The paper’s Editor-in-Chief Brittany Thomas, a senior, did not see it that way. The Knoxville News Sentinel reported, “Brittany Thomas said the American Civil Liberties Union and the Student Press Law Center are trying to secure lawyers to represent the students in a controversy that has made international news.”

Condemnation of the censorship and seizure has come from far and wide. University of Tennessee journalism professor Dwight Teeter said, “This is a terrible lesson in civics,” “This is an issue about the administration wanting to have control. Either the students are going to have a voice, or you’re going to have a PR rag for the administration.”

The decision has been made that the school newspaper will be reprinted without the article on birth control. In today’s Oak Ridger newspaper we learn, “The article about birth control will be pulled totally. The article about tattoos will have some editorial revisions made, and the paper will be reprinted in its entirety and distributed to students,” School System Superintendent Tom Bailey told The Oak Ridger by phone after a meeting with Oak Ridge High School Principal Becky Ervin Tuesday morning.

Today we also learn that the schools website has also been taken off the air. But as in all things in cyberspace the article can be read here. After reading the article it is clear that the entire reason for the censorship is a quote from Dr. Charles E. Darling with the Anderson County Health Center, “If you get a pregnancy test done and you find out that you are pregnant, you can make sure that your parents do not know. Also parental consent is not needed to obtain birth control.”

Is there anything wrong with what Dr. Darling said? Is it consistent with current law? If so, then how can this censorship be tolerated? What is wrong with the article? The students should pursue the right to publish this edition of the school newspaper. If people have a problem with the law as is stands they should move to change the law but censorship cannot be tolerated at any level. Exactly what lesson are we supposed to learn here?

Update: This will be the topic on Inside TN on WBIR Sunday morning at 9:30 AM.

My Google News Alert for pit bull sent me the headline that read York, PA Farmer Attacked by Pit Bull. Trouble is, when you go to the story, the farmer was actually attacked by a bull.

This guy moves blogs more often than I move my bowels. Geez, find a spot and stay in it.

My in-laws came over the other night. One of my nephews is five years old. And he can’t wipe his own butt. I discovered this when he visited our bathroom, finished up, and began calling for his mom. I thought it was odd. After they were gone, I said to the wife Did you know he can’t wipe his own butt? She said He’s only five, like it was the most normal thing in the world. I still found it odd but I am apparently the only one. I figured by that age, kids could wipe their own butts but I figured wrong, I am told. Apparently, that’s the age in which they start learning how to wipe their own butts. Then it occurred to me that I have at least five years of butt wiping ahead of me.

Kirk in comments:

Unless the bill is subtracting a gun law I am against it…

Don Kates compares international gun ownership stats with murder rates:

Anti-gun advocacy is built on decades of erroneous claims that the United States, with the world’s highest gun ownership rate (true), has the highest murder rate (false). Russia’s recently disclosed murder rates since 1965 have consistently exceeded U.S. rates despite Russia’ ban of handguns and strict control of long guns. Since the 1990s Russian murder rates have remained almost four times greater than American.

And:

If more guns mean more violence, nations with high gun-ownership rates should have high murder rates. But two international studies comparing gun ownership with murder rates in 36 and 21 nations (respectively) found “no significant correlations.”

Via David.

This will go over about as well as a request to ask someone to hit themselves in the head repeatedly with a hammer:

The Tennessee Department of Revenue is encouraging online retailers to begin collecting sales tax for the state two years ahead of the deadline for them to do so.

The state delayed implementation of the streamlined sales tax initiative until 2007 after retailers complained about increased paperwork. Nevertheless, a multistate agreement to move to the system took effect in October, and retailers are being reminded of that.

Encouraging? Unless you’re mandating it, it’s not going to happen. No one wants to pay the tax (well, I’m sure some folks do but smart people don’t). No one wants to do the additional bookkeeping for the tax. And wasn’t there some sort of congressional deal that put a moratorium on taxing internet sales? More:

The Streamlined Sales Tax Project is an agreement by 18 states to simplify sales tax laws by establishing a uniform system to administer and collect the taxes on nearly $3.5 trillion in retail transactions annually. The idea is to collect sales taxes based on where the buyer lives, rather than on the place of sale.

Always with the hands in the pockets. Feh. And, since I’m known to pick a nit or two, this is a stupid statement that I see all the time:

University of Tennessee economist William Fox issued a recent study estimating that state and local governments will lose $18 billion in sales tax revenues this year because of online purchases.

Stupid economists. If expense is greater than revenue, that is a loss. Not collecting money that you’re not entitled to is not a loss. It’s called not collecting money you’re not entitled to.

Apparently, major retailers aren’t gearing up for it because most states haven’t agreed yet. I think a good plan of attack would be opposition to states contemplating signing the agreement.

The internet wants to be free and we should let it.

Phelps says that U.S. Rep. William Delahunt of Massachusetts should be impeached for violations of the Logan Act.

The NRA reports that gun ownership in the US is at an all-time high; the number of gun owners is at an all-time high; the number of states with right to carry provisions is at an all-time high; that, despite the fact gun laws are becoming less restrictive, that crime is at a 30 year low.

Good.

That was the name of the story that I saw pushed on local TeeVee all during the holiday. They kept saying that other cities were shipping their homeless people to Knoxville, where we are apparently quite generous to the homeless. Bear in mind, the commercials always said that other cities were shipping their homeless here and implied it was some sort of conspiracy to do so. So, I waited anxiously for the story and here it is. The headline:

Communities in surrounding states are busing their homeless to Knoxville

Consistent with the commercials. On to the story:

6 News has discovered that as word gets out about the city’s many homeless shelters, many facilities in surrounding states are providing bus tickets to homeless to come to Knoxville.

OMG, they’re shipping their homeless here. But there’s more:

A crisis intervention center in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina called Helping Hand provides bus tickets, but does not ask questions about where the person wants to go.

The center helps pay the fare and just send the riders on their way.

“We’re not moms. We’re not the truth police,” said Adrian Weatherwax, director of Helping Hand. “We go by what they tell us. If they come in here and tell us I have a job in Knoxville, Tennessee, these are adults, these are not children. I’m not going to check and make sure they really do have a job there.”

So, you see, there is no conspiracy to ship the homeless to Knoxville, despite the days long build up implying such. Apparently, folks give out bus tickets to wherever a person says they want to go, provided they have a good reason to go there. Quite misleading, if you ask me.

Marc is back for good. He’s also selling his HK93, the real deal and not the imported parts kind.

This was going to be a quote of the day post but there was too much. Check out The Trigger:

Scientists say that every 19 seconds in the United States, another lawyer starts his own blog. If this trend continues, every lawyer in the country will have his own blog by the fall of 2032.

And:

I’m a thirtysomething (semi-libertarian) conservative lawyer in Chicago, Illinois. That tells you three things about me:

1. I usually vote Republican;
2. I often don’t feel very good about it; and
3. My vote never matters anyway.

With snark like that, I can’t help but read. But I recommend he get out of Chicago.

Les has the skinny on SOCOM’s request for a joint combat pistol in 45ACP. They want a shot counter, which I find a bit odd. Reading the specs, it’s difficult to find a gun that fits the bill. So, let’s play a game. Which gun do they want?

1911 – Out since it’s not DA/SA or DA.
Sig – Out due to mag capacity
Glock – Out due to modular grip
H&K – Out due to modular grip
S&W M&P/Walther – Could be in but I’d guess it’s too new and not enough testing

What do you guys think? I’m guessing H&K and Glock will offer modular grips or Sig will work something up.

Update: Or those LDA 1911s by Para.

Standard Mischief takes a good long look at The NRA’s sooper-seekrit New Orleans judgment:

You see, the NRA was widely criticized for not jumping in right away and filing a suit. I myself blogged, “… when the seize orders came down, and enough members called the NRA, they finally issued a wishy-washy press statement…”, yet in their own pleading, they claim they had every right to file suit, even if they are unsure which of their members were harmed. They do, however, seem to have waited until they could get a Mr. Buell Teel on board with them. Whether or not that was a wise move on their part, I’m not going to say, as I am not a lawyer.

He also discusses how, during the DC sniper incident, that AR15 owners had their weapons illegally seized for ballistic fingerprinting. I’ve heard this claim bandied about before but never any evidence of it. Anyone know if this really happened or is this one of those things gun owners got excited about but was really nothing?

The Tennessean has a decent piece on Barrett Rifles. Sure, it’s filled with some of the bogus scare tactics about 50 calibers but it’s a good read.

This bill looks to improve the supposed instant check system (20 minutes is instant? – Ed.). However, despite NRA support, Rivrdog notes that it’s a bit fishy:

Why in the name of the Devil does the legislation want ALL misdemeanor violations reported? Easy answer, it’s because at some point, there will be a Federal move to deny people with any conviction other than a civil offense for traffic the right to keep and bear arms.

Update: Having found the bill, I don’t see the requirement that ALL misdemeanor violations reported. Is there a newer version?

In response to me expressing my displeasure about gun magazines, many readers recommend Gun Tests. I’ll have to check it out.

Don Surber has the latest NSFW edition.

Mike Fumento, who I’ve talked about before, poked fun at us insignificant blogs before starting his own. He also acted like a prick in an exchange between himself and Rich Hailey.

Now, he’s using sockpuppets in comments at other blogs and to change his Wikipedia entry.

Once a prick, always a prick.

David Hardy reports that the OIG will audit NFRTR. Good. I don’t have high hopes of getting that mess straightened out but maybe the ATF will come under scrutiny as a result. Given that their own agents testify under oath that the NFRTR is “corrupt” and inaccurate, some scrutiny would be good.

I was watching Jeopardy and the category was Guns. One of the answers was something like These have been regulated since 1934. The question was What are machine guns? The contestant got it right despite all the hooey lately equating assault weapons with machine guns.

BlountTruth writes in comments:

Just wanted to drop a line and say I have had the same pillow since 1971. The material has worn to points of feathers flying and has been re-sewn by the wife into a soft pillow case which I am sure will extend its life another 30+ years. As far as mites I want to let everyone know that there is one way you can febreeze and freeze a pillow and kill mites. Wrap your pillow in a garbage bag and put into the freezer for 24 hours, research has shown that this will in fact kill the mites (even the ones deeply embedded in the material) and only takes 10 minutes to warm up and be ready for use the next day.

His pillow is as old as me.

This is too rich. You can apparently take a semi-automatic AK type rifle and attach 14 inch long shoestring with looped ends, loop one end around the trigger and attach it to your finger, then tie the other end to the cocking handle to increase the rate of fire. As such, the ATF has ruled that such a shoestring is classified under 26 USC 5845(b) as a machine gun. It is therefore contraband if not registered under the National Firearms Act.

Seriously, read the letter from the ATF’s Firearms Technology Branch here.

I’ve stopped buying gun magazines (not the ones that feed the guns but the ones that talk about them) and have decided they must be run by the gun companies. I’ve never seen a bad write-up about a gun. And, my personal favorite, is when the front cover refers to a gun as Sub MOA Accurate in big letters on the cover. Then, you get to the article, and they’re shooting 2.5 inch groups with the thing. That’s not Sub MOA.

That’s me today. Not feeling so good. So, blogging may be light. Meanwhile, JR and Big D have posted some gun porn of their AR-15 carbines.

Tam has the skinny on The Proto-FAL.

First, to the in-laws for the mediocre food. Then to my parents for the good stuff. Hope you have a safe and happy holiday.

Subguns.com has the press release from the South Carolina US Attorney regarding the Wrenn case:

Evidence presented during the trial, which started on November 7, 2005, established that on June 20, 2002 Special Agent Baldwin of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives visited the defendant, Ernest Wrenn, owner of Poor Man’s Gun and Pawn Shop, at 614 Atomic Road, North Augusta, South Carolina, in order to pick up Maxim machine gun kits which had been deemed illegal by the Firearms Technology Branch of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. At that time the defendant provided Special Agent Baldwin with a written statement, in which he falsely represented the number of items from the Maxim machineguns that were still in his possession. On June 28, 2002 a federal search warrant was executed at Poor Man’s Gun & Pawn and the defendant admitted that he was in fact still in possession of the illegal Maxim machinegun parts Special Agent Baldwin had requested. Agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives found two (2) fully assembled Maxim machineguns in the defendant’s possession.

The Maxims were only machineguns because the ATF arbitrarily decided they were. They were semi-automatic versions of Maxims.

Went over to Phil Bredesen’s alleged blog and it displays a 404 error and some garbled code. Any ideas if it has been pulled?

Update: It is back.

The Indy Channel reports that a CCW holder may have engaged the mall shooter in Tacoma:

Parents of the man most seriously wounded in a shooting rampage at a shopping mall said Tuesday that he drew a pistol and confronted the gunman before being shot.

Brendan “Dan” McKown, 38, was hit twice in the abdomen on Sunday, when a gunman opened fire on crowds in the Tacoma Mall.

Doctors at Tacoma General Hospital believe McKown may have suffered permanent paralysis because of spinal damage, hospital spokesman Todd Kelley said.

Tacoma police spokesman Mark Fulghum said detectives don’t know if McKown simply brandished his handgun to show the gunman he was armed, or if he was preparing to fire the weapon. Witnesses told the family McKown was shot after he pulled the gun.

Roger McKown, 63, of Yelm, called his son a hero and said he has been licensed to carry a firearm for years.

My thoughts and prayers go out to his family. If anyone knows anything the family needs, let me know.

This is the first bit of coverage I recall reading about it.

(H/T Mike)

Update: The Seattle PI says he did confront the shooter.

Update 2: Mike alerts me that there is a fund:

There is the Dan McKown Medical Fund to help with expenses. donations can be made at any Bank of America.

Nearly a month ago, I got an email from a reporter named Dru Sefton. She was wanting to do a story on washing pillows and, in her research, she found this post (read it, it’s funny) I had written that was sort of related to the subject. She inquired about how long I had the pillow, and I said probably about thirty years as I’d had it since I was a wee lad. She asked me the following questions and I gave my answers (reprinted for your amusement):

Does reading that research give you pause about sleeping on your favorite pillow for as long as you did?

Not at all. My understanding regarding mites is that they are 1) every where and 2) absolutely harmless. No matter how scary those creepy little buggers look crawling around when magnified on the Oprah show, they’re quite harmless. Regarding the fungus, it sounds scary but doesn’t frighten me at all. Fungus is everywhere (among us, even) but unless it’s in huge quantities, I can’t see it being dangerous. It reminds me of the episode of Mythbusters where they measured the amount of fecal matter on tooth brushes. Sounds disgusting on the surface but is harmless and normal.

So what year did you get your pillow?

Had it since I was a kid. I’d guess about 1976 or so.

What made it so comfortable?

Probably because it was broken in

Did anyone ever try to convince you to get a new pillow?

Not really. As I said, the Mrs. only got scared because of Oprah

When did your Mrs. wash the pillow? Was it Aug. 3?

Actually, that was a reprint from an old post while on vacation (the original post was 9/8/2004) and the pillow was washed on 9/7/04.

What did you think when you first saw your pillow in tatters in the washing machine?

I was sad and I had to fight the urge to yell at my wife because I figured she’d just throw the old one away after watching that show. I had a pillow going on 30 years and it was quite depressing.

If I read this correctly, you put the clothes washed with The Pillow in the dryer hoping the vent would catch the feathers?

Yes. It worked but the filter got clogged up every few seconds which created quite a scent. And, I swear I am not making this up, I still occasionally pull the odd feather out of a white shirt (the Mrs. washed my pillows with whites).

And then you tried your shop vac?

Yes. It worked best.

So what pillow do you sleep on now? Think you’ll keep it for 19 years?

Funny but my wife, who is a bit of a cheapskate when it comes to stuff for me, went out and bought me a fancy goose feather pillow from some place online. It cost like $50 (too high for a pillow, if you ask me). It is similar in feel but considerably softer. I guess that’s because it doesn’t have all those mites and fungi in there hardening the feathers. As for 19 years, not sure. Now it’s just a pillow and not the pillow I had when I was a kid. Sentimental value is gone.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. She wanted me to call her and give her my name (confirming the source, I am told is the technical term for that). I told her that my preference was to remain anonymous. She then stated that she couldn’t use my interview due to rules regarding anonymous sources. I asked her (again, this was a month ago) if news agencies were so opposed to using anonymous sources, why did Judy Miller spend 87 days in the pokey? I emphasized that this was just a story about pillows and she concurred.

I also told her that I had been featured in a few papers and they always used my blog pseudonym, which she verified using Lexis Nexis. She said different sources had different rules regarding anonymous sources. I still refused to give my name. She offered to let me use only my first name and town. I countered with stating I’d be willing to use my first name only. She had to ask the editor. And this was the reply:

She isn’t buying it. She says anonymity is extended only for “very special reasons,” and this isn’t one.

ARG! I kid you not, we’re being very careful now because the public and citizen journalists are WANTING us to use names and not anonymous sources.

Undeterred, she asked if maybe my wife would be interested in being interviewed for the story. I asked the Mrs. and she declined. She sent a few more emails saying pretty please and such but I stood my ground choosing to remain anonymous.

I have to admit, Ms. Sefton was very persistant and quite pleasant. I hope she understands I wasn’t trying to be a jerk.

So, you may ask, why the Hell are you mentioning this? Because, via AlphaPatriot, I see her story has been published. And I just couldn’t not tell that story. It has some good advice:

New research shows pillows may be a breeding ground for fungal spores, which could aggravate allergies or asthma. To help reduce problems:

• Use a breathable, moisture-repellent pillow cover fabric, such as Gore-Tex.

• Wash pillows at least four times a year.

• When laundering, wash on the gentle cycle, two at a time.

• Fluff the pillows halfway through the dryer cycle to prevent lumps.

She found one guy who had a pillow for 19 years. I had mine for about 28 or so.

Gun Law News details how the anti-gunners attack gun rights. It’s a good read.

Bob tells that:

When I see a program in MyYahoo that I want my Tivo to record, I just click a link and it programs my Tivo to record the show. Before, I’d see the program in MyYahoo, then hop over to the Tivo site to set up the recording. Now it’s one-stop shopping. Another cool touch: When I set this up, Yahoo asked me if I wanted to sync up my Yahoo program guide with my Tivo program guide. Yup.

Cool.

Rep. Marsha Blackburn addresses tax relief and spending cuts over at Bill Hobbs’ place. I didn’t realize there were still Republicans interested in cutting spending.

The issue, as I see it, is that law enforcement officers measure success by the number of arrests. I would think that fewer arrests (i.e., fewer committing crimes) would be the appropriate measure of success. Sadly, it’s not or how could you explain this:

The arrests were for selling legal items like sudafed (in legal quantities), while “knowing” they would be used to make meth. The undercover cops would hit convenience stores run by Indians (who often spoke limited English) and casually mention slang terms like “cooking” to refer to meth — something the foreign clerks didn’t even understand. A stupid law, a stupid sting, and a gross injustice.

Abysmal. The ACLU is on the case.

Jeff has the latest on anti-gun bias in the media.

I am remiss in mentioning that Mugwug has published his Zombie Movie Guide.

Standard Mischief has written a letter to Wal-Mart regarding National Ammo Day.

Heh!

In Knoxville, Councilman Steve Hall proposed a charter amendment that would have required a seven-vote majority from the nine-member board to approve any and all condemnations by the city. The measure was defeated by a vote of 1-8:

Councilman Steve Hall, the measure’s sole sponsor, had argued that city agencies that would use such power, namely Knoxville’s Community Development Corp., are not elected bodies and do not answer directly to voters.

He also cited the Supreme Court’s recent decision in the case of Kelo v. New London, Conn., which upheld that city’s use of eminent domain for the purpose of economic development.

“I can perceive that municipalities all over the country will start using eminent domain more frequently for the purpose of economic development,” said Hall, the only member to vote in favor of the change. “All we’re doing is giving the citizens of Knoxville the opportunity to decide how they want to be governed.”

Good for Steve Hall. Bad for Knoxvillians.

Junior can now say No. God help us all.

This weekend in Knoxville, there are two gun shows. Mike Holloway’s and RK Shows. Sounds like poor planning to me. Which one will be best?

I’ve pondered what my platform would be if I ever ran for president. And I can say that one of the things on my platform, which would buck presidential tradition, is to not pardon the Thanksgiving turkey. President Bush is scheduled to do the traditional pardoning of the turkey today. After that, the turkey is going to Disneyland:

President Bush is set to make the traditional pardon of a Thanksgiving turkey today. But this bird isn’t heading to some petting zoo. It’s going to Disneyland.

The 35-pound Tom Turkey will be grand marshall of the Disneyland Thanksgiving Day parade.

And the big bird is flying west in style. After the reprieve on the White House lawn, the turkey and it’s alternate will be given a police escort to a Washington-area airport.

So, here we have our big federal government wasting money on buying a turkey. Then wasting money on security and knickknacks for the ceremony. Then wasting money on a police escort to the airport. Then wasting money to fly the bird to Disneyland. But that’s not my complaint here. My complaint is the message that this sends to the world. And that message is that our president is a pussy.

Yes, a pussy.

The White House will still have a Thanksgiving dinner and that dinner will feature meat which came from slaughtered animals. And the only difference between those slaughtered animals and the turkey is that the President hasn’t met them. He hasn’t looked them in the eye. Pardoning the turkey sends the wrong message to our enemies and, most importantly, our children. Do you think radical terrorist factions are scared of a country whose leader is unwilling to kill dinner? If the president can’t order the execution of a domesticated turkey after looking it in the eye, that definitely indicates our lack of resolve and makes us appear weak.

And instilling in our children this sense that all is fair and works out in the end for turkeys is a bit much. Face it kids, that nice dinner, the tryptophan-induced nap after, all the presents, and the month long consumer orgy known as The Holidays are tied to the death of an animal. An animal that is so stupid it will drown in the rain because it will stare up into the sky. The domesticated turkey is about as smart as a stapler. Actually, staplers may be smarter. I’ve never known of one to drown.

Not only should the president order the execution of the turkey, he should kill the gobbler himself. With his bare hands, while wearing a loin cloth. He should then rise, his body glistening with sweat and blood, and take a bite out of its head and display it proudly to the American people.

That’s what I’d do. Because I’m not a pussy.

Update: The AP:

President Bush spared two turkeys from becoming Thanksgiving dinner. Instead, the birds are going to Disneyland.

Thousands of people voted on the White House Web site to name the national turkey “Marshmallow” and an alternate called “Yam.” At a ceremony Tuesday, Bush peered into Marshmallow’s eyes, stroked its white fluffy feathers and patted its red head.

What a pussy. I guess he was scared because the turkeys outnumbered him. And the PETArds chime in:

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which in the past has been critical because presidential turkeys have been sent to a working farm rather than an animal sanctuary, praised the decision to send them to Disneyland.

Wait, sparing them draws criticism?

“I don’t suppose we could have asked for better than Disneyland and southern California,” said Bruce Friedrich of PETA. “They’ll have mental and physical stimulation as well as proper care and a nice climate.”

Dude, they’re fucking turkeys.

I’m trying to figure out what gun the guy in the Washington shooting used so I searched Google news and it’s about impossible. Some sources say a machine pistol, others say an AK-5 (which is highly unlikely), and some report there were bursts. Via Les, Farnam’s sources say it was an AK clone and CZ 9MM. Farnam has posted a report from the officers.

Update: Another conflicting report. Ben says in comments that an officer he talked to said it was Similar to (but not) an SKS-definitely not a .22. He has more here.

Les Jones links to this study on BlogAds which concludes:

(1) the number of weekly page views (WPV) is a much stronger predictor of weekly ad revenue and price than are either the number of inbound links or the number of blogs providing those links

(2) the number of ads has a negative impact on ad price and a largely positive effect on ad revenue, and

(3) the political orientation of the blog matters: on average left-of-center blogs significantly out-earn their right-of-center counterparts.

I can say that once I got them rolling, I had no trouble selling them. In fact, I once had to refuse new ones because I had five on the main page already.

Regarding point number 3, a top spot on Kos goes for $5K per week. Wow. Of course, there are currently no ads in that spot.

Bill Hobbs has lined up some guest bloggers, including U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn and Ben Cunningham of Tennessee Tax Revolt. It’s nice to have a blogging rep in Tennessee and I hope she keeps it up.

Also, Ben, you just need to start your own blog. I enjoyed when you were blogging over at South End Grounds and you should keep it up.

The Gun Guy alerts us to new offerings from Mossberg. They are getting back into the rifle market with the All Terrain Rifle and the Plinkster, which rumor is you can get at Wal-Mart for less than $100. The Plinkster is impressive for the price. A free float barrel and an auto bolt hold open are things you have to pay extra for on a Ruger 10/22.

Update on the AK build (you can see the series here): I had mentioned before that one of the laser cut flats wasn’t cut all the way which meant it couldn’t be bent properly. We got this laser cut flat from AR15plus.com. We sent them a picture of the flat and they sent us a replacement. Pretty good customer service, I thought, and worthy of a plug here. So, if you’re pondering rolling your own AK, AR, 10/22 or 1911, check out AR15plus.com.

Via Mike, comes Scott Adams’ (you know, he does Dilbert) first blog entry. In this entry, Adams shows the evolution of a comic strip in which Dogbert is a police negotiator. A cop shoots an unarmed man and that is OK. What’s not OK is the image of a gun in the strip, which is changed to a donut that fires bullets.

The latest is up. Oddly, I don’t remember getting the announcement.

No bulldozers, no evictions. The residents are still there. And quite confident they’ll stay:

Even though the holdouts lost their case, and the development that would displace them finally seems free to go forward, construction has not begun, and some elements of the project have been effectively paralyzed since the court ruling prompted a political outcry.

“I felt relaxed enough to get my checkbook out and put the new roof on,” said Mr. Von Winkle, who owns three buildings with a total of 12 occupied apartments in the Fort Trumbull neighborhood by the Thames River, where the city was sued for claiming 15 properties through eminent domain.

Ms. Kelo, also among the handful of holdouts, said, “We still have hope that we’ll get to keep our homes.”

Good. I think the pressure from this hideous ruling may have done more to energize the issue than a good ruling would have. I’d still have preferred the latter. But it’s something.

Yes, that’s a quote from me. You see, this morning I went to the dentist for a filling. I wonder if dentists think that they’re really smart or that their customers are really stupid. Or if they just like fucking with us. I lay there on the chair sucking down the gas (which I like) when here comes the dental assistant. She puts the topical anesthetic on, puts in a bite guard, and sticks gauze between my cheek and gum. In comes the dentist, with more tools and gizmos and they get to work

So, here I sit. In my mouth currently is gauze, a bite guard, anesthetic, a latex dam, the thing that blows air, the thing that sucks air, a drill, a scraper, three hands, a midget, and a kitchen sink. I also have a gizmo pumping the gas into me. At this point, the dentist decides it’d be a good time to engage me in a conversation. Seriously.

Dentist: You doing alright?

Me: Ruahh arhah hamma mamam (translated: Dude, wtf you talking to me for. My mouth is full)

Dentist: What’d you think of the game this weekend?

Me: Ruahh arhah hamma mamam (translated: If they don’t fire Fulmer over this season, they never will)

Dentist: What?

Me: Ruahh arhah hamma mamam (translated: If they don’t fire Fulmer over this season, they never will)

Dentist: Huh?

Me: Ruahh arhah hamma mamam (translated: Are you retarded trying to carry on a conversation when I have the entire US Army Corps of Engineers doing a little song and dance in my mouth, you idiot?)

Dentist: Yeah, UT looked pretty rough. Think they’ll get a bowl game?

Me: Ruahh arhah hamma mamam (translated: No, I don’t think they’ll get a bowl game. Why are you still talking to me? It’s clear you have no idea what I’m saying and that you have no interest in what I’m saying? Rather like my wife, actually.)

Dentist: You doing alright?

Me: ::blink:: (translated: Shut up and leave me to my nitrous buzz, you piss-ant)

I wonder if dentists like to get people in the chair sometimes and proceed to debate a complex social issue while their victim patient can’t address their points?

not out:

Illegal guns come from a variety of sources. In some cases, residents of states where it’s easy to buy several guns at a time — and no records of the purchase are kept — act as “straw purchasers” who buy guns for people from more gun-restrictive states such as New York.

But authorities say about 75 percent of the illegal guns seized by Rochester police each year are traced back to New York residents who either lost them or reported them stolen.

Via Keep And Bear Arms.

Cowboys take up AK-47s* to combat Mexican drug runners. And why:

Notoriously porous, the border has reached new levels of lawlessness this year as smugglers, known as “coyotes”, have become increasingly brazen, willing to fire on anyone – from border patrols to the likes of Mr McCaslin – who gets in their way

*The gun in the pic looks like a Saiga to me.

I’m used to the bad press that pit bulls get but I was shocked to see one started a fire:

The pit bull named Satchel climbed on top of the stove Thursday and turned on a burner by stepping on a push-button control, said the dog’s owner, Josh Larson. The burner ignited something plastic on the stove top.

Commenter MarkF:

Why can’t we all just get a long-gun?

The Carnival of Cordite is up. Also, today is National Ammo Day. I’ll be at Wal-Mart today to buy some Winchester White Box.

Buck on the movie Jarhead:

My wife said it was probably the single worst movie she has ever seen. You can chalk that up to constant profanity and about 30 seconds of sex scenes. (My wife is not used to 30 seconds of sex. To her that would be a marathon)

I keep seeing various links to The Gun Guys, which is just an anti-gun blog where they claim to be straight shooters but are probably one of the Brady’s many websites. How straight exactly? Well, like this:

A sobering story in the Guardian Unlimited illustrates very clearly how nonexistent the line is between “responsible gun owners” and criminals.

[snip]

But the truth is that there aren’t “good” and “bad” gun owners– there’s just gun owners. And they don’t “defend” or “attack”– they shoot. They kill. That’s why guns are such a problem in this country, because people are taught by the NRA to believe that some guns can do “good” work, that they can defend families and households. But they don’t. They destroy families. They crush households, and then end lives over and over again, every day of every week.

And the NRA is viewed as extremist? The Gun Guys have lost their tiny little minds.

Update: Now that I think about it, not even the Bradies are that stupid. They probably believe that but aren’t stupid enough to admit it. I wonder if the Gun Guys are run by pro-gun folks to make anti-gunners look even dumber and more hysterical than they are?

Sing along:

Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday Dear CCW in North Carolina
Happy Birthday to you:

North Carolina’s concealed handgun law, which becomes 10 years old next month, has worked well. Even gun-control advocates concede that point.Now one gun-rights group – Grass Roots North Carolina – hopes the law will be expanded so that people with concealed handgun permits will have fewer restrictions on where they can carry their weapons.

Blogger Bob Krumm is pondering a state senate run.

So, yes, I am seriously considering a run for the State Senate. And no, I won’t claim that “a lot of people have approached me, encouraging me to run.” Some have, but it would be an insult to your intelligence to pretend that I’m an unwilling accomplice in this endeavor.

That’s honesty. He also asks for your advice and feedback.

Well, he got my endorsement for governor a while back. He’s also gotten an endorsement from Blake and Matthew White. In all fairness, I should point out I also endorsed Blake for Governor too. I just hand these things out, apparently.

It makes the news when politico has a blog. Now, it’s time for the news to be a blogger becomes a politico.

This one is making the rounds:

The former employee “was pointing a gun at two witnesses … and made statements that he was going to kill them,” said Dallas police Sgt. Dwaine Sides. “That’s when the owner acted.”

Shots were fired, and after officers and medical personnel arrived, the man was pronounced dead at the scene, said Dallas police Sr. Cpl. Donna Hernandez. The man’s name was not released.

Guns at a place of business may very well have prevented a workplace massacre.

Der Commissar has narrowed The Greatest Blog Post Ever down to the ten most nominated posts. He may want to start the poll over because I can’t vote for the 10 selected since I already voted. Just a thought. My endorsement of the top ten is for Those Without Swords Can Still Die Upon Them Or: Why I Am a ‘Gun Nut’ by Kevin Baker.

Howard Bashman on the subject:

In conclusion, to return to the question presented in the title of this post, I doubt whether anonymous blogging is possible. It surely isn’t possible if the blogger conducts email correspondence with others and fails to mask his or her internet protocol address.

Juan Non Volokh on anonymous blogging:

Howard is absolutely correct that truly anonymous blgging (sic) is exceedingly difficult to do, particularly if someone is determined to find out who you are and you respond to e-mails and blog on matters that relate to your professional or personal interests.

Daniel J. Solove tells you how to blog anonymously.

Half Sigma has a variety of thoughts, including:

Does anyone really care enough to put effort into figuring out who you are? Having a blog that no one reads (99% of blogs) is a great source of anonymity.

To the naysayers out there, I do not use a free service. I’ve been blogging for over three years anonymously. A lot of bloggers know who I am because I tell them. Several people at local media outlets know who I am because I’ve met them. Several of my friends know about the blog too, even though I initially never told any of them. When on travel, I try to meet other bloggers and when some travel to my neck of the woods, I meet them. My reasons for being anonymous are listed here.

Besides, SayUncle is more a pseudonym. A character, if you will. For example, I don’t really write like this when I’m preparing a professional document and I tend to be a bit more, uhm, sesquipedalian (see, that’s a word I’d use for business). On the blog, I write like I speak. I know, surprising to learn that I don’t drop F-Bombs and yammer about guns or porn in professional documents. I’m also a bit more to the point on the blog.

Plus, if you knew who I was, you wouldn’t care. I’m nobody, really.

The AP:

A jury has ordered the Ford Motor Co. to pay more than $61 million to the family of a 17-year-old boy killed in a roll-over accident when his friend fell asleep while driving an Explorer.

Ford was liable in the accident because it sold a vehicle with poor handling and stability, the jury said Tuesday.

The company planned to appeal, a spokeswoman said Wednesday.

The family of Lance Crossman Hall claimed Ford knew the Explorer was prone to roll-overs and failed to warn consumers about the vehicle’s defects.

Ford blamed defective Firestone tires for the Explorer’s handling and stability problems, and the company knowingly continued to produce unsafe vehicles, Bruce Kaster, an attorney for the family, said Wednesday.

How about the fact that the driver fell asleep? Unbelievable.

Orin Kerr summarizes parts of the PATRIOT Act compromise.

Good:

The Blount County Commission on Thursday night voted not to fund its $11.9 million portion of a proposed $55 million Civic Arts Center at Maryville College.

Because the measure needed 11 votes to pass, and 10 commissioners voted for the measure and 10 voted against it, the four hour commission meeting ended with Civic Arts Center proponents going home disappointed. The number of proponents in the commission room out-numbered those against funding the center by more than a three-to-one margin.

More than 200 people were crowded into every seat and along each wall of the commission room.

Good for the county. This was interesting:

In many cases Civic Arts Center supporters stressed economic, educational and cultural opportunities the facility would bring. Civic Arts Center opponents pointed to economic and education priorities for not funding the facility. Still others said they supported the facility, but not the public funding.

The meeting was not without at least one surprise when commissioner Joe Everett voiced his support for the project after initially speaking against the funding two years ago. He said that information about attracting business and industry were his reasons for supporting the plan.

Well, if it’s to be so profitable and all that, why not get some private investors to foot the bill? And, at least one commissioner, agreed with me:

Commissioner David Graham spoke against the funding while acknowledging the civic center was a good idea. “It’s hard for me to support funding the civic arts center when we’re not anywhere near solving the overcrowding problem (in the schools),” Graham said.

Ravenwood reports:

Louisiana State Representative Steve Scalise, R-Metairie is pushing a resolution that calls for the government to give hurricane victims their guns back, and plans to introduce legislation to remove the emergency powers statute that “authorized” gun seizures during a crisis.

Good.

More like an insult to pit bulls:

A Florida law firm’s television advertisement featuring a pit bull, a dog breed known for its aggression, is misleading and an affront to the legal profession, the Florida Supreme Court ruled on Thursday.

I particularly like this;

The advertisements “demean all lawyers and thereby harm both the legal profession and the public’s trust and confidence in our system of justice,” Chief Justice Barbara Pariente scolded a unanimous decision.

Err, last I checked, there wasn’t much public trust and confidence in our system of justice.

Update: Xrlq is in snark mode.

With Knoxville taking the deadly and money making option of putting in redlight cameras a question arises. Does Knoxville have some nice cliffs?

Xavier is running a series of idiots with guns. Pretty frightening.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5

The Augusta Chronicle reports:

A North Augusta man pleaded guilty this week in federal court to committing mail fraud involving the transfer of illegal machine guns and lying to federal agents.

Ernest Wrenn, 56, pleaded guilty Wednesday in the U.S. District Court of South Carolina to one count of mail fraud and one count of knowingly making a materially false statement to an agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Sentencing will be later.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Columbia, Mr. Wrenn lied to an ATF agent in 2002 about how many machine gun kits he had, and in January 2004, investigators discovered he was scamming customers by selling illegal machine guns he said were ATF-approved.

So, the only charges in the case are lying to an agent and mail fraud. Unless there’s more to it than we know, Wrenn did not have machine guns. He had made a semi-automatic Maxim. The ATF, according to the folks at Subguns, couldn’t make that stick.

Update: Basically, Wrenn got the Martha Stewart treatment. He was guilty of lying about a crime no one could prove he committed. As of yet, the details on the mail fraud charge are sketchy. Some folks allege he sold the items even though he had obtained a denial letter from the ATF stating the upper receivers were subject to the NFA. Others claim he sold them not knowing the ATF considered them NFA items but was advised to keep the money he received by his attorneys. Something here ain’t right.

Past coverage here.

You can’t make this stuff up:

Fewer than 100 vehicles torched overnight as calm returns to France

Police in France report 98 vehicle torchings and 33 arrests overnight Wednesday, which they say means the country is now “totally normal” after three weeks of turmoil.

98 car burnings in one night is totally normal? Wow.

The only thing dumber than this:

“We can’t be breeding right now,” says Les Knight. “It’s obvious that the intentional creation of another [human being] by anyone anywhere can’t be justified today.”

Knight is the founder of the Voluntary Human Extinction Movement, an informal network of people dedicated to phasing out the human race in the interest of the health of the Earth.

Is when ace reporter Gregory Dicum says:

Knight’s position might sound extreme at first blush, but there’s an undeniable logic to it: Human activities — from development to travel, from farming to just turning on the lights at night — are damaging the biosphere. More people means more damage. So if fewer people means less destruction, wouldn’t no people at all be the best solution for the planet?

No, Mr. Dicum, it sounds extreme at first blush and any subsequent blush. The fact that you’re trying to pass it off as logical may be one of the most irresponsible things I’ve seen. And to all you folks who think this is a good idea, I’m glad you’re choosing not to breed. One more:

“May we live long and die out,” says Naomi Thompson, quoting the VHEMT slogan. Thompson, who is in her late 20s and works as an analyst for Wells Fargo in San Francisco, has also concluded that childbearing is irresponsible. “It’s not about wanting to kill people, but it’s selfish to have a kid at this point when so many aren’t getting the love and attention that they deserve.”

No wonder they’re taking guns from you people.

Via Bob.

Xrlq alerts us to a petition to end the pending doggie racism in San Fran.

The Geek found a strategy paper on the tactics of international arms control. The paper is here. Give it a read. The Geek asks:

. . . the pro gun NGOs seem to be MIA, which causes me to wonder what exactly the counter strategy (if any) is.

The NRA certainly likes to ring the alarm bell on UN interference with armed civilians, so it seems to me they either need to get on the ball here, or fill us in on what they’ve got in mind.

Good question. Of course, I’m still wondering why the NRA hasn’t made a peep about the Wrenn case. Anybody know?

Blount Today:

Some said it’s not needed, it’s too expensive or we should build schools. Others said it’s a nice amenity, but those who want it should pay for it.

Also, the vote on it is tonight at 7 p.m. at the Blount County Courthouse. People opposed to the idea are planning on marching there.

Oleg Volk, of gun photographer fame, has a blog.

Even though it wasn’t a crime, she did time:

Allysan Isaac, 24, was held nearly a year in work release for something that a judge said Tuesday was not even illegal.

“You were incarcerated for a case that was not a crime,” said Mesa County District Judge Brian Flynn, who presided over the case.

Flynn, the prosecutor and Isaac’s defense attorney were unaware last year that the offense she was charged with was not a violation of the law.

No one had noticed that a prescription drug found in Isaac’s possession, an anti-anxiety medication called Buspirone, is not a controlled substance.

I guess we’ve reached the point where it is assumed that a substance is controlled before assuming it’s not. I hope she sues their asses off.

Via Publicola.

Bill Hobbs has a gaggle of guest bloggers.

Canadian Geese have become quite a nuisance and their population has grown. Alphie reports:

The plan will allow farmers, property owners and public health officials to kill geese by various methods, including hunting, with state approval but without federal permits, the Charlotte (N.C.) Observer said.

I hate geese.

Media overstate pit bull dangers:

It seems that the Register attempted to yet again blame the breed for this “mauling” which looked like nothing more than a bite to the mail carrier’s hand and arm. In no way am I stating that this attack isn’t important, painful or dangerous, however it shouldn’t be called a “mauling.” It was a dog bite and those happen often with all breeds. However, pit bulls are the only ones that are really reported on.

At Subguns.com, we learn that the judge has issued a witness sequestration order. This prevents witness from discussing the case. As such, there have been no new updates from the folks attending the trial.

You local gun nuts here in town should note that Coal Creek Armory is having a special in honor of National Ammo Day:

To make it easier to do your part on National Ammo Day, just bring a printed copy of this post into Coal Creek Armory on Saturday the 19th, and receive 10% off your ammunition purchase. Such a deal!

What if I want a gun part? Like say the Olympic 9MM flattop upper receiver I’ve been pestering Tam about?

Or local news agency falls for porn site scam. WATE:

Public places you are likely to visit in your daily activities, like shopping malls, hardware stores, parks and local colleges, are being advertised on the Internet as places to meet up for anonymous sex.

A Web site called cruisingforsex.com is where men can search for places in our area to solicit casual sex.

The places advertised on the Web site might surprise you. They’re also raising concern among some people.

“A lot of these places we go, and we were at yesterday and today,” said James Baker. “It’s unreal that it’s like that.”

The Web site provides step-by-step instructions that take you to public restrooms where men claim to meet for a sexual encounter.

Kathy Kimbrough says the site is going too far. “You wouldn’t let your children or grandchildren go into the restrooms like that if you knew this,” she said.

The Web site lists meetup points inside local malls, several locations around the UT campus, some retail stores.

The site even tells you the best times to go for an encounter.

I went to the site and it’s porn site. Primarily, it’s a gay porn site. But later in the article, we get:

After 6 News uncovered information about local spots for this report we contacted several places about the listings.

Lowe’s Home Improvements was first to respond back, saying, “We are not aware of such activity taking place in any of our stores. We are very concerned about the listing and our attorneys will be contacting the Web site asking that Lowe’s name be removed immediately.”

The University of Tennessee also responded to our call.. We were told University Police are aware of the locations listed on the Web site. They say the have made necessary repairs to the facilities listed, which included locking one bathroom.

So, what we have here is no indication that WATE actually knows that there has been sex going on in these locations. Here’s a newsflash: despite what Al Gore’s Internets tell you, there are no young hot teens who want to meet you for sex. If someone fell for this and thought they’d have anonymous sex at Lowe’s, I’d like to introduce them to my cousin who is a general in the Nigerian army. Feh.

Update: Some people in comments tell me this may actually be real. However, unless the reporter in this case actually arranged a meetup or someone else can confirm it, I ain’t buying into it because I don’t believe everything I read on Al Gore’s Internets and you shouldn’t either.

And I do believe that people try to arrange said encounters. What I have trouble buying is that it happens at Lowe’s and is coordinated through a site that seems to make most of its money off of porn ads.

this week any way.

Yesterday, in reference to an old pic I posted of Politically Incorrect Dog, Tom asked:

Dude, you don’t have a newer picture than that?

Turns out, I don’t have many. I was perusing through our picture files for dog pics and lately we’ve not taken many. However, we have no less than 11,000 pics of the baby. When it comes to pictures, it seems new baby trumps dog.

But here’s one:

Notice the Christmas tree in the background? Yesterday’s pic in the sombrero was actually taken this week. This one, a year ago.

Tom takes it on. And calls me an asshole.

Publicola has a lengthy post detailing his Garand. I have seen Publicola’s Garand and can say that it is the prettiest Garand I have ever seen.

Over at Brutal Hugs, they address Alito’s job application:

I find Alito’s view that we shouldn’t take seriously anything said in the pursuit of employment to be quite odd. I wonder what to make of the fact that all his recent explanations and assurances are just stuff he is saying while applying for another job– Supreme Court Justice.

Over at the Jawa Report, a soldier reviews military weaponry. There is, as is apparently obligatory in these things, the classic debate of AK v. AR, AR v. M1A, 45ACP v. 9MM, AR Sucks debate going on in comments.

Jeff has the latest on gun bias in the media.