Regardless of whether you are a conservative or a liberal, people don’t care for hypocrites. But there are vary degrees of hypocrisy. Every once in a while someone wins the prize and this Sunday was one of those times.
The Editor of the Knoxville News Sentinel Jack McElroy has outdone himself in an Editorial column he wrote Sunday titled, “Ombudsman would help shine light”. In this championship Pot and Kettle column Mr. McElroy makes the case that since the Knox County Commission is so corrupt and untrustworthy that they need an Ombudsman to keep them on the straight and narrow so they won’t violate the Sunshine Law.
Editor McElroy writes, “That’s why the News Sentinel is suing the County Commission over its violations of the Tennessee Open Meetings Act. It’s also why the plan to create an open-government ombudsman is a good idea.”
God help save us from reformers that have blinders on.
Where there violations of the Sunshine Law by the office of the Knox County Mayor during the wheel tax? How about during the Midway Industrial Park fiasco?
Where was the Reformer Jack McElroy then? Surely this is not a one way street is it?
The Pandora’s box of this is that if Reformer McElroy wins his lawsuit against the Knox County Commission a precedent will be set and more lawsuits will follow. Will Gary Sellers sue to have a redo on the Wheel Tax? Will the people of the Thorngrove Community sue to have a redo on the vote for the Midway Industrial Park? Will the Knox County Mayor have to sit through hours of depositions?
There is a need for an Ombudsman, but that need is at the Knoxville News Sentinel. Someone needs to take the blinders off the Reformer McElroy. Maybe a look at the News Sentinel’s Ethics Policy would be a prudent move also.
Why not just put up a sign that says: We’re defenseless. Rob us please. Via Terry and Blake (who is back), comes this:
Some people in a Nashville neighborhood are furious over a new rule that makes it illegal to own a gun. [in other news, home owners associations can make laws? I mean, seems you'd just be in violation of their rules not the law - Ed.]
Residents in Nashboro Village said it’s unconstitutional and leaves them defenseless.
Two weeks ago, residents received a from their homeowners’ association indicating that guns are not allowed on the property.
So, the pressure came and the association caved:
Officials with Ghertner and Company, the property manager at Nashboro Village, would not make an on-camera comment about the gun policy but said they plan on changing the rule soon to allow firearms on the property.
I’m really pleased Silberman mentioned nearly every thing I do in An Individual Right. Because of that there is virtually nothing for me to say beyond “two thumbs up” on the decision itself. What happens next is more interesting.
Mayor Fenty has rightly pledged to appeal the decision, an effort which must continue so that D.C. can keep benefiting from the security of the gun ban.
Seen at Insty’s (who also has a round up of gun stuff): The bad news for gun control advocates is that the Supreme Court may adopt an expansive view of the Second Amendment. The worse news is that’s the least of their troubles.
The shooting deaths of two auxiliary cops must spur the Democratic-controlled Congress to pass tougher gun legislation, Mayor Bloomberg said yesterday.
But carrying guns is banned there. How’d that happen?
He also called House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Thursday to urge her to act – and said that if she didn’t she’d have blood on her hands, the mayor said.
“The Democrats have said repeatedly that they blame the Republicans for no gun legislation,” an angry Bloomberg said during his WABC radio show.
“Well, now they’re in charge. OK, stand up. And if not, I’m going to tell everybody.”
It’s not working in NYC so we must do more harder!
“Nobody’s trying to ban guns,” Bloomberg explained yesterday. “That’s just so ridiculous an argument.”
Well, if you don’t count assault weapons, sniper rifles, 50 calibers, machine guns, short barreled rifles, Saturday night specials, short barreled shotguns, armor piercing ammo, guns that accept regular capacity magazines, handguns, pink guns, yellow guns, threaded barrels, then, you’re right, nobody is trying to ban guns.
If you get a license, you can have a gun.
Here’s a newsflash, Sparky: Most places don’t license guns.
Mayor Bloomberg is also the head of Mayors Against Guns, a Joyce Foundation-funded anti-gun group. Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam is a member of this group too.
You may recall my past coverage of this case. If not, it’s here. The Cliff’s Notes version: Police get warrant to arrest Diotaiuto for selling drugs. They get a no-knock warrant because Diotaiuto has a concealed handgun permit, he is therefore automatically dangerous. Police bust down door. Something happens and we’re not sure because the story changes each time but police say he had a gun. The police put 10 rounds of 9mm into Diotaiuto’s chest, killing him. The police found less than one ounce of marijuana.
In addition to the city, the suit names as defendants Detectives Andre Bruna and Sean Visners, the two officers who shot Diotaiuto; Police Chief David Boyett; the SWAT team leader and two other SWAT members who broke down Diotaiuto’s door.
Other details:
About 6:15 a.m., police broke into the home. Neighbors have said the SWAT team didn’t knock or announce its presence before breaking in. The department said the officers did both.
After tossing a diversionary grenade, officers followed Diotaiuto to his bedroom closet, where, police said, he armed himself with a handgun. Bruna and Visners shot Diotaiuto 10 to 13 times in two volleys after he pointed the gun at them, they said, according to the grand jury’s report.
The lawsuit said Diotaiuto fell in the closet after the first volley, and was shot in the top of his head, hand and knee from 3 feet away in the second volley. The lawsuit also said the department for 3 minutes delayed an EMS crew from entering the home and treating Diotaiuto.
“The opportunity in that 3-minute time span provided an opportunity to get together and change some facts around,” Scherer said.
The facts have changed many times since this happened.
Saint Michael sees God busy at work and asks, “What are You doing, Lord?”
God says, “I’m making the world”.
Saint Michael asks, “What’s Your plan?”
God says, “I’m trying for balance. Arid deserts and lush valleys. Rocky mountains and rolling plains. Humid jungles and pleasant beaches. Wolves and deer. Snakes and eagles. Well … you get the picture.”
Saint Michael says, “I understand but You missed a spot. There’s this beautiful little island in the North Atlantic that’s never too hot or too cold, has no wolves or snakes, no inhospitable mountains or dry deserts. Where’s the balance there?”
And God says, “Wait till you see what bastards I’m giving them for neighbors”.
I mentioned before that I was boycotting Pilot Oil because Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam is a member of the Joyce Foundation-funded Mayors Against Guns. And his family owns Pilot Oil. Apparently, the boycott has other followers too.
I went to the grand opening of the new Maryville Wal-Mart to 1) annoy hippies and 2) snatch some 12 pack Coke products for $2.80. The top 5 things I saw there:
1 – Instead of importing products from slave shops in China, they just imported some Chinese children. They keep them in a big glass dome in the center of the store where you and your kids can watch them work their fingers to the bone.
2 – New buggies!
3 – Youngest employee: 73 years old.
4 – Union flyers
5 – All employees were wearing vests that said: Welcome to Wal-Mart; Death to Small Business
Over at subguns, they’re reporting that Century’s Romanian PSL-54c (a semi-auto AK lookalike) has been reclassified by the ATF as a machine gun. Apparently, the receiver has hole in it for the auto sear. Century has welded those holes shut but that isn’t good enough. Once a machine gun, always a machine gun.
The ATF crackdown on semi-autos continues.
Update: And if you have a Century Kalashnikov style rifle, you may want to pop the receiver cover off and have a peak inside to see if there’s a weld in there.
I don’t think that the Legislature should uniformly strip the Governor of the power to protect all citizens in the event of a crisis.
As I said there, Confiscation of weapons would not “protect all citizens in the event of a crisis.” It would only ensure that mobs were more powerful and more dangerous. Or, rather, that individuals would be powerless against mobs.
It appears that Phil Bredesen has a a beef with Senate Bill 1597 which would prohibit the Governor from confiscating weapons from law-abiding citizens or restricting the ability to purchase guns and ammunition during times of natural disaster or declared emergency. The Governor currently has this authority.
Republican Leader Mark Norris is receipt of a letter from Mary Freeman, the Governor’s Director of Legislation, requesting he “consider halting further action” on Senate Bill 1597. The missive states that the administration “disagrees with the intent of this legislation and therefore cannot support it.”
That, my friends, is infinitely disturbing. Why do you think we have the right to bear arms? For times of peace and tranquility?
It is disturbing. I find it pretty deplorable that the administration would entertain the notion of confiscating arms or restricting their sale during a time when said arms are most likely to be needed. I also find it quite odd as Bredesen has been pro-gun and even signed into law SB1658 which states:
The sheriff or chief of police of the city of residence of a person purchasing any firearm, defined by the National Firearms Act, 26 U.S.C. 5845 et seq., shall execute within fifteen (15) business days of any request all documents required to be submitted by the purchaser if the purchaser is not prohibited from possessing firearms pursuant to § 39-17-1316.
Seems that the .gov would rather let Angel Raich die an agonizing death than smoke a little weed. Jed says it for me:
You know the drill; even if the state in which your reside and smoke has legalized medical use of marijuana, the feds can still bust your ass. It is a disgrace and an abomination that the federal government is spending our tax dollars to go after people who are sick and dying. Neither Angel Raich, and others like her, nor those who grow pot to supply these people, are a in any way a public harm or threat. So why do we treat them like criminals?
Parker v. District of Columbia challenged D.C. law based upon its effective prohibition of ownership. The short story is that you had to register your handguns sometime in 1976 or 1977. After that date you could not legally register any handgun, so no new handguns were legal.
Additionally, young people were prohibited from ownership as transfers are not allowed. Legal registrations required you to be 21, so all registered handguns in D.C. are now owned by those over 50.
This implementation of a firearm ban most resembles the Hughes Amendment to FOPA 86. Since May 19, 1986, no new full auto firearms have been added to the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFA 34 database).
Any law that imposes registration on firearms and then a subsequent law prevents adding to that registry is a target.
Barney Frank, the Democratic chairman of the powerful House financial services committee, is working on legislation to repeal the sweeping ban that was passed in Congress last year against online gaming, he told the Financial Times in an interview.
Mr Frank called the ban, formally known as the Unlawful Enforcement Gambling Act, one of the “stupidest laws” ever passed and said he wanted to “repeal” the law.
Now that The Brady Campaign To Prevent Gun Ownership has a blog, their lies can be addressed in comments. I find it particularly amusing that, so far, every post I’ve read over there has significantly more pro-gun comments than anti-gun. Any way, Helmke is bleating about judicial activism in the Parker case. Have at thee.
Take the hint, guys. No one is buying what you’re selling.
Courtland Milloy has a screed against the new found freedom in DC to freely own a handgun carry it from one room to another. He cites (incorrectly) the Kellermann study:
Several studies have shown that a gun in the home is up to 22 times more likely to be used for suicide or to kill a family member than to fend off a burglar.
It’s one study. The study showed it to be 43 times more likely. And the study is misleading because included in the number are murders of one criminal by another who live at the same house. Also, the study completely discounts any defensive gun use that does not result in someone’s death (which is estimated to occur between 750K and 2M times per year, depending on who you talk to). If you’re going to use bogus statistics at least get the bogus statistics correct.
The rest of his screed compares gun owners to children.
Death Match: Lenovo 17-inch wide-screen laptop v. 20oz bottle of Aquafina
By a score of $750, Aquafina wins.
Conversely, hats off to IBM repair service. It went like this:
Monday: I call. They tell me a box is on the way
Tuesday: Get box. Ship it
Wednesday: They get box. Call me with damage assessment
Thursday: I should get my laptop back
I’d like to give a shout out to my homey, Christian Trejbal.
I see from my logs that you’re reading this post. No doubt, looking for the evil midnight bomber what sends mailing labels at midnight.
Stick around, you might learn something. Such as: yes, you are allowed to publish public information but that doesn’t mean you’re not an asshole. It does mean you’re an unethical nitwit.
In other news, no extra police patrols were ordered for the 135,000 concealed carry permit holders whose name and address you published at The Roanoke Times.
And you’re still a pussy.
Update: They’re fast at The Roanoke Times. They read this post too.
Rep. Joe McCord of Maryville confronts the City of Knoxville and the Redflex cameras
One of the worst decisions by Knoxville Mayor Haslam and his administration was the approval and installation of Redflex Red Light cameras. But much worse than that decision was the decision not to change the Yellow Light timing to ensure traffic safety.
Whether this was oversight, incompetence, or greed will be difficult to ascertain. The engineering department of the City of Knoxville has stated it is too expensive to change the Yellow Light timing. Some think it is about the money. The Redflex system has already earned over two million dollars with a portion of that money going to the City of Knoxville.
One man has decided to go over the head of the Haslam administration and take this to the Tennessee General Assembly. That man is Rep. Joe McCord, the Republican from Maryville. Rep. McCord has introduced a bill that will require Yellow Light durations to be set at 5 seconds at all intersections where cameras are set up to photograph motorists.
In a story in today’s News Sentinel McCord was reported as saying, “he has heard reports that the yellow lights on Knoxville’s monitored intersections are set at 3 seconds to boost ticket revenue.”
Thank you Joe McCord for standing up for the people that have to drive on Knoxville’s streets. The first goal should be safety not revenue.
Rep. McCord’s bill mandates, “that the yellow, or caution, light be set at 5 seconds at all intersections where cameras are set up to photograph motorists. Another portion of the bill would forbid local governments from contracting with private companies to operate red light camera systems.”
Effectively this would end the contract between Redflex and the City of Knoxville.
I wonder if the Yellow Light duration will be changed now? Well Mayor, what do you think?
Extra police patrols were ordered Tuesday at the home of a newspaper editorial writer after a suspicious package was delivered there following a storm of criticism of a column he wrote about concealed weapons permits.
What was in the package? Mailing labels:
The brown cardboard box about 15 inches by 15 inches was full of mailing labels similar to those used by mail delivery services, Sisson said. He said the package had been delivered by a DHL truck and left at the front door.
4. Unlike many of the right to keep and bear arms cases that have worked their way up through the courts over the years, where the defendant is a criminal of some sort, or at least an unsympathetic character, such as Dr. Emerson in USA v. Emerson (5th Cir. 2001), we have squeaky clean plaintiffs on this case, so the Court doesn’t have to worry about releasing a criminal if they make the right decision.
5. Rather than directly challenging the bearing of arms, or the right to own some rather unusual or exotic weapon, this case involves the right to have a loaded and functional handgun in your home for self-defense. This is about as much of a no-brainer as there can be for the courts. While the decision doesn’t directly challenge the constitutionality of a handgun registration law, it does make it clear that the current DC strategy of prohibiting new registrations for handguns is unconstitutional.
A few common phrases in the English language come from firearms usage. I, of course, use the one that sounds dirty. Ahab discusses gun-induced grammar.
If you’re in Knoxville this weekend and want to go make fun of some hippies, they’ll be congregating. If, like me, you have errands to run in that general area and wish to keep them away, I recommend some Hippie Repellent.
Update: More here. And if you’re not a fan of the prior hippie repellent, here’s an environmentally friendly alternative.
College students can now opt for a gun-free environment
Actually, no they cannot. See, some folks don’t obey the law or the rules. If those folks choose to introduce a gun into your supposed gun-free environment, there’s no way to stop them.
In the event you ever decide to break into my home, bring a balloon.
Politically Incorrect Dog has some rather odd idiosyncrasies. One of those is that he is terrified of balloons. If you wish to keep him out of a room, put a balloon in it. Or you can keep him confined by placing balloons in doorways.
In the event he can’t avoid balloons and is in their proximity, he tucks his tail, ears down, and issues a low growl while staring at it. All traits of a spooked pup.
Since we have kids, we’re now buying a lot more balloons than before so he’s having a rough time.
Citizens for Blount County’s Future: They don’t have a website that I have found. But they get some Google love. If they want a website, have them shoot me a line. I’ll set it up and host it.
Congress members routinely herald the Freedom of Information Act as a pry bar for the press and public to lift the lid on secretive government operations, sometimes exposing fraud and always buttressing the spirit of transparency.
That agent of access, however, is stopped at the doors of Congress — which exempted itself from the very law it passed 41 years ago to keep the executive branch in check.
As federal agencies labor to respond to thousands of requests for documents each year, Congress returns none.
Presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton told Democrats Tuesday the “vast, right-wing conspiracy” is back, using a phrase she once coined to describe partisan criticism.
The city’s SWAT team, along with celebrity cops and camera crews from Armed & Famous, broke into the wrong home during a search for two fugitives and kept an innocent woman handcuffed for 30 minutes, according to legal documents.
Late in a tourney, five players. I’m the big stack. I’m in late position. I get:
K♣Q♣
I raise it up to three times the big blind. Two callers. Flop:
2♣4♥Q♦
A caller (the short stack – I have at least 20 times his stack) minimum raises. Though the small stack, he’s in no danger of being blinded out yet. Other player folds. Action to me and I think he has a good hand and figure we’re in a kicker war. I put him all in. He flips over 4♦2♦. I catch a queen on the river and win. He says: Nice suck out. I say Yeah, but I didn’t call a pre-flop raise with deuce four.
I did suck out. But, ferrchrissakes, who calls a raise with 4♦2♦? Even as a short stack, there are better hands to make a move with.
“Republican appointee” does not necessarily mean “pro-individual right.” It frequently means “statist.” Judge Henderson, the dissenter in Parker, is a Bush I appointee.
I think any appointee is generally a statist. That’s how they get the job.
My thoughts: coin flip, with a sleight favorite to yes.
People keep pointing out that there is now a divide among the circuits. Well, there has been since Emerson, which concluded there was an individual right to arms. The Supreme Court didn’t take it then. But now we have some new judges and one of those (the chief justice) understands Miller. We’ll see.
The antis are spinning this one as hard as they can. I think I know why: It’s dangerous now. Years ago, if this case made it to the SCOTUS, I don’t think they’d have upheld individual rights. Today, I think they might (Scalia, Roberts, Alito, & Thomas are likely yays – and surely they could pick up one more).
Seems they’re really angling for the SCOTUS showdown. I’m not entirely uncomfortable with the idea; while I part ways with Alito, Roberts, Scalia, and Thomas on a lot of issues, I have to think we’re in good shape with those four votes re: the RKBA.
Fred Thompson, former Senator from TN, is no libertarian, but compared to McCain or Giuliani (or Dubya, for that matter) he looks like Ronald Reagan. Pro-trade, pro-business, fairly hawkish, and socially conservative; if you liked the Eighties GOP, presumably you could vote for Fred and get seconds.
You know, from back when Republicans were cool and not when they were just Democrats who cater to the God Squad?
I mentioned Tennessee’s pending dog laws here. The charming bizgrrl is none too happy with one of them:
In her ten years of existence she [pupster - ed] has escaped 3 or 4 times. I cannot imagine being arrested for such a misdeed. Neither of us have never been arrested for anything. I think this is just a step too far.
I suppose my next step is to ask what problem resulted in the introduction of this bill. And, hey, if dogs then why not cats? They can do damage too. I jest. Just because there is a bad bill does not mean we need to make it worse.
A state that eagerly puts sex offender data online complete with an interactive map could easily do the same with gun permits
Then, they post a list of them noting:
You can search to find out if neighbors, carpool partners, elected officials or anyone else has permission to carry a gun
I’m sure someone will post addresses and phone numbers of the editorial staff of the paper. They always do.
Update: list seems gone now.
Update: List is there.
Update: Unsurprisingly, someone found the reporter’s address and posted it in comments at The Roanoke Times’ blog. Even more unsurprising is that the comments have disappeared.
See here. I actually know three ways. I used to work in a prison and, when bored, we’d sit around and figure this stuff out. Of the three ways, one is the method in that video; one involves possibly breaking your wrist and it only works on S&W handcuffs; and the third is, well, I carry a key with me.
I can also start a fire using a commercial dryer; make a nasty alcoholic beverage out of fruit juice; light a smoke using an outlet and a pencil; and make a tattoo gun out of a Sony Walkman motor.
The 2-1 decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in Parker v. District of Columbia striking down the District of Columbia’s handgun law is judicial activism at its worst. By disregarding nearly seventy years of U.S. Supreme Court precedent, two Federal judges have negated the democratically-expressed will of the people of the District of Columbia and deprived this community of a gun law it enacted thirty years ago and still strongly supports
Met Bitter and Sebastian this weekend. Charming couple. Sebastian was rather quiet, which surprised since he won’t shut up on his blog. Apparently, the couple met via the comments section here at SayUncle. SayUncle: matchmaker.
Doing them today. Feh. Waste of a nice, warm Sunday. Fuckers.
Update: Wow. First time I’ve gotten a refund in years and years. I was amazed and didn’t know why. Then it occurred to me that I did spend the first half of the year unemployed. Guess that explains it.
If it does, I defy you to show how a different result would obtain if you subsituted “fully-automatic weapon” for “pistol,” “1986″ for “1976,” and “Congress” for “the District.” Make these mechanical changes and voila, the Hughes Amendment is history, any post-1986 assault weapons (real ones, not just the phony ones Clinton banned in 1994) are legal in every state that allows them, and your M-16 is worth only a trifle more than my AR-15.
The 2-1 decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in Parker v. District of Columbia striking down the District of Columbia’s handgun law is judicial activism at its worst. By disregarding nearly seventy years of U.S. Supreme Court precedent, two Federal judges have negated the democratically-expressed will of the people of the District of Columbia and deprived this community of a gun law it enacted thirty years ago and still strongly supports.
“This ruling represents the first time in American history that a Federal appeals court has struck down a gun law on Second Amendment grounds. While acknowledging that ‘reasonable restrictions’ to promote ‘the government’s interest in public safety’ are permitted by the Second Amendment, the two-judge majority substituted its policy preferences for those of the elected representatives of the District of Columbia.
It is, indeed. We could lose at the Supreme Court. Game over.
We could win. Everyone rejoices.
Further, even a win might not be a win. I simply cannot see the Supreme Court overturning 73 years of federal gun laws. The lifting of some regulations just doesn’t seem to be politically feasible with the gun hysteria we see.
The ban on machine guns: In 1934, the $200 tax essentially prohibited all but the wealthy from obtaining them. In the 1980s, the tax was just a nuisance. In 1986, new transfer was banned. These weapons do relate to the preservation and efficacy of a well-regulated militia. There is enough meat to eliminate the ban. But the court simply will not do it, I don’t think.
Regulation of destructive devices: These are not banned but regulated. Are they arms that relate to the preservation and efficacy of a well-regulated militia? Most certainly, as soldiers carry grenades. Again, I can’t see the court overturning that.
Suppressors: though gaining in popularity due to convenience and the recent market for inexpensive models, it would be easy to paint these as weapons for murderers a la your favorite hitman movie.
NFA in general: The DC opinion does say registration is conducive to a well-regulated militia. And only NFA weapons are registered.
Background checks, felons, etc.: A non-issue, generally, as these are seen as acceptable in today’s opinion.
That said, I think they could rule that there is an individual right to arms but that the state has a vested interest in regulating that right with a view to prevent crime and general mayhem.
At the federal level, I don’t see much happening if the Supremes pick it up. But, at the state level, there could be some major issues. Particularly in places like Cali, NY, Mass and Chicago.
Don’t go opening your gun shop in DC yet. You can rest assured that there will be a stay on this ruling while appeals are filed.
We note that the Ninth Circuit has recently dealt with a Second Amendment claim by first extensively analyzing that provision, determining that it does not provide an individual right, and then, and only then, concluding that the plaintiff lacked standing to challenge a California statute restricting the possession, use, and transfer of assault weapons. See Silveira v. Lockyer, 312 F.3d 1052, 1066-67 & n.18 (9th Cir. 2003). We think such an approach is doctrinally quite unsound.
Update: Now, the DC and the Fifth circuit hold an individual rights view. Other circuits hold the collective rights mythology. Looks like such a split will have to be decided by the supreme court.
Update: For those not familiar, here’s background info.
Update: They address the grammar of the second amendment and conclude what anyone with a basic grasp of English would conclude. Even references to commas.
Giggle: The District’s argument—as strained as it seems to us—is hardly an isolated view.
Shocking: The people means, err, the people.
Update: They get Miller right. Dissent is pretty weak. Well, I couldn’t make it past the first few pages due to all my giggling about states being people on page 63. Is Parker a state?
Update: Another good line (from Chris in comments):
just as the First Amendment free speech clause covers modern communication devices unknown to the founding generation, e.g., radio and television, and the Fourth Amendment protects telephonic conversation from a “search,” the Second Amendment protects the possession of the modern-day equivalents of the colonial pistol.
Update: One more interesting bit:
Reasonable restrictions also might be thought consistent with a “well regulated Militia.” The registration of firearms gives the government information as to how many people would be armed for militia service if called up. Reasonable firearm proficiency testing would both promote public safety and produce better candidates for military service.
In the People’s Republic of Illinois, an elderly couple converted the Volkswagen to run on vegetable oil. Apparently, that requires a license and payment of a fuel tax at either the gas or diesel rate:
The agents informed the Wetzels that they were interested in their car, a 1986 Volkswagen Golf, that David Wetzel converted to run primarily from vegetable oil but also partly on diesel.
Wetzel uses recycled vegetable oil, which he picks up weekly from an organization that uses it for frying food at its dining facility.
“They told me I am required to have a license and am obligated to pay a motor fuel tax,” David Wetzel recalled. “Mr. May also told me the tax would be retroactive.”
Since the initial visit by the agents on Jan. 4, the Wetzels have been involved in a struggle with the Illinois Department of Revenue. The couple, who live on a fixed budget, have been asked to post a $2,500 bond and threatened with felony charges.
More:
According to the Wetzels, May told them during his Jan. 4 visit that they would have to pay taxes at either the gasoline rate of 19½ cents per gallon or the diesel rate of 21½ cents per gallon.
A retired research chemist and food plant manager, Wetzel produced records showing he has used 1,134.6 gallons of vegetable oil from 2002 to 2006. At the higher rate, the tax bill would come to $244.24.
“That averages out to $4.07 a month,” Wetzel noted, adding he is willing to pay that bill.
Poker hand from last night. Loose table. I’ve not hit a hand all night except the very first hand I played. I get absolutely nothing playable for an hour and a half. Creates the image that I am a much tighter player than I really am. I am a bit bored and decide it’s time to play a hand no matter what it is. I get:
5♥4♣
Crappy hand. I’m first to act. I raise it up to six times the big blind. Two callers and the button raises it to 12 times the big blind. It comes to me. I move my whole stack in the middle. The callers fold. The button thinks for a long time and says You’ve not played all night. You must have me beat. He folds and flips his cards over:
A♦K♦
Stupid play on my part, really. But it worked out. Remember kids: Don’t play poker when bored.
Mike emails this story. Long and short: Two guys driving down the street and notice a man shooting at people. Two guys (who happen to have concealed weapons permits) turn around and draw down on the man (who is black – important later) and tell him to stop. Two men viewed as heroes.
But wait, there’s more: Turns out the original shooter also had a permit. He says his car was rammed and six men approached him, one with a gun. So, he was firing at them. He has been charged with reckless endangerment. Notes on this fellow:
He had a handgun carry permit.
He called the police.
That indicates he’s not a criminal and I don’t think his intent was criminal. But it was rather cowboy to shoot across traffic. And he did hit a bystander’s car.
The brothers are being called heroes because they did something. Roberson, who did something too, is being called a “gunman,” a criminal. No, he should be called a hero too.
What did he do so differently than the Webbers?
Probably because he endangered others by firing across traffic. As a permit holder, you are responsible for any shot you fire. You can’t go shooting across traffic. I’ve seen no indication in the story that the assailant he was shooting at actually fired shots. I think his crime here is being a bit overzealous.
Not too bad. It doesn’t acknowledge that machine guns can, in fact, be lawfully owned but the transformation of a Fudd mini-14 gun into an EBR is effective:
Seems there’s a couple of dog bills up for a vote in Tennessee. The first increases the penalties of spectators from $50 to $2,500 plus up to a year in jail. Another bill increases owner liability in the event of a dog attack and increases penalties for dogs running loose.
Ben notes that Sarbanes Oxley is killing jobs. Well, it’s doing wonders for accountants and auditors. Now, Sarbanes admits as much. Remember, it’s more important for congresmonkies to do something. Not necessarily something good.
I think I have a fan at the New York Times. This is the second time they’ve linked me up. First time was here.
Also, I was contacted earlier in the week by foxnews.com about gun blogs and the Zumbo affair. She wanted me to call her. I said I’d be happy to talk to her via email as phone calls weren’t exactly conducive to my secret identity and, when you have an email copy, you can be assured of providing proof when someone misquotes you; uses something out of context; or Dowdifies you. Never heard back from her. And we know how I feel about talking to the press.
What’s the best music download site? I don’t like Napster because, even though it’s a monthly fee, I don’t actually own the tune.
I hate itunes because Apple does what it always does which is to modify the MP3 files so that they’re proprietary and, therefore, generally fucking useless in other applications. That’s why I’ll never own anything ever created by Apple.
Update: Maddox agrees that apple sucks. And what is with the whole quicktime, itunes install. It really attaches its retarded self to the whole operating system.
What journalist hears a man say there are 70 million poker players in the U.S., and then tries to argue that by saying only 23 million people played online poker last year? Then goes on to basically insinuate that D’Amato is a liar. Mr. Kriedler, don’t you see the holes in your article? Did D’Amato say that 70 million people play online poker, or did you make a boo-boo? Which is it, because based on what you wrote, you come off though you really don’t have a clue what you are trying to say?
70 million! That’s a lot. There are an estimated 80-100m gun-owners, for reference. And politicos fear the NRA. Poker players would be dangerous to politicians if they managed to get organized. They cost one man his congressional seat in the last election cycle. Negreanu also notes:
Just like liquor, in other words. Well, drinking, gambling, you get the idea. Try to ban card games online, and they’ll only start playing poker in somebody’s living room late at night, buying their own chips or using makeshift materials like pretzels and M&Ms as token “money.” Where will the madness end?”
[...]
What Mr. Kreidler fails to understand is that online poker isn’t going anywhere. There will always be ways to fund online accounts, so while they can make it harder to play by putting pressure on companies like Neteller, they won’t put an end to online poker in this country. In fact, the bill that was passed doesn’t make playing poker on the internet illegal for the player.
Indeed. I have noticed that in my small hometown, many home games are cropping up since the ban.
Sheets have one side that is the good side and one side that is the bad side. The good side is the one that looks nicer and the bad side is the one that looks like the fabric was turned inside-out that also has tags on it. When you make the bed, do you put the good side up so that, well, the good side is up? Or do you put the good side down so that when you flip over all the covers the good side is showing?
Seems to me though that this project might be misnamed. Tennessee liquor laws are pretty liberal since liberal to me implies wanting to excessively control via government.
I have learned that the Coalition may be working on issues that conflict with legal gun ownership and that some action on your behalf are dubious. I have also learned that other mayors from cities large and small across the country have withdrawn their names as supporters of the Coalition. This letter informs you that I too, am withdrawing from the Mayors Coalition Against Illegal Guns.
A helicopter is not necessarily a match for an angry moose. Instead of lying down after being shot with a tranquilizer dart, a moose charged a hovering helicopter used by a wildlife biologist, damaging the aircraft’s tail rotor and forcing it to the ground.
Uncle mentioned that Britain is moving to ban crappy swords, which reminded me that Britain’s war on pointy objects doesn’t end with cheap knockoff gear for wannabe ninjas. After they take your tin katana, they’ll be coming for your kitchen knives. That’s right, a bunch of British doctors want to ban pointy kitchen knives. It won’t be long before they start arresting people for possession of safety scissors.
The one cool thing in that article is the bit of history:
French laws in the 17th century decreed that the tips of table and street knives be ground smooth.
A century later, forks and blunt-ended table knives were introduced in the UK in an effort to reduce injuries during arguments in public eating houses.
WECSOG: I was just cleaning it, it went off in my hand.
Via subguns (no direct link as theirs seem to have a short shelf life), comes a handy way to get get the lead out. Or rather, get the lead out of your sound suppressor.
