Opening a beer with a sheet of paper. Related, 1,000 ways to open a beer:

I am currently 100% on my beer bets for political contests. I did lose that one to Chris over American Idol, but that’s not political. So, here’s my latest:

I will bet one beer that Obama will not be elected president. I will bet another that he will not get the nomination.

Sean upped the ante:

I will take that bet, and I will raise with a six-pack that Fred Thompson will not be the next President.

I’m not willing to take that one, yet.

The BillingsGazette:

Wyoming will appeal in federal court to try to defend a state law that allows some people convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence to regain their right to own firearms.

U.S. District Judge Alan Johnson ruled earlier this month that the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was correct to reject the 2004 Wyoming law.

[snip]

Although states may restore a convict’s right to own guns by expunging a domestic-violence conviction, the federal firearms agency had protested that Wyoming’s law didn’t suffice. The law leaves alive the possibility that state courts could still use the original misdemeanor conviction to enhance the penalty for any subsequent convictions.

The consequences:

The federal firearms agency had warned Wyoming that if it persists in allowing people with misdemeanor violence convictions to buy guns, that the federal government would no longer recognize more than 10,000 concealed-carry permits issued by the state as a substitute for federal background checks for firearms purchases.

There also exists, at the federal level, a means to appeal to have firearms rights restored. However, that program is not and never has been funded.

You can’t spell nanny without authoritarian. Well, you can technically . . . but you see what I’m saying.

Hey, did you know you can get a degree in guns? I already have three suffixes after my name, what’s one more?

Seems whenever those Nashville blog gals get together, there’s cleavage.

Over at Alphecca’s, Sigivald takes me to task on my coverage of libertarians, constitutionalists, gays and gun nuts getting a second glance as potential terrorists:

SaysUncle is dead wrong about his, as he has been (oddly) about all of that series.

Wouldn’t be the first time. But:

Not “groups that make you a terrorist for being in them”, or “groups that have lots of terrorists in them and a few non-terrorists”, but “groups that could include terrorists”.

The most militant gay-rights groups may have a few fringe members who’re willing to use violent intimidation or destruction to influence policy (definitionally terrorism).

Sure. But so does any group. There are militant Democrats and militant Republicans and militant feminists and militant Christians. But those didn’t make the list. Among any group, there are potentially crazy militant factions who would engage in terrorism. No one is questioning that. But singling out particular groups (who historically have been mostly harmless) seems to be more politically based scaremongering than legitimate concern. He concludes with:

I don’t see any particular overreach or threat to civil liberties here; the actual websites, if you bother to read the text and think about what they say rather than applying a hysterical template (as I unfortunately think most of the comments on them have done) are neither particularly inaccurate nor dangerous to the Republic, freedom of association, or any other civil rights.

I don’t disagree. But I still like to know what sorts of people the .gov is keeping tabs on. And, frankly, I don’t like the .gov keeping lists. But then, I’m a bit jaded. You get that way when the federales come to your door and quote your website to you.

Ouch. That hurts to watch. Pull that stock into your shoulder. A friend’s mom once got scope head. She was out firing a rifle (a 300 WinMag, IIRC) and wanted to use the open sights and not the scope. That, of course, put the scope at forehead level. Pulled the trigger and had a nice circular bruise on her noggin.

Here.

Wendy Pitts Reeves wants some from my sheriff.

Amazing. I still have trouble believing it.

All the stupid anti-gun arguments in one convenient place! Complete with cites to anti-gun hacks like Hemenway and Miller.

Update: well, that was fast. In other news, I don’t even have to do my own fisking anymore.

In an update to this, I’m disappointed that I only have an excuse to buy just 15 boxes of ammo.

There’s a site that counters them called The Real Gun Guys. You can follow the money here.

Anti-gunner Robyn Ringler:

The notorious Washington, D.C. sniper-killers used the fifty caliber sniper rifle to kill their victims.

They did? Funny. You may want to tell the MD police since the guys they found had a .223 cal. She did offer a correction.

And her facts get better:

A guy walks into a gun shop to buy a gun. The gun shop’s employee performs a background check. The information from the background check which links the gun to its new owner and its origin (the gun shop) must be destroyed WITHIN 24 HOURS.

[snip]

So, now, a crime is committed with a gun. Any record of where that gun originated has been destroyed. How do we trace it? How do we figure out where it came from? It is impossible to follow the gun’s journey when we destroy the records after ONE DAY.

Really? Well, that’s a shock to those of us that actually, you know, know what we’re talking about:

The NICS check does not, and was never officially intended, to link a gun to it’s owner. That is what Form 4473 is for. The 4473 has been the law of the land since GCA68 was passed (1968). The 4473 is required by law to be retained for 20 years. There has not been any repeal of this records keeping requirement as Ms. Ringler believes. She is confused. But that’s not surprising, bigots confuse and warp the facts to maintain internal consistency with their world view.

Poor anti-gunners imagining laws that aren’t there. But, hey, it’s another reasonable voice, right Gonzo?

And what’s with a newspaper hosting an anti-gun site? What media bias? And what media standards? Since, you know, two seconds of Googling and you could have had the answers right the first time.

Feewings. Nothing more than feewings:

I am absolutely sick and tired of the very phrase “Self Esteem”; embodying as it does the concept that one should have warm fuzzy feelings about one’s self for no adequately explained reason whatsoever, as though by simply existing, one was doing something inherently good rather than merely converting oxygen into greenhouse gas.

Is that Fred Thompson, after some speculation, continues to think about considering the possibility of maybe trying to ponder chewing over the prospect of flirting with running for president. Maybe next weekish, if, you know, you’re not busy.

A new resource: National Firearms Act Handbook from the ATF.

Behold, the Full Auto Glove! Heh.

It’s amusing. From Joe, I learn that Gun Guy Gonzo linked to me stating we gun bloggers are full of venom and vitriol, cursing and overcompensating masculinity, and instead of providing insight on the news, they provide rehashes of decades-old NRA lies and propaganda. This is particularly amusing when you’re in the know that this guy (who also is affiliated with Buzzflash) is a hack bought and paid for by the Joyce Foundation, who also funds Mayors Against Guns (that group Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam is a member of). It’s called projection, Mr. Karlin and Associates, when you accuse me of having your traits and characteristics. He’s also some comedian/voice actor you’ve never heard of. More background here. But that’s not the best part, this is:

It’s no secret that the gun guys seem to have a much larger voice on the Internet than those against gun violence– maybe there’s something about posting angry blogs from their parents’ basement that just appeals to them more, but when you go looking for intelligent commentary about gun laws on the ‘net, mostly you’ll just find idiotic rants about how the Second Amendment grants everyone the right to own an AK-47, and how it doesn’t matter if children die, as long as we can all shoot up wrecked cars with military grade weapons on the weekend. When it comes to reasonable insights about firearms and gun laws on the Internet, there isn’t really much out there except for us here at Gun Guys.

Well, that’s because no one is buying what you’re selling. People don’t like liars and propagandists. And, as evidenced from my site stats, no one is reading you. And here’s the other thing: I’m not paid by anyone. I’m not a member of the NRA. And I get no talking points dictated to me. At all. I do it because I like to. And I do it to entertain me. And I don’t do it from my parents’ basement, I do it from either my own basement (which is in my 3,800 square foot house) or my executive suite.

What scares these guys most is that in the last 20 years, there have been tremendous gains in the right to arms. Sure they passed the ban on weapons that look like assault weapons but it sunset and good riddance. 48 states now allow concealed carry permits of some kind. Also, the justice department for the first time in 4 decades views the second amendment as an individual right, as does the Congress and both major party platforms. The DC circuit supports an individual right, as does the fifth circuit. States are passing castle doctrine laws so fast, my head is spinning. And they’ve expanded self-defense laws. The Democrats won’t touch gun control with a ten foot pole. And anti-gunners like Romney and Giuliani are recanting their old positions. We, the real gun guys, are winning. And that scares them. Bad.

So, here’s the SayUncle challenge: For every unique visitor I get from The Gun Guys between yesterday and tonight at midnight, I will buy one box of ammo. So far, in the roughly 16 hours the link has been there, that’s a whopping total of four boxes. If it weren’t for Joe, I’d have never noticed you.

Update: We are now up to 6 (count them 6) boxes.

I dunno but I’m thinking if a white gun nut had said that, it’d be front page news.

It seems that not only being a gun nut, constitutionalist, or libertarian warrants a second look as you might be a potential terrorist, but also being gay does too:

The Alabama Department of Homeland Security has taken down a Web site it operated that included gay rights and anti-war organizations in a list of groups that could include terrorists.

The Web site identified different types of terrorists, and included a list of groups it believed could spawn terrorists. The list also included environmentalists, animal rights advocates and abortion opponents.

And this may well be enough to get you put on the terrorist watchlist and, if the Lautenberg bill passes, you lose your right to own a firearm, which is fine with the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Ownership.

In other news, I see this made the Washington Post. But I recall no mention of the other groups as potential terrorists making the press. That was all reported via blogs. What media bias against guns?

Anyway, if I were Jeff, I might pay extra attention to any unidentified vehicles I see around my place since he belongs to all those groups.

Via the NITwit.

I am having a disagreement with Carter at Volunteer Voters and Brittney of Nashville is Talking. They are confused as to why I take offense with their literal suggestion that “Soldiers are pawns”.

The idea that those who defend our Nation and Constitution are pawns is repugnant because it diminishes and marginalizes the nobility of those soldiers who give the greatest sacrifice.

This all started when Carter praised a Moveon.org type of attack piece on Fred Thompson. What Fred Thompson said was from an old poem. He did a good job saying it and it needs to be said.

There is a noble bearing of the soldier. They are the keepers of our freedom. They are not pawns. You either get it or you don’t.

Had a great weekend doing the usual foolishness up on the farm. This included putting guns in the hands of about a dozen people who have never shot. Half of them are women, which is even more gratifying. We have great photos of the faces people make while firing their first round.

One thing I’ve noticed is that the first time somebody shoots with us, they typically fall in to two camps. The first wants to run a thousand rounds through every gun and spends the entire day talking about how much fun they had. These people are hooked and they’re the ones who will be shooting every chance they get. They are now on our side.

The second camp will barely empty one magazine before politely saying thanks and leaving. I used to worry about that second group. We just weren’t reaching them the way I wanted to. I feared that instead of turning them on to the fun and safety of shooting we’d just scared them away.

Now that I’ve been doing this for a few years, though, I’ve realized it’s not the case. The people who consistently only run one magazine are never going to be enthusiasts, but I’ve discovered that they are happy for the experience, enjoyed shooting and are mildly interested in doing it again in the future. Most of them eventually do shoot with us again, and some of them even try out other guns. The important thing is that they all get to see what responsible gun handling looks like. I’ve stopped pressing those people to shoot and instead just let them come to us when the desire strikes.

And now the bleg: In the course of the weekend, my prized knife went missing. It was a folding Bear with a gorgeous brown wood handle. The blade was 4 to 4.5 inches, took a sharp edge and held it well. It fit nicely on my belt and in my hand. That knife had great balance.

I’m looking to replace this knife and seek suggestions for a quality knife that meets the above description. I’m willing to spend some money on this, although I want good functional value for my money. Thanks.

M-40, keep scrolling.

I have a Leatherman I use a great deal and I like. But I am considering a new addition. Any thoughts from SayUncle readers?

The candidates:

Gerber Legend™ Multi-Plier® 800

Leatherman 830039 New Wave Multitool

Victorinox SwissTool Spirit Multitool

A good review of Multi-tools can be found on Amazon.

You are bankrupt.

Have a nice day.

Remember that big ass pig that kid killed? Well, he’s getting hate mail from Peta.

And there’s a website.

Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Ownership:

“In countries like the United States it’s perfectly legal for members of the public to own certain types of firearms. If you live in such a country obtain an assault rifle legally, preferably an AK-47 or variations.”

– AL QAEDA TRAINING MANUAL

Like the Brady Camp, Al Qaeda seems to be either 1) confused or 2) misrepresents gun laws. An AK-47 made after 1986 is illegal to own in this country. A semi-automatic variant of the AK-47 made after 1989 must meet certain import requirements but, assuming those requirements are met, is lawful to own (1989 is the year the import restrictions went into effect; 1986 was when the FOPA went into effect). That said, here’s what the Brady Bunch is yammering about:

In the last few weeks, Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Congressman Peter King (R-NY) have introduced bills which say that people on the terrorist watch list should not be permitted to buy guns. Most people are shocked when they learn that this common-sense step in fighting terrorism is not already in place.

We welcome and applaud this effort by the Bush Administration and Congress to begin to plug the terrorist loophole in our nation’s gun laws, and the gun loophole in our nation’s war on terror. Under current law, suspected terrorists who are deemed too dangerous to fly on airplanes, are not classified as too dangerous to buy assault weapons or other guns unless they fall into some other prohibited category. This makes no sense.

That’s right, denying constitutional rights without due process of law is a common-sense step.

I wonder if they support denying people the ability to buy box cutters, gasoline, and fertilizer?

Update: In comments, thirdpower points out:

Doing a little Googling, it’s not from the (or any) AQ training manual. It’s from some crappy little pamphlet alledgedly printed in the UK by “Azzam Publications”. So a little more disinformation from the BC and the VPC.

Ayup. Here’s one such manual. The quote is even wrong.

A while back, I noted:

In the middle of the night when you’re not quite conscious and attempting to soothe a fussy baby with a bottle, a bottle of Similac looks an awful lot like a bottle of International Delight Chocolate Caramel Coffee Creamer.

Well, the other day the Mrs. noticed a distinct similarity between these two product labels:

Poor Junior. Yuck.

I guess Snopes needs its own, err, snopes.

Looks like toll roads are being looked into again for Tennessee:

While charging for highway access has been a common way to fund road building and maintenance in much of the country, most of the South has resisted the trend.

But that could change as federal funding for road projects dries up and states try to ward off gas-tax increases amid spiking fuel costs.

Tennessee has had substantial surpluses. Yet, they’re looking into this, increasing cigarette taxes (while also looking to ban smoking – and that’s just stupid), and taxing your propane for grilling. Even when they’re fat and happy, it’s not enough.

I say no thanks.

Shorty AR-15 in 22LR.

Mosin video.

If you were at The Dairy Queen in Maryville last night and heard a three-year-old yell I’m wearing panties today, that would have been us. However, the lady decked out in her Harley Davidson gear who said I am too was not us.

If Stacey Campfield is a libertarian, I must be an anarchist.

Sebastian wants some. Actually, I do too. Is there a decent shotgun that can serve as both a dove gun and (in the event I ever take it up) three gun?

Colt has introduced a telescoping / swiveling / folding stock for the AR-15. Check it out. I’m was trying to figure out if it could cycle a round when the stock is folded. It looks like it since it has an extension from the rear of the receiver.

This time, our governor wants to tax propane. As in the kind used this weekend to grill out by everyone. Ya know, I really liked Bredesen (voted for him twice) until he started this tax raising nonsense.

In an update to this post, Countertop comments that GOA is full of it.

NBC5.com:

A swath of protesters led by the Rev. Jesse Jackson descended on a Riverdale gun shop they said is funneling deadly weapons into Chicago, demanding that state and federal lawmakers toughen firearms laws.

Open since 1971, Chuck’s Gun Shop has become a target for gun activists who say it symbolizes the inefficiency of existing gun-control laws. They said Chuck’s is one of a handful of weapons stores that sit just outside Chicago and contribute to firearm deaths. “This is a state of madness,” Jackson told a crowd of about 1,000. “These laws create open season on innocent people.”

I found Chuck’s address here. I think I’ll call them tomorrow and order something they can ship (i.e., not a gun or ammo) in support of them.

Update: more at PGP, who notes: But pressed on his sources, Jackson admitted after the rally that he does not have statistics on the store.

So, a secondhand account of a self defense shooting on a message board on the internet v. a secondhand account reported in the press. Which do I believe more? Here’s a hint.

Holiday. Home with kids. Don’t expect much.

to carry in parks. There’s no crime there either.

But handguns serve no sporting purpose. And neither do .50 calibers.

Snarky remarky from email by JKB.

Circuit court of appeals: quit farting around.

The Nuge:

My wife on our spending habits:

Ya know, I can go blow over $1,000 on stuff over the course of a month. And that doesn’t bother me. But you will blow $1,000 all at once.

True. She tends to buy little things here and there (clothes, kids’ stuff, and knickknacks) whereas I’ll come home with, say, a new gun or a table saw or grill.

Update: I should note that my reply was Yeah, but I only do that about once every three to five months.

A short version:

I had just gotten my drivers license. Dad, now a beat cop for a couple years just before becoming a federale, says of drinking and driving (paraphrased, it has been 19 years):

There’s nothing like coming up to a car wreck and seeing some barely moving piece of hamburger meat begging please, help me, please and knowing there is nothing you can do. Not a thing. You feel helpless and they die. It gets worse when you realize it’s some guy’s boy and you gotta go tell him. Don’t ever put a cop through that, son. Ever.

What reminded my of that is this post by The Ambulance Driver.

Brits at their best:

From Saturday May 26th to Sunday June 3rd, thousands of people across the UK will try one of the most exciting Olympic sports during National Shooting Week. Shooting schools and clubs are putting on more than 200 open days across the country so the public can try shooting for the first time.

R. Neal has tagged me so, here goes:

1. Add a direct link to your post below the name of the person who tagged you. Include the city/state and country you’re in.

Nicole (Sydney, Australia)
velverse (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
LB (San Giovanni in Marignano, Italy)
Selba (Jakarta, Indonesia)
Olivia (London, England)
ML (Utah, USA)
Lotus (Toronto, Canada)
tanabata (Saitama, Japan)
Andi (Dallas [ish], Texas, United States)
Todd (Louisville, Kentucky, United States)
miss kendra (los angeles, california, u.s.a)
Jiggs Casey (Berkeley, CA, USA! USA! USA!)
Tits McGee (New England, USA)
Joe (NE Tennessee, USA)
10K Monkeys (Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA)
Big Stupid Tommy (Athens, Tennessee, USA)
Newscoma (Weakley County, Tennessee, USA)
Russ McBee (Knoxville, Tennessee, USA)
R. Neal/KnoxViews (Blount Co., Tennessee)
SayUncle (Blount Co., Tennessee)

2. List out your top 5 favorite places to eat at your location. (full disclosure: I don’t eat out much).

• Kaya -a Korean joint in West Knoxville. I recommend the pork bulgogi and all the kimchi you can eat. I spent part of my formative years near the Korean district on the island of Oahu. I learned very early to love Korean food. This place has good food and always reminds me of sitting at a restaurant in Oahu called Peach Garden when I was 8 years old with my family. Same small feel, same style of food.

• My house – Probably cheating but the meme says places to eat and not restaurants. I love to cook (see). And I cook it all. And I cook it on everything (grill, smoker, oven, stove, hole in the ground, you name it). And my family (immediate and extended) love to come by Casa de Uncle whenever I break out the grub. My wife says I make the best burgers on Earth. I dunno about that but they’re pretty damn good.

• Murphy’s Wings and Ale – Blount County’s little pub. $0.99 drafts and excellent wings. I recommend their Irish jerk wings which are tangy, hot and sweet. And they have a lot of premium beers on draft. The $0.99 is called Murphy’s Brew but their staff tells me it’s Miller High Life.

• Metro Pizza – The best pizza in Blount County.

• Oriental Cuisine – Good food and plentiful. I recommend the Vietnamese pork, which comes with an excellent vinegar based sauce.

3. Tag five others.

If you feel the need, dive right in.

Thanks, guys. Job well done.

The Tennessee State Trooper who got his pickle buffed* by local porn star Barbie Cummings has been fired, reports Michael Silence. Since then, Barbie’s blog has disappeared and been replaced by, well, a porn site promoting her. All I got to say is that Barbie Cummings is a marketing genius. Her new porn site is no doubt getting mad traffic from the news coverage and people Googling her up to see what all this is about. Well played, ma’am, well played. When she’s done doing porn, she could get a job in marketing.

* what, you didn’t think I’d use the same fellatio slang two days in a row, did you?

Update: BTW, how dumb is the cop? He took pictures. Didn’t take her to jail for the drugs. But gave her a speeding ticket anyway? Should have just let the speeding slide and maybe you wouldn’t be in the, err, pickle you’re currently in. Just sayin’.

Rudy Giuliani flip-flops on guns, proving that, yes, politicos will say anything to get elected:

Rudolph Giuliani Wednesday sounded open to letting anyone who’s not a criminal or mental patient carry a concealed handgun — even telling a woman who packs a piece in New York that it’s OK with him.

Giuliani later backpedaled — saying decisions on concealed-carry permits are up to the states — but his answer had been different to Julie Trevor, of Stowe, Vt., at a campaign stop. Trevor told Giuliani she gets nervous every time she enters New York while toting a concealed handgun she got for protection after her house was burglarized.

Does he still believe in the “densely populated area” exception to the second amendment? More:

“As far as I am concerned, you can have a concealed weapon,” he said. “The Constitution of the United States in the Second Amendment gives you an individual right to bear arms; that individual right is as strong as your individual right to free speech, free assembly, being safe against unreasonable searches and seizures.”

Outside the event, Giuliani said his test came from a recent federal court ruling overturning a tough District of Columbia gun ban, which set what he considered “reasonable” limits on gun ownership. He said he believes that individual states should decide who can carry weapons.

Well, at least he’s paying attention. He supports the right to own and carry guns but thought DC’s complete and total ban on possession of a functional at-the-ready weapon was reasonable? Or am I reading that wrong?

Sorry, Rudy, I ain’t buyin’ what you’re sellin’.

In comments, Countertop thinks I’m reading it wrong:

I think your reading that wrong. It sounds like he is saying he agrees with the DC Circuit, which set a reasonable standard for gun control to meet. NOt that DC had met it, but what the court said

Looks like there has been language inserted into the 300+ page bi-partisan* immigration bill for more gun control. Specifically, language that would classify gun shop owners & operators as criminal gangs in the event they committed two or more felonies. Sounds reasonable until you realize that minor paperwork glitches are felonies (such as putting a Y instead of spelling out Yes on a form). GOA has more.

* Any bill with the support of both parties is probably bad for the people.

A map of states looking to permit handgun carry on campus.

Ranked by state. Via Sebastian.

Wow:

Under Curran’s plan, the mayor could declare “public-safety-act zones,” which would allow police to close liquor stores and bars, limit the number of people on city sidewalks, and halt traffic during two-week intervals.

Police would be encouraged to aggressively stop and frisk individuals in those zones to search for weapons and drugs. [...]

Nutter’s proposal also calls for curfews in crime-plagued neighborhoods.

This isn’t in Iraq, this is in freaking Baltimore. The adjudicated mentally defective err lunatics are running the asylum.

Update: Wow, perspective from PGP:

A couple of days ago, there were 15 shootings in 24 hours.

Maryland gets rated an A- from The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Ownership.

In Connecticut:

The state Senate passed a controversial gun-control bill Wednesday night that could make failure to report the loss or theft of a gun within 72 hours a crime.

The bill is intended to reduce the volume of stolen guns used in violent crimes.

And how exactly will it accomplish that? I’m guessing it will not.

Via Kim, I am now using the Foxit Reader to read PDF files. Adobe Acrobat Reader is a big, fat chunk of bloatware that frequently crashes my browser or locks up during print jobs. Foxit is nice and small. Loads fast, doesn’t crash Firefox and generally is an all around superior product. And it’s free.

Well, it’s not disobedience if they’re not breaking the law:

Zach Doty is raising eyebrows by taking the Second Amendment for a walk.

Doty, who turned 18 last month, has been stopped by police twice in the past month after citizens spotted him with a loaded 9mm Glock pistol in a hip holster in plain view.

No citations were issued because Idaho code allows residents 18 and older to openly carry a firearm in public. To carry a concealed weapon, you must be 21 and have a permit.

The second time officers checked out Zach — on Sunday at Poleline and Greensferry — his 15-year-old brother, Steven, was carrying a .22-caliber rifle in a sling on his back. Again, there was no wrongdoing because teens 13 to 17, with parental permission, are allowed by Idaho law to carry a rifle.

The home-schooled brothers said they intend to continue to openly carry guns in public on a regular basis for self defense — both as a crime deterrent and to educate others that it’s the public’s right.

“I certainly don’t anticipate that I’ll need to use it, but I’d rather have it and not need it than to not have it and need it,” Zach said. “There’s no reason for me to hide a weapon.”

It ends with: I’m just trying to exercise a right that I have no reason to hide

A look at those sick people.

The Daily Puppy, with this cute pickle.

In my parent’s generation to be called a “classy broad” would be a compliment. It brings to mind Katherine Hepburn and Lauren Bacall.

Since this is politically incorrect week here at SayUncle, perhaps every week is, it is fitting to pay tribute to a classy broad who made me happy this week.

Elisabeth Hasselbeck is one classy broad. For a second there I thought she might punch Rosie O’Donnel right in the nose.

Who let the nannies in my state? The Tennessean:

Smoking would be banned in most workplaces, including restaurants and bars, under a bill that passed the Senate by a wide margin today.

After several revisions, the bill mirrors a proposal from Gov. Phil Bredesen to ban smoking in nearly all enclosed public places.

The market is doing a fine job of restricting smoking. And, of course, property owners have a right to decide what otherwise lawful activities they allow on their premises. I honestly never thought this would even come close to passing in Tennessee, which produces quite a bit of tobacco.

Via AC, who notes:

Just remember, limited government and libertarian types, Republicans did this to you. Three of the sponsors and obviously a good amount of those in favor voted to ban smoking from enclosed spaces.

I’d like to thank you, The Tennessean, personally for the fact that soon handgun carry permit records will likely be confidential.

The story so far: The local paper runs, err, well, I’ll just let Tam say it:

Standing in the checkout line at the grocery store last Saturday, I glanced down at the Knoxville News Sentinel in the rack by the register and was struck dumb. There at the top of the front page, above the fold, in the place usually reserved for things like War Was Declared!, Man Lands On Moon!, or Dewey Defeats Truman!, was something very much along the lines of Drunken Teen Prom Party In Suburbia.

And Tam says: wait, that’s really news?

The editor responds with: Uh uh, it was, like, so totally news and stuff.

And Dr. Helen joins the fun: Nyuh, uh. It’s like totally not news & stuff.

MKS of the paper defends his paper and has a poll asking the question: So, is it really like news and stuff?

Now, I’m no reporter but I gather that the primary business of the news is to sell the news (sell news = profit). Secondary to that is actually reporting the news. Is the story news? Sure. But is it front page Man Bites Dog, wall-to-wall, daily coverage news? No. It’s a blurb, at most. In the gossip section with pictures of cats. But can you blame the KNS? It was the most read story, even beating out UT football which is quite an accomplishment in Knoxville. And why is that? Well, because you’d rather read about that, or semi-hot teachers doing their students, or porn stars giving knob jobs to state troopers, or Paris Hilton’s jail cell as opposed to the state of trade relations with China, the US Attorney scandal, or that orders for durable goods are up 0.6%. They’re selling the news and you’re buying it. And you, frankly, don’t care about things that are particularly important.

Meanwhile, the Knoxville News Sentinel’s coverage of Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam belonging to an anti-gun group? None. I also recall some sort of property scandal covered here by #9 that’s also not news. But, hey, they gotta pay the bills.

VA Governor Kaine ran on a platform that was supportive of gun rights. Now, it looks as though those were empty promises:

Governor Kaine gave the panel investigating the Virginia Tech shooting incident its marching orders on Monday: Kaine let it be known that he expects the panel to recommend more gun control – including ammunition control!

First Kaine does not invite any gun rights groups to be on the panel, and now he’s telling the panel what he wants the panel to conclude.

The results of that panel, if it includes gun or ammunition control, will be tainted and should be dismissed as a farce on the people of Virginia.

Via PGP, who notes:

Kaine was the first leader to publicly excoriate those who would politicize the VT debacle; his comments seemed almost directly aimed at the Brady Campaign, who started asking for donations before the bodies of the deceased had even been released to their families.

Quite disappointing.

A video of a toddler wrestling a cobra. Ahh! Cobras. Cobras. Via the NITwit.

Oh, what? Like you’re not gonna click that?

Remember the kid who was charged with disorderly conduct over an essay he wrote? The charges have been dropped:

Prosecutors said they dropped the charges partly because the teacher at Cary-Grove High School in McHenry County didn’t want the case to continue.

I’d say the dropped them because they knew they were full of shit and that they’d get sued. Actually, I hope the kid sues anyway.

LAWNORDER: SPECIAL LANDSCAPING UNIT. Is it just me, or does he seem to be having too much fun landscaping?

NRA Presser:

Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen has signed into law the National Rifle Association (NRA)-backed “Castle Doctrine” bill (HB 1907) bringing common sense self-defense protections to law-abiding Tennesseans.

“Gov. Bredesen and Tennessee lawmakers recognize the value of ensuring that law-abiding citizens have the option and the right to protect themselves when criminals attack,” said Chris W. Cox, NRA’s chief lobbyist. “This is a victim’s rights measure that puts the law on the side of victims, who don’t have the luxury of time when confronted by a criminal. This law removes any mandate of forcible retreat set either in state statute or in case law.”

Between this and signing into law a provision requiring local law enforcement to sign off on NFA forms in 15 business days, one of our more pro-gun governors is a Democrat.

Update: Meanwhile, folks at the TFA say this is not a good bill.

Ben wants to know. I think:

It’s a tax on hope.

It’s a tax on people who can’t do math.

It’s a tax people actually stand in line willingly to pay.

Hell, I have almost five times that in just 22LR. Apparently, VA Governor is troubled that Virginia law allows any individual to stockpile ammunition with no way for authorities to monitor the cache. That’s a cache? Hell, the other day I gave 1,000 rounds of 40S&W I couldn’t use away.

This time, he wants to ban light bulbs. The fact this guy runs one of the largest cities on Earth is scary as Hell.

That they’ll make a movie about anything. Guaranteed to suck. My idea for a movie would sell, though.

Heading down 75 to my unsecured and undisclosed location when I see flashing police lights behind me. I get out of the way and notice that it’s a white van. The police lights are coming from under the grill and not the top. They’re blue (not red) so I conclude it’s no ambulance. The driver is hauling some major ass. I’m curious. As it passes me, I look over on the side of the van to see the emblem for The Department of Homeland Security. I wonder where they were going? And I wonder if a fed agency is really a first responder to something?

Any ideas?

Last week I wrote about the local online Editor of the Knoxville News Sentinel and comments he made about Charlie Daniels concerning the Channon Christian and Christopher Newsome case. Updated information on that story here.

Since then I have learned of other horrible criminal cases where the Main Stream Media has non-reported and under reported stories that calls into question whether there is a politically correct filter being applied to the news we are allowed to read and see.

Both La Shawn Barber and Michelle Malkin have written about the Wichita Massacre. Never heard of it. It was a case similar to but even worse than the Channon Christian and Christopher Newsome case.

Via Glenn Reynolds a story from John Leo of the New York Sun. John Leo writes of the case of Jesse Dirkhising, a 13-year-old Arkansas boy who was drugged, tied to a bed, raped, tortured, and killed by two homosexual men. Never heard of it.

John Leo asks the question, “Before long, more news consumers will conclude that even crime news is in effect being politicized. Is this any way to protect an industry in trouble?”

Glenn Reynolds writes, “Plus, ironically the news folks’ desire not to give white supremacist types ammo winds up doing just that.”

Political correctness is a cancer on this country. Is it too much to ask that the media just report the news? All of it? And editors wonder why people are not reading the newspaper.

It’s a good thing that Tennessee bans handgun carry in parks. Otherwise, a shooting might happen there.

In light of their killing an innocent woman, the Atlanta PD has replaced its entire narcotics unit.:

Atlanta’s police chief has announced sweeping changes to his department, including the replacement of the entire narcotics unit.

The unit came under heavy criticism last fall after the shooting death of a 92-year-old woman during a drug raid. Officers burst into her home unannounced, with a no-knock warrant based on false information. Two of the officers involved have pleaded guilty to manslaughter and other charges, while a third is still facing prosecution.

Police Chief Richard Pennington says training standards for the narcotics unit will be rewritten to adopt federal drug agency practices. He says 14 investigators will be added this month, and he hopes to have a new staff of 30 by the end of the year.

Good. It’s a start.

See what I mean?

On the outside, I may look like a rat in a dress. But on the inside, I am a killer.

This post at NIT got me to thinking that I ought to talk about dogs again. More importantly, about perceptions of dogs and why dogs aren’t people.

You leave the house for a few minutes to get something. You return to find the roast you left on the counter gone, the dishes in the floor, and a quite content pooch asleep with gravy stains on his face. What happened? Did the dog make a choice to snatch the roast? Or did something in the fiber of his being remind him that he is a scavenger and override the rule you established for him to not jump on counters? Regardless, you shouldn’t have left the roast on the counter.

Or, another made-up example is my dog (here’s a pic for reference). He was bred to be a farm dog and, more specifically, he was bred to hunt hogs and to restrain cattle. Later, his breed was used to create dogs specifically for fighting other dogs. He has the following characteristics:

And that’s genetics. A couple of other facts about my dog in terms of socialization:

Now, if you came to my backyard right now and put a pig in there, what do you think would happen? Give up? I’ll tell you, without me there to direct him, he will kill it. Period. He’s genetically programmed to do that. He’s built to do that. He has a desire to do that. And unless trained to stop, that’s what he will do. It’s never come up because there just aren’t a lot of pigs in suburbia.

When it comes to a fighting dog, the dogs involved in that hideous and repulsive activity have been bred and conditioned to do just that. Period. The dogs are not forced. Dogs do not have a will like we do and they don’t make choices like we do. Pavlov’s dogs did not choose to drool nor did they do so against their will. They were the product of their genetics and conditioning. Dogs fight for a reason and the primary reason is that it often is how they decide who is in charge. That is, for a dog, a natural tendency. Fighting dogs have been conditioned to kill the other dog, which is something that is rare in a dog fight among non-fighting dogs that usually fight until one dog says uncle. But the urge to get into the fight at all is something all dogs have.

Assigning human qualities to dogs is foolish. Dogs are not evil or good. They don’t make bad or good choices. They react to their environment and that can be controlled through conditioning. Dogs are just dogs.

Dogs are animals. Dogs are killers. Dogs are scavengers. Dogs are followers. They are also loving companions and great protectors due to their nature. But never forget that even little fluffy would love to rip the throat out of a rat. Those cute little Dachshunds were bred to kill badgers. Do you realize how tough a badger is? And how tough a small dog would have to be to go toe-to-toe with one? When people forget that dogs are animals to be controlled, it’s dangerous for the people and unfair to the dogs.

Update: Funny story to illustrate. I was camping and Politically Incorrect Dog and I went fishing. He was hanging out (restrained, of course) and I landed about an 8 pound catfish. I pulled it out of the water to remove it from the line. Without so much as a sound or warning, Politically Incorrect Dog was on that fish like Barbie Cummings on a Tennessee State Trooper. He saw something he didn’t recognize, perceived it as either a threat or prey, and reacted. I pulled him off and we had a fish fry.

Update 2: When a bull dog mistakes your couch for a pig. Heh. Speaking of, my dog likes couches too. But as a springboard.

No kidding:

Senior citizens are much more capable of defending themselves than they may realize, especially if they are armed with a cane and know how to use it, said Larry Giordano, a black belt in karate who has taught self-defense to people of all ages in the Merrimack Valley for 40 years.

I dunno but I’m thinking Glock beats cane.

No really:

A new report from the Brady Campaign to Combat Gun Violence says colleges may have legal problems if they allow students to carry weapons on their campuses.

Courts have long recognized an obligation by colleges and schools to provide a “safe environment” for students. Courts have found, in many previous cases, that colleges were liable in attacks that occurred on campuses.

Actually, court cases I’ve read rule the government has no duty to protect you.

SUV Steals Guns!

I dunno Jay. If he does, he missed one.

Via insty, comes a Gallup poll on guns:

roughly one in three Americans are gun owners, including 41% of Republicans and 24% of Democrats

In other news, they report that gun owning Democrats favor Hillary Clinton. Err, really? Did you pay attention in the 1990s?

911 should be the backup plan.

Sig 220

Mag Fed 20MM rifle. Via ahab who says: I don’t know what I’d do with it. Seems to me it’d take out varmints and dispose of the carcass at the same time.

MagPul personal defense weapon, via Colt CCO

S&W “Safety Hammerless”

It has more working parts than the Space Shuttle. Truth Laid Bare writes “Immigration Bill: Bigger Than The Bible, Not Nearly As Enlightened”. It is 326 pages of Rube Goldberg inspired confusion.

If you dare, more can be learned here and here. Good luck.

An update on the guns in parks/public buildings bill in Tennessee:

Frank Nicley (sic) gun bill was given a 90 thousand dollar fiscal note (for signs to tell people that they can carry in all the parks)and was sent back to budget sub. from calender committee.

Now, I support allowing people to carry on state/city owned property. But the signs idea is really stupid. I think AC was right:

I’ll tell you what the point of the sign is and it is not about protecting anyone. If there is a provision for a sign there has to be an outlay of money to pay for the sign giving the powers that be one more chance to kill the bill in the Finance Committee. That’s all that was — nothing more.

Could be. I could see someone saying: I supported the bill but the mean ol’ state wouldn’t pay for signs!

Victims of police raids on the wrong house have no recourse:

Neither ruling is consistent with a society that allegedly values individual rights, even without the express protections offered by the Fourth Amendment. This ruling in particular evokes Justice Scalia’s flp (sic) aside in Hudson that the only purpose of requiring the police to give notice is to avoid the harm of “being seen in one’s night clothes.” That the Supreme Court can continue to issue rulings like this one in spite of the Fourth Amendment shows that the Castle Doctrine, freedom from unreasonable search, and privacy in general are all but dead in this country.

Well, joining is easier than thinking.

My brother in law on his six foot eight, 300 pound friend:

It’s the damnedest thing. That big ol’ boy has phobias of clowns, midgets, and spiders. Seriously, that dude would totally loose his mind if an eight-legged clown midget said boo. Not me, though. I fear the things you’re supposed to fear. Like my daughter one day becoming a stripper.

Alrighty, then.

Tam:

Last week a legally armed and alert citizen prevented a multiple murderer from fleeing the scene of his armed robbery, pinning him until police could arrive. Note how the USA Today story makes Mr. Chappell sound more like a bystander than one of the heroes of the piece.

Seems another failure to mention an armed citizen intervening has surfaced in the Idaho shootings:

On the positive side, if you can call it that, we found out who the wounded citizen is. He is a mechanical engineering student here at UI, and when he heard gunshots he grabbed his “semi-automatic .45 pistol” and ran outside to try to help. He didn’t get a chance to return fire before he was wounded.

As of yet, I’ve seen no mention of this in the press. Meanwhile, Lyle informs us that the shooter did not use an SKS (as reported in the press) but had an M1A and some sort of AK variant. He also notes:

According to the police chief, the guy had been convicted of domestic violence, had tried suicide earlier and failed, had been involuntarily committed to a mental facility.

Another prohibited crazy person gets a gun.

I’m with Kevin, I’ve never seen it either. It seems that in U.S. v. Rock Island Armory (C.D.Ill.1991), the court ruled that:

In sum, since enactment of 18 U.S.C. sec. 922(o), the Secretary has refused to accept any tax payments to make or transfer a machinegun made after May 19, 1986, to approve any such making or transfer, or to register any such machinegun. As applied to machineguns made and possessed after May 19, 1986, the registration and other requirements of the National Firearms Act, Chapter 53 of the Internal Revenue Code, no longer serve any revenue purpose, and are impliedly repealed or are unconstitutional.

Even better, the .gov decided not to appeal because they knew they would lose. Short version: taxing is OK but banning is not.

Hi Power.

Rifles he can’t afford.

Gunner wants to pimp his AK. A comment I tried to leave is that the Tapco folder stock is not real pleasant to shoot. Also, before firing it with the stock folded, make sure that the stock sits below the charging handle. Some times they don’t and, when you fire, I’ve heard of people having their stocks knocked off.

You know, when the likes of a nanny-state prick like Bloomberg call my kind sick, I take it as the greatest compliment ever. But then, he called the largest police organization in the United States fringe. You keep using those words. I do not think they mean what you think they mean.

I may have to get one of these shirts. You know, for when I fly.