To reader Robert for winning the Texas State Rifle Association Highpower Rifle Championship.

The UK is looking more Orwellian. Flying cameras? I wonder if this is a natural progression from having banned firearms and the current consideration of banning knives?

Ian Readhead, deputy chief constable of Hampshire Police, said Britain could face an Orwellian situation with cameras on every street corner. However, senior officers in Merseyside, who are trialling the drone, said they did not believe it was the next phase in creating a Big Brother society.

Assistant chief constable Simon Byrne said: “People clamour for the feeling of safety which cameras give.

“Obviously there is a point of view that has been expressed but our feedback from the public is anything we can do to fight crime is a good thing.

Do you think if they could protect themselves maybe Orwell’s Big Brother wouldn’t be necessary?

A long-time friend of mine has started a blog: Diary of a Mad IT Manager. Check it out.

Not sure what’s funnier about this story (short version, porn star gets stopped in TN with drugs. Gets out of ticket by, well, you know. Blogs about it, gets trooper in trouble.):

1 – That the whole concept of it sounds like the plot to a porn movie.

2 – That the trooper wanted to film it.

3 – That Knoxville has another blogging porn star.

4 – That some news coverage actually showed a pixelated blow job.

5 – Or that her blog is what broke the story.

AC says:

It’s not just public officials in the political realm who need to be on notice. Anyone under the color of authority has to ask themselves one question: “Is the person I am dealing with a blogger.”

And it helps to not film yourself doing stupid shit.

Update: And yes, I’ve seen the blog and the pictures. And I have not linked to it, which some say is more class than they expected from me. We here at SayUncle draw the line at nekkid (usually – unless it’s artsy fartsy) and porn (always).

Update: Oh dear. Seems, per Joe – who is not above linking who realized his mom might be reading, that she did not get out of the ticket. I guess she really does just love to . . . err, you know. Well, ticket instead of drug charges, I guess.

No fucking shit.

Michael Silence:

If a local government were to start a blog, what would be your top three, four or five suggestions for it?

I concur that comments and addressing them are key if they really want to get input.

Drug testing in schools:

And with the full weight of the federal government pushing mandatory random suspicion-less drug testing in schools as being nothing more intrusive than a health inoculation, it’s almost surprising that anyone is willing to step up and discuss the real facts about student drug testing.

So it’s heartening that, despite the losses, there are school districts all over the country who are standing up to the drug czar, that are listening to SSDP and DPA and NORML representatives at drug testing summits, and that there are newspapers willing to editorialize (even if not perfectly) against a massive testing regime.

Good. This kinda got me to thinking about my kids. They’re gonna have it rough, I think, growing up in a world where, increasingly, schools are becoming authoritarian and they’ll have a father not afraid to tell a school administration when it crosses the line. No, you’re not drug-testing them. No, they’re not wearing a uniform. No, you will not arbitrarily search their personal belongings without good reason. Etc. I wonder at what age I should have the little l libertarian conversation with them. And explain to them that, no, daddy isn’t just a contrary prick. He just doesn’t like to see public officials cross the line and has no problem telling them when to knock it off. I wouldn’t be trying to convert them as much as letting them know where I came from.

Conversely, I wouldn’t want my kids to take my views so much to heart that they generally become oppositional to authority just for the sake of being oppositional.

And some gun porn.

Some future destructive devices, that is. Someone is making 19 round drums for Saiga shotguns. Everyone has pics and is blogging about them, including The Idiot’s Blog, Colt CCO, ExistingThing, and James.

In the past, the ATF has reclassified some shotguns with as destructive devices, which effectively makes them the legal equivalent of machine guns. These weapons were subject to NFA regulations. One such shotgun was the DAO-12 (or Street Sweeper). Here’s some history on the reclassification, which boils down to someone deciding that they were not generally recognized as particularly suitable for or readily adaptable to sporting purposes. Whatever that means, since it functions like any other semi-auto shotgun. I’ve known a few folks who use the Saiga to shoot trap and to hunt. And some folks use it in three gun competition.

I think the combination of the Saiga and these aftermarket magazines could have the effect of getting the Saiga reclassified. And, of course, the fact the Saiga is based on the Kalashnikov makes it even more scary.

Some nutjob decided to shoot up a courthouse with an SKS. It happened in Joe’s town. He went to the press conference and took some pictures. He has a video from the conference where he asks about the SKS being automatic.

Rachel Lucas is back, for all your gun-loving, Gore-hating, Clooney-bashing needs.

The Second Amendment Carnival is up.

Good to see the NRA addressing that various states think libertarians are terrorists. They mention me *blushes*

Here’s how to. And don’t forget this one.

Before you complain please note the category this was filed under.

Via Instapundit, guilt free carbon lifestyle. FREE CARBON OFFSETS.

Over at Michael Silence’s blog on the Knoxville News Sentinel is a post from News Sentinel On-line Editor Jack Lail that is from my perspective over the line. Mr. Lail is responding to a post on Charlie Daniels blog where Mr. Daniels questions the coverage by the Main Stream Media of the brutal murders of Channon Christian or Christopher Newsome of Knoxville. You need to read Mr. Daniels post and Mr. Lail’s post to have the whole story.

This is my response to Mr. Lail.

Mr. Lail, is it possible you have misunderstood what Charlie Daniels meant? You seem to be very defensive about this. Mr. Lail, you also wrote, “Daniels should be ashamed of his own involvement in seeding lies and nurturing hate.” Let’s examine your calling Charlie Daniels a liar.

Are you suggesting that since “several stories and photos” were distributed by AP that Charlie Daniels is wrong? Mr. Daniels wrote, “But have you seen anything on the networks, The New York Times, The Nashville Tennessean? I haven’t.”

Isn’t what Mr. Daniels suggests is that this story was not reported to the level of fluff stories carried by the AP and the Main Stream Media? Also, Charlie Daniels did not mention the Knoxville News Sentinel did he?

So where does your outrage come from sir? Is it not clear to you Mr. Lail that Charlie Daniels is not talking about your newspaper the Knoxville News Sentinel?

Simply put Mr. Lail, has this story had the column inches on AP and the MSM that the Paris Hilton DUI case has? Britney’s haircut? Anna Nicole Smith’s death?

Of course it hasn’t. And that is exactly Charlie Daniels point.

So please explain Mr. Lail how that is a “heinous falsehood” and why “Daniels should be ashamed of his own involvement in seeding lies and nurturing hate”. Your defense of the Main Stream Media makes no sense what so ever. And you wonder why people are not reading newspapers. Look in the mirror. It’s not about you Mr. Lail, it is about your sorry industry. Get your own house in order before you call others liars.

I think you owe Charlie Daniels an apology.

Hey, Deb’s back. Good. But her feed seems on the fritz.

But guns are essentially banned in Mexico and Japan. See:

Gun ownership in Mexico is an exclusive club. You must be either wealthy or a criminal, or both. Permits for firearms can be obtained, however, after much bureaucratic nonsense that can only be avoided by those with connections or a monetary favor, a.k.a., mordida.

Tromix Saiga 6 and 8. W00t!

Side by side with hammers.

Say it ain’t so! Here’s hoping it’s temporary. If not, I’ll miss that guy.

I think it was the early 90s, maybe late 80s, when Tennessee passed its first seat-belt law? They said no one would ever be pulled over for it but if you were stopped for something else, you’d get a ticket for not wearing one. They assured us of that. They were full of shit.

More from R. Neal:

State Sen. Jimmy Kyle (D-Wartburg) got an amendment to the “guns in parks and public places” bill to also allow guns in the State Capitol building, including the House and Senate chambers and the Legislative Plaza, where guns are currently prohibited.

Sounds reasonable to me. After all, CCW promoters keep telling us they are the safest, most law-abiding people in the whole state of Tennessee. If families in state parks would be safer with CCW guns around, so would our elected officials, right? What’s the big deal?

Apparently it’s a big deal to the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Tim Burchett (R-Knoxville). He withdrew his bill rather than allow it to pass with the amendment.

Nicely breaks bad:

In a bit of crafty maneuvering, state Rep. Frank Niceley says he will try to amend his latest “Wild West” gun bill to force the state to begin reporting mental-health records to the FBI’s national instant background check system. “If they vote against it now, they’re voting against sending the names of lunatics to the feds,” Niceley says.

Meanwhile, Jeff Woods over at some Nashville weekly gets his full-fledged gun hating rhetoric on with terms like: Wild West, supposedly law-abiding handgun permit holders [they have to be or they don't get permits - ed], and hard-core gun nuts. He says:

Even hard-core gun nuts would have a hard time voting for handguns on playgrounds.

Err, no. We wouldn’t. No different than a mall or Shoney’s.

Also, why would they report it to the FBI NICS? Tennessee uses its own system for gun purchases. I assume they’re connected in some way.

A while back, I got a phone call. It went something like this:

Me: Hello

Person calling: This is blah blah from the Fraternal Order of Police. You have been a regular contributor for a number of years and we were hoping you’d continue that this year.

Me: I would. But it seems your organization supports renewal of the assault weapons ban.

Person calling: Sir?

Me: Yeah, your brass has decided to support gun control and I don’t appreciate that, particularly when the bill in question is so stupid and has not been shown to have any impact on crime of any kind. And the rank and file officers don’t support it.

Person calling: I don’t understand what you’re getting at.

Me: Well, I am not and will not ever again donate to your organization unless it retracts its position and apologizes.

Person calling: But your contribution . . .

Me: Sorry, not happening. Good bye.

And I have not given one dime to them since, which annoys my dad who was a cop for years. Anyway, given that position on guns, I find Bloomberg’s comments about the Fraternal Order of Police odd:

At one point during the session, Bloomberg took a swipe at the Fraternal Order of Police, which claims 308,000 members and supports a federal measure the mayor says would make it almost impossible to trace illegal weapons.

“It is one fringe organization,” charged Bloomberg.

“I would say resident within the Fraternal Order of Police is far more expertise with the administration of justice than Mayor Bloomberg’s limited experience in that area,” shot back James Pasco, the group’s executive director.

The FOP asked Bloomberg to knock off his illegal sting operation because it was interfering with legitimate law enforcement investigations. For that, they are a fringe group. Of course, for Bloomy, anyone who isn’t rabidly anti-gun must be fringe. PGP says:

Snippets like this should be the exclamation point on what I’ve been saying for a while–media bias in general is a tired, overwrought topic, but the bias against guns is plainly visible. If it were any other topic, a politician would be drawn, quartered, and excoriated instantly for suggesting that an organization representing the men and women who risk their lives daily in the law enforcement field is a “fringe group.”

Ayup.

Update: The FOP responds.

Heh.

Shorter version: they put their fingers in their ears and say lalalala I can’t hear you. Via David, who notes:

Hmm. The Parker decision is “fantasy,” not to mention “inconsistency, flawed reasoning, distortion of binding precedent, and misunderstood historical materials”? Then DC should be rushing to file a petition for cert., rather than agonizing over the call.

Update: Xrlqy Wrlqy brings the Snarkenremarken.

In Baltimore:

A city council leader, alarmed by Baltimore’s rising homicide rate, wants to give the mayor the power to put troubled neighborhoods under virtual lockdown.

“Desperate measures are needed when we’re in desperate situations,” …

…modeled his plan after an approach advocated by Philadelphia mayoral candidate Michael Nutter, who won the Democratic nomination Tuesday. Nutter has called for declarations of a “state of emergency” in high-crime neighborhoods, where police would conduct aggressive stop-and-frisk searches and impose curfews.

WATE:

Legislation that would require mandatory sentencing for violent offenders who commit a felony involving a firearm has moved out of the House Judiciary Committee.

The bill sponsored by Rep. John DeBerry of Memphis is one of several recommended by the Tennessee Public Safety Coalition to curtail violent crime and make the state’s communities safer.

Under the legislation, a person who possesses a firearm while committing a felony would have to serve a minimum of three years in prison.

More of what we’re up against.

Pretty scary quote:

“Just because you legally possess a gun in the sanctity of your locked home doesn’t mean that we’re not going to walk into that home and check to see if you’re being responsible and safe in the way that you conduct your affairs,” [District Attorney] Harris said.

Sounds like a good way to get shot to me. And another:

It’s focused on making it as inconvenient and as difficult as possible for people to possess guns in a way that people will be harmed

Remember, these are reasonable restrictions.

Oh, sure we don’t see eye-to-eye on much. I mean, I thought his porn for corn bill was just about the dumbest and poorly thought out thing ever. But this is beautiful:

Representative Brian Kelsey (R-Germantown) announced today that he refused to submit his request for pet pork projects in his district. The House Democratic leadership proposed that $20 million be spent on pet pork projects in each House member’s district. Democratic leadership is giving each member until 4:30 p.m. today to submit a proposal on how to spend the $100,000 allotted to his district for so-called “community enhancement grants.” Rep. Kelsey instead submitted to the Democratic leadership an envelope of bacon, saying, “I’m not going to take the pork. I’m giving the pork back today.”

Sorostitutes. My wife was one and she gets mad when I use that word.

From the Bloomberg gun giveaway.

Update: More here.

So, is it odd that this disclaimer:

It should be noted that I took this picture myself using the self-timer on my camera. You should never, EVER point a gun at anyone*—even if you just want to take fun pictures—even if you’re 100% certain it’s unloaded. It’s a very bad and dangerous practice to get into.

Shows up on a pic? Probably not since you don’t want to make the list.

Over in Progressiveville an interesting conversation is going on about “Whatsa Progressive Blogger to do?” It sounds a little religious but it is an interesting read.

What caught my eye was this, “That’s what’s so frustrating about intellectual frauds like #9. They engage in discussion in bad faith. They’re not out to learn; they’re out to proselytize their disinformation to the credulous. And see, that’s where this whole bargain breaks down – because it’s *their* mission to spread *their* version of events, or whatever, and it’s completely at odds with your mission. That’s an irreconcilable collision.”

If you have ever engage “progressives” ie “liberals who can’t really admit they are liberals” in any kind of discussion you may appreciate the Pot calling the Kettle black meme here.

I don’t know what brought this about, maybe the specter of Fred Thompson getting into the Presidential race, but there is no joy in Mudville Progressiveville.

When you have had discussions with “progressives”, do you feel they engage in discussion in good faith?

Pretty pictures. Scroll for more.

If I want to get people’s pretty panties in a bunch, I just have to do a post about bicycling or global warming?

I tend to avoid the discussions. Anyhoo my thoughts:

Cycling: Don’t care. Do what you want but obey the rules and don’t be a dick.

Global warming: It’s happening. However, the impact of humans on it and the perceived level of Armageddon it may cause are debatable. So far, neither side does a decent job of convincing me. And I’m all for doing my part and whatnot but the fact is I can’t haul around two kids, all the junk required by two kids, a dog, and other items in damn Prius. Deal with it.

As you were.

for a handgun.

Mark Hemingway:

Last fall, I was reporting on a story about Blackwater USA — the private military company. Though Blackwater is chiefly known for the mercenary/security work they’re doing in Afghanistan and Iraq, they also do a lot of military and law enfocement (sic) traing on their 7,500 acre compound in North Carolina. At the compound they even have an abandoned school bus and an entire firing range modeled after a high school(!) for SWAT training.

Anyway, I was interviewing one of Blackwater’s vice-president’s and I noticed that he had Radley’s Cato report on paramilitary police raids on his desk. I asked about it and from the ensuing conversation and I can tell you that Radley’s work was being taken seriously within the law enforcement training world.

Unfortunately, it’s not being taken as seriously within police departments. Later I asked the president of Blackwater CEO Erik Prince about the company’s law enforcement training business. He told me that almost all of the law enforcement training they do is for police officers and SWAT team members that are paying for their own training.

I think instead of armored vehicles and expensive optics that they put on wrong, a little training would go much further.

First, there can be no compromise with people who think reasonable gun control means banning guns. Sorry, just a fact. If these people got their way, my collection would be down to zero. If you want a serious discussion, the first words out of your mouth ought not be we need to ban . . . Just saying.

Next, behold the hoplophobe in all it’s pants-shitting glory:

The combination of mental disease and access to guns leaps out at almost everyone in media coverage in the aftermath of the Virginia Tech shootings. But from there, ideas and advocacies, widely distributed by the press, tend to become amorphous and tinged with hopelessness.

Actually, I’m mostly just afraid of the people with the mental problems. After all, they can substitute box cutters, gasoline and a Ryder truck loaded with fertilizer for a gun. Continuing:

Some years ago, the distinguished historian Richard Hofstadter told me that, after a lifetime of studying American culture, what he found most deeply troubling was our country’s inability to come to terms with the gun—which in turn strongly affected domestic and international attitudes. Emotions of extreme attachment to and even sacralization of the gun pervade American society, and commercial interests shamelessly manipulate these emotions to produce wildly self-destructive policies.

We’ve come to terms with the gun and have decided that people should have them. The only one who hasn’t come to terms with them are, uhm, you guys. But here’s the rub: It’s not people like that a gun turns into a killing machine. It’s people already predisposed to that sort of behavior. As David Kupelian notes:

“Why don’t you pick up that gun and blow your brains out?”

“You could kill a whole lot of people with that gun.”

“Why not shoot her right now? That would shut her up!”

These are the sorts of vile mental suggestions many people experience from within their own minds when they see a gun.

That’s right. Dark thoughts and impulses, too horrible to dwell upon or even acknowledge, occur to many of us at the mere sight of a firearm or a naked blade. When we see the firearm, we sense the presence of evil – so naturally we assume the gun is its source, when actually the gun’s close proximity caused our own buried, angry, violent tendencies to surface for a moment.

Thus, many people who “dislike” or “are afraid of” guns are actually afraid of what they might do if they had a loaded firearm in their hand.

Yes. I noted before about an anti-gunner:

So, he admits in a public forum to assaulting someone. See I, as a responsible person and one not prone to violence and one who carries a handgun, don’t beat people up. Nor do I get into fights. Nor do I start them. I generally avoid physical confrontation regardless of how steamed I am.

And the now famous bit on the Internet about guns and radiation:

If I were to take a live, armed weapon and carry it on my person, in public, it would eat away at my sanity just as if it were emitting lethal radiation. To know that I carried an instrument of sure and certain death on my person, available and ready to be pulled out and used at a moment’s notice to possibly kill…a child. A homeless person. An innocent.

And that’s rather the problem: people who don’t trust themselves sure as Hell don’t trust you. But that makes this (via Rustmeister) rather interesting:

Persons who hold egalitarian and communitarian worldviews worry more about crime and gun accidents, an anxiety that coheres with their negative association of guns with patriarchy, racism, and selfish indifference to the well-being of others.

Persons of a hierarchical and individualistic worldviews, in contrast, tend to see guns as safe, and worry much more about the danger of being rendered defenseless against attack; this perception of risk coheres with their positive associations of guns with traditional social roles (father, protector, provider) and individualistic virtues (self-reliance, courage, physical prowess).

Gun nuts are individualists and assume responsibility for themselves? As opposed to anti-gunners, who look to others and worry about things going bump in the night? Who knew? Did we need Yale to tell us that?

The state senate has voted to ban boobies on TeeVee:

A bill to ban advertisements for “Girls Gone Wild” or similar products is dead in the Tennessee House and constitutionally suspect. But that didn’t stop the state Senate from passing the measure unanimously today.

They just keep wasting their time and my money.

I think, as a general rule, you shouldn’t cuss a 911 operator. See? I don’t care who you are, that’s funny.

Here:

In the past year or so, most people involved in the shooting sports have noticed a growing “ammunition crisis” which has been marked by dramatic increases in ammunition prices, and in many cases, a corresponding shortage of ammunition stocks. It is not unusual to contact vendors and find the entire surplus ammunition stock sold out, and where there is ammunition in stock, to find prices have gone up by two times or more.

It’s about metal. But I’ve also noticed the surplus stuff is harder to find.

Via Tam.

At the Miami Herald.

Joe, that is. And he has more pics of things going boom.

Fenty may puss out:

Gun-control advocates are quietly acknowledging that Fenty (D) is in a difficult spot. Across the country, many of them and their attorneys have been meeting in conference rooms to analyze the potential damage that could be done nationwide if the D.C. law falls apart. Some fear that an adverse Supreme Court ruling could lead to more gun lobby challenges and the collapse of tough gun regulations in New York, Chicago and Detroit. Other potential casualties include federal laws that require background checks for gun buyers or ban the manufacture of machine guns for civilian use.

So, the good guys win in DC and they’re afraid we’ll win nationwide? Sounds like we won that round. Countertop predicted that there’d be no challenge a bit back. We’ll see.

Heh.

A bill to remove gun free zones (you know, those places where all the mass shootings occur) is up for consideration in Michigan.

Yawn:

Today, Politically Incorrect dog is five. That means, factoring in dog years, we’re the same age.

This is the short form. Follow closely.

Here we learn that if you have herpes it may protect you from “bubonic plague and other bacterial contagions, at least in mice”.

But, here we learn that herpes may cause ” Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia”.

Yet here we learn that “Marijuana’s Key Ingredient Might Fight Alzheimer’s”.

And over here we learn that “Red Wine May Help Prevent Alzheimer’s” also.

This is science as we currently understand it.

The same “science” that supports man-made Global Warming. So if you don’t want to get Alzheimer’s you better spend most of your time stoned drinking Red Wine. Don’t despair, at least you won’t get bubonic plague, at least in mice.

This may explain why so many people have fallen for the man-made Global Warming scam.

I can’t get into why, but if you were trying to pitch Tennessee’s gun laws to a company, what would you say?

I would start with:

Legislative history is pro-gun
Not much anti-gun stuff going on
Ample hunting
Shall-issue
Local LEOs are mandated by state law to sign of on NFA approval
Right to hunt bill being considered

Help me out here. I need info ASAP.

Via Brittney, the Nashville local, err, alt weekly (I guess?) has a bit on folks who are bonkers buying guns:

The dangerously mentally ill can buy guns in Tennessee in violation of federal law—no questions asked—because the state doesn’t send their names to the FBI national instant background check system. That’s according to state officials in various departments who blame each other for the failure and don’t seem especially interested in doing anything about it.

As long as they have no criminal record, even mentally ill people who have been involuntarily committed to mental institutions as a danger to themselves or others can go to a gun store on the day of their release, pass the FBI’s background check and walk out with a firearm in Tennessee, officials say.

Tennessee has its own system, the Tennessee Instant Check System and does not utilize the NICS. I’m pretty sure each database can reference the other one but I’m not so sure as to bet more than a beer on it. Tennessee is one of many (30, IIRC) states that have no standard for reporting a case of the crazies to the instant check system. So, reporting to the system is, frankly, mostly optional and probably not done.

And here’s the deal: when people who are dee dee dee buy guns through a dealer, they are breaking the law by lying on ATF Form 4473. Criminals lie, shocking, I know. I’m not sure another law will affect people predisposed to breaking them. So, the question then is: how do we get a list of people the state has decided ain’t right in the head? Beats me. But I’m certain that various mental health professionals will object on the grounds of abortion err privacy rights.

baby gets his first tooth, and his first FOID card.

Didn’t watch because, frankly, the party hasn’t said anything I’ve wanted to hear in about six years.

Update: In comments: It was really more of a Vice Presidential debate

Hah!

Since the assault weapons ban expired a couple years ago, there was supposed to be blood in the streets. None. Also, since these weapons (according to the anti-gun crowd) were the weapon of choice for cop killing (even though they were used in significantly less than 1% of crimes), I find this shocking:

Forty-eight law-enforcement officers were killed last year as a result of felonious line-of-duty attacks — nearly half in the South — the FBI said in a report yesterday. The total was seven less than in 2005.

Less? How can that be?

only better:

Lawmakers defend a policy that lets them carry guns into the state senate.

The sign out front says “no weapons allowed,” but at least two state senators, both women, bring concealed guns with them to work every day.

And related:

Well, today was the National Peace Officers Memorial Day march on the Capitol. With it, DC was over run with cops from across the nation. That’s a good thing, and we were all proud to welcome them to our city.

The problem is that 4 of them (well a whole lot more than that) were carrying their guns. Again, I support that, except that in DC its illegal. They aren’t Federal Police Officers and DC “officially” doesn’t recognize the right of cops (or anyone) from other jurisdictions to carry here.

Hmmm, what a bout the recent bill passed by congress to let active and retired police carry?

without a gun. Maybe fodder was wrong. Stupid can hurt.

Related is a Homer Simpson quote from Sunday (paraphrased from memory): Why do things that only happen to stupid people keep happening to me?

AC notes that Niceley’s bill has made it out of the judiciary committee.

I come not to praise the 1911 but to bury it.

Shorter version: I support the second amendment except when it comes to gun control.

$2.84 billion in revenue was generated from U.S. porn sites in 2006. And other stats on the porn industry presented in this video that is safe for work . . . barely.

Read the rest of this entry »

A while back, I proposed a bill:

No Senator nor Representative in The State can vote for or against a bill unless said legislator can pass, with at least 85% proficiency, a multiple choice exam about the bill in question.

See, if we had my bill in place, then bills wouldn’t sneak past our senators:

State Sen. Raymond Finney is asking for a legislative do-over on the bill that would allow wine to be sold as some restaurants in Townsend.

The Maryville Republican has asked that Senate Bill 1219, approved on May 7, be brought back for further amendments.

“We are recalling a bill that sneaked by me,” Finney said. “I’m having it recalled from the speaker of the House’s desk to have that defeated. There is no way I want to bypass the votes of people in the referendum.”

Finney is referring to a November 2006 referendum to allow liquor by the drink that Townsend voters defeated by a 96-87 vote.

“The way the bill was worded, I didn’t catch it,” he said. “I went back and read the bill … it was a conglomeration of several different locations. We had 50- something bills (to consider) that day.”

Yes, that mean ol’ bill just snuck up on him and done passed itself. Try reading the bills you guys are voting on. It would help.

The Tennessee Policy Center has released its report on vote buying err pork. $125,000,000.

This day’s news of lasting significance: The City (my The City) is getting a Krispy Kreme and an indoor shooting range. Hell yeah.

I told some folks that someone should do that.

Kevin is rejoicing at the nanny state. It saved one life!!! Oh, wait? What’s that? No requirement in Wisconsin to actually wear a helmet? Oh crap! You got your personal responsibility all over me. People can make the right decisions without being threatened to under force of law? Who knew?

In other news, why the Hell are we always talking about cyclists these days?

Note: the smarmy tone is due to Tom’s free market hooey.

I never cared much for Ross Perot. I saw him as the reason America got stuck with Bill Clinton twice. President Clinton was not a good steward of this nations national security.

Today we learn that the Anti-Self-Defense Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City is seriously considering running for President as an Independent and is committed to spending a Billion dollars of his own money.

Fuck you Mayor Bloomberg. I hope you don’t get more than two votes. But sadly he will get votes. A lot of urban bicycle riding anti-self-defense types will see Mayor Bloomberg as a welcome alternative to Rudy Giuliani or John McCain. Will an Independent Bloomberg candidacy pull votes away from Hillary Clinton or Barry Obama? Possible but not probable.

“Bloomberg is H. Ross Perot on steroids,” said former Federal Election Commission Chairman Michael Toner. “He could turn the political landscape of this election upside down, spend as much money as he wanted and proceed directly to the general election. He would have resources to hire an army of petition-gatherers in those states where thousands of petitions are required to qualify a third-party presidential candidate to be on the ballot.”

We sure could use Fred Thompson about now.

Anyone know where Joe’s blog went? His main site is still there.

Update: Software issues.

John has some info on yesterday’s House Oversight & Government Reform Subcommittee on Domestic Policy look at gun control. He notes: there are 150+ weapons *not* on the street.

Tommy linked up 100 of George Carlin’s best lines. My fave:

Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.

Blah, blah, I know. Median, yada, yada. Still funny.

Update: Make it two quotes today:

In a just universe stupid would hurt.

So, I keep noticing in my Google Ads a listing for Ebay that says:

Guns
Browse a huge selection now. Find exactly what you want today.

The link goes to a search page for guns on Ebay. Of course, there aren’t any because that would violate Ebay/PayPal policy. Found it odd.

Me, that is. See, apparently if you think that maybe guns can save lives and counseling is by and large a waste of time and money designed to make people look like they’re doing something, you obviously need, err, counseling and evaluation:

In the aftermath, officials at Hamline University sought to comfort their 4,000 students. David Stern, the vice president for academic and student affairs, sent a campus-wide email offering extra counseling sessions for those who needed help coping.

Scheffler had a different opinion of how the university should react. Using the email handle “Tough Guy Scheffler,” Troy fired off his response: Counseling wouldn’t make students feel safer, he argued. They needed protection. And the best way to provide it would be for the university to lift its recently implemented prohibition against concealed weapons.

[...]

So Hamline officials took swift action. On April 23, Scheffler received a letter informing him he’d been placed on interim suspension. To be considered for readmittance, he’d have to pay for a psychological evaluation and undergo any treatment deemed necessary, then meet with the dean of students, who would ultimately decide whether Scheffler was fit to return to the university.

All this for expressing an opinion.

Deb, that is. She’ll be missed.

It is here.

Well, he’s shown only disregard for it so I guess it’s something:

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who is under federal investigation regarding “rogue sting” operations against gun dealers in five states outside his jurisdiction, has agreed to abide by Virginia law when undertaking any future operations in that state.

I could be wrong, and wouldn’t put it past the state of Illinois to be so stupid, but a Firearm Owners Identification Card is not a firearm, right?

David Hardy takes a look:

I’ve glanced at HR 297, the “NICS Improvement Act.” I must say it’s mostly evidence of how lazy Congress has grown.

A new map of concealed carry laws by state. Well, new to me.

I’m guessing they won’t. Wayne LaPierre on the NRA’s position regarding background checks and Lautenberg’s bill that denies due process of law:

The NRA has always supported including the records of individuals adjudicated mentally defective in the National Instant Background Check System. But we don’t support adding people who have not been adjudicated mentally defective to the system.

First, Les Baer and now Springfield:

Inside the Springfield Armory on Monday, there’s a look at the hands-on craftsmanship sparking this Geneseo business since 1974. The kind of work that created 165 jobs there and some 500 around the Quad City area at other gun-related companies.

But gun manufacturers and local legislators are warning that the $20 million payroll will disappear if legislation passes to limit the number of bullets in a gun magazine. Already passed in the Illinois Senate, it could come up in the Illinois House next week.

ArmaLite is looking to bail too. Good. We’ll take you in Tennessee.

A look it lies in The Other Biased Washington Paper’s article on guns. Speaking of, Chuck Klein says:

My field of expertise is firearms and I am constantly amazed at the lack of knowledge and/or research (laziness?) that some writers exhibit when writing about guns or the use thereof.

Well, I’m pretty sure they just call up one pro-gun guy and one anti-gun guy to get their facts. Anyway, he has a list of info for reporters so that they can appear to have some idea what they’re talking about.

In Pennsylvania this time. Background here.

It’s not all First and Second Amendment here at SayUncle. Some time we look at “Toys and supplies”.

Take some time and check out what Gerber has to offer. Good stuff. Some of these products are available locally at Dick’s Sporting Goods and Walmart.

Last night’s The Sopranos blew some folks theories out of the water. So, a reposting of the poll:

In an update to this and this, it costs about $60 to have a cell phone removed from the toilet.

Want a glimpse of the future? Look to Crazy Cali. These two YouTube videos are the intersection of Global Warming insanity and dufus protesters. Two wonderful examples of civil disobedience and martyrdom. Hopefully not coming to a neighborhood near you.

Bicycles were harmed in these videos.

Cars are killing our planet.

Ride a bike save the planet.

These bike rides are part of Critical Mass, a loosely organized group of eco-nuts who think it is great fun to cause massive traffic jams at rush hour. While this is great fun in places like Crazy Cali, Chicago, Seattle, and Portland, will it sell in the South? One mud covered pickup truck with a rebel flag might cause would be martyrs to think twice.

You’re not the FBI.

In other news, one of the subgunners reports that some out of state police tried to buy handguns and machine guns with no paperwork at a New Hampshire gun shop:

It’s a very long story but some state police from outside NH tried to buy a couple guns (one machine gun and one pistol) at my buddies store with “no paperwork”.

Local law enforcement was called because ATF did not respond to an office call, and the operator at the 800 number for lost or stolen said to call local police.

The ATF not responding to a gun crime? I am shocked.

Update: I’ve already laid odds to Bruce on what state I think they were from.

Over on the right, you’ll notice an ad for David Hardy’s documentary In Search of The Second Amendment. So, clicky.

On the pic of the Mars sunset, Tam:

For every mouth-breathing idiot who wants to kill his neighbor because of their race, religion, or choice of dandruff shampoos, there are a dozen brilliant, dedicated people toiling away to make the future happen.

Courier Post:

The federal government would be able to prevent known or suspected terrorists from buying guns or obtaining firearm permits if legislation by Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-Cliffside Park, becomes law.

Uhm, if they’re known terrorists, shouldn’t they be in jail? If they’re suspected terrorists (and who isn’t?), I’m afraid we have this thing called due process of law and we can’t just go disregarding that.

One of the interesting things (to me) about bully breed dogs that I have noticed is that they will stick their heads underwater. See. Mine does that. I’ve never really seen another dog do it.

I was unaware but apparently at Colorado State University, CCW holders can carry on campus.

Well, I didn’t meant to start a theme but Bruce has more stuff that sucks. I’m with ya on the wiper fluid. I have three bottles in my garage that contain 0.08 gallons.

How it should be:

When Greensburg was destroyed by a hurricane, searchers looking for victims found numerous firearms scattered in the debris. The guns were collected, tagged with where they were found, and stored for safekeeping.

The guns are already being returned.

Now, look, I’m all cool with preparedness and whatnot but gimme a break:

Staff members of an elementary school staged a fictitious gun attack on students during a class trip, telling them it was not a drill as the children cried and hid under tables.

The mock attack Thursday night was intended as a learning experience and lasted five minutes during the weeklong trip to a state park, said Scales Elementary School Assistant Principal Don Bartch, who led the trip.

Say some good citizen with a handgun carry permit wandered by? And, of course, the parents are pretty upset.

Update: I should finish my morning reading before posting. Insty says almost exactly the same thing.

For some reason, my toilet is now broken. It worked for a good couple of flushes but no more. Seems the plumber has to come and remove the whole toilet to dig out one Verizon LG phone.

Hmmm, I wonder if you can flush a cell phone down the toilet.

WOOOOSHHH!!

Why, yes, you can.

Well, at least there are no plumbing problems. Who knew?

I tend to share R. Neal’s views on the new bill allowing handgun permit holders to carry in parks and other places:

… it was amended to eliminate prohibitions on carrying handguns on “the grounds of any public park, playground, civic center or other property owned, used or operated by any municipal, county or state government, or instrumentality thereof, for recreational purposes,” and a second amendment requires posting a sign to that effect at parks, playgrounds, civic centers, etc. What a bunch of yahoos.

So now, visitors to the beautiful State of Tennessee and our parks and our civic centers would be greeted with a sign informing that anyone and everyone there could be armed.

What is the point of posting such a sign? Seems kinda silly to me. He goes on to say:

But wait. The commissioner of the State Department of Environment and Conservation says that out of 50 million visits to state parks in 2005 and 2006, there were only 12 reported crimes against state park visitors.

Well, when I go to the parks, I’m not particularly worried about the two-legged variety of varmint. I’m more concerned about the four-legged kind and, to some extent, the no-legged kind.

Update: AC says:

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.

Ok, then.

Or is it just HuffPo bias? The photo is attributed to the AP.

Insty asks:

ER, I COULD BE WRONG, but aren’t the scary automatic weapons in this photo actually just AirSoft guns?

They must be. That or the H&K XM-8 shown is an illegal weapon, because they’ve never been available to the public in the US. Or they could just be at a gun expo, but I doubt Beretta and H&K would share floor space.

Update: And pegboard and little hooks probably wouldn’t hold three 10 pound rifles.

Update: Via Quack in comments, here’s where the original photo appeared. The pic was taken at the NRA convention in Pittsburgh. In other news, I thought the top left gun was a Beretta storm.

So, not Airsoft. But still unrelated the AP story linked by the HuffPo.

And our dicks are small too!

Sadly, not a recipe. A presser:

The Tennessee Pork Report exposes many areas in the state budget where wasteful spending can be eliminated, providing a valuable resource to legislators and taxpayers.

From $1.2 million to subsidize vacationing golfers to $89,200 for a black fly suppression study, the Pork Report offers enough examples to make any Tennessee taxpayer cringe.

Hard copies will be distributed at the press conference.

Now, we see what they spend that money they have to burn on.

Crest Lemon Ice toothpaste: like brushing with Pine-Sol. Not recommended, there’s a reason it’s on sale.

However, Crest Pro-Health is quite tasty and leaves my mouth minty, kissably fresh.