Corporate bonds safer than government bonds.

they got issues.

Senior congressional staff exempt from health spending bill they authored.

Jacob:

With their fate pretty much sealed, it occurs to me that the Democrats may decide again to go for history and push a broad gun control agenda in Congress. They now have nothing to lose.

Could be. But I figure they’re still under the impression this can be saved. Hell, it might even prove to be popular. We’ll see.

So shake it real nice and let me see you back it up.

You see, now that we’re nationalizing health insurance, I own you. Well, I don’t actually own you. But I pay taxes and this wonderful new healthcare bill gives me a vested financial interest in your health and well-being. I don’t actually care about you but your choices can cost me money. So, by proxy, I’m going to tell the government that I do not approve of your unhealthy behavior, since it costs me money.

So, don’t be surprised when I start telling the government to tell you to put down the cancer stick because it can kill you. Or when I tell you to run your fat ass around the block a few times because that fat tire expands my tax liability. Or when I tell you that, no, you can’t buy the jumbo pack of Oreo Double Stufs and wash them down with some whole milk. Or when I ask that we implement testing to ensure that you, being the alcoholic you are, have actually stopped drinking.

Want to stick your sausage-like fingers into a bag of Cheetos? Tough. You’re on my dime now.

Not only do I demand equal access to treadmills, I demand chaining males between the ages of 35 and 45 to one for about three hours each week.

I look forward to being a nanny. And you better go floss.

And use a condom, it’s the law.

That’s pretty much my response to the bill that is not health care reform. It’s not. It’s a smack on the wee wee of insurance companies, doctors, and the medical field for daring set their pricing structure in a manner that makes them profitable given onerous regulations and a semi-governmental-dependent business model that already existed.

Apparently, some congresscritter was bribed with my money to change his vote. The supposed will of the people, bought and paid for with the people’s money. Every poll I read said the majority opposed the bill, it was just a matter of degree. At the current rate, Washington will soon be as financially bankrupt as it is morally. Anyone who believes this will reduce debt and deficit is obviously unfamiliar with the .gov’s past predictions of budget effects of legislation. They can’t even run a whorehouse and make money. And the bill contains a tax increase now but the coverage expansion isn’t until 2014.

You can see a list of what the bill does here. Things of note: fines for not having insurance, government subsidies, state based exchanges, price controls.

Obama has to feel pretty good. After a year and some change, he finally accomplished something.

The fall out of the bills will be market consolidation.

I kind of expect the government to pass huge bills that people don’t want. It’s stimulus part 2. Yawn.

Most things, apparently, when chatting with the police.

Be sure of your target and what’s behind it:

A “101-gun salute” for a national BJP leader in Madhya Pradesh this morning proved to have one gun too many — one of the bullets pierced the thigh of a party divisional vice-president.

Tennessee recently passed a law requiring police departments to sell confiscated guns. Not sure how I feel about requiring it but I definitely would oppose prohibiting it.

Affordable. You know, if you can buy one.

Justin has a look.

For a Glock.

I recently snagged a 22 conversion kit for my AR-15 (this one) to cut down on the cost of ammo. Haven’t got to shoot it yet.

The powers that be look to be throwing all the gun control the can in anticipation of a loss in the Chicago Gun Case. The latest is an Illinois assault weapons ban.

A tale of two public displays.

David Hardy has some tidbits on short barreled shotguns and how the 1934 National Firearms Act almost included pistols.

A few gun pics

Ruger MK1

Queen of Hearts

Samson BUIS

New Czech rifle and subgun

At subguns, reports that the Kriss cannot extract an unfired round and it was not designed to do so. Seems like a significant flaw to me.

Maryland secedes from the south.

Then I gave it some thought. Why are libertarians the bogeymen of progressives? It’s pretty simple. Libertarian sorts don’t want to use the power of government to accomplish things. And the first response from progressive sorts is generally there ought to be a law.

Nothing to see here.

Gail Kerr: TN legislature tackles the meaningless, ignores what matters

15 people shot in Chicago in six hours. No way. Guns are banned there.

Seen on facebook from someone at NRA:

the Indy Star’s assertion that NRA did not respond to requests for comment is inaccurate. When asked for NRA reaction to the Governor’s signature, we sent him our press release, complete with quotes from Chris Cox, NRA-ILA’s executive director – stating NRA’s reaction to the Gov’s signature. He had a quote from the Pre…s of the Chamber and could have used the quotes from NRA-ILA’s Exec Dir, but he made that decision.

Toledo Blade unsigned editorial:

Although we’re glad the robberies were thwarted and thankful no innocents were injured, we’re not sure that store owners and employees defending themselves with deadly force is an absolute good.

teh st00pid can be fatal.

Of a crocodile discovering that you shouldn’t try to eat a baby hippo.

For my Earth Friendly Rifle, I was exploring options for optics. At the recommendation of Ben from Bison Armory (full disclosure, I’m part owner), I checked out the Nikon Monarch line. I wound up with this 1-4x German reticle model. Pics to come but the scope sits atop a couple of Burris 3/4 inch high, heavy duty rings with thumb screws so you can remove them. Seems sturdy.

The concept of a 1-4x always intrigued me but I never really bought one or shot one. I reasoned that pros would be that it is suitable at 1x for close work with both eyes open and for a wide field of view. The center portion of the German #4 reticle seems to function adequately has a red dot for fast target acquisition. We’ll see after the first range trip. And that I could crank it up to 4x for longer ranged stuff. The biggest con seems to be that access to back up iron sights requires removal of the scope. And I do wish it came with an illuminated reticle. Given the conditions in which I usually shoot, the back up iron sights access hasn’t proven to be an issue yet.

The scope is solid. It came with lens covers. And the glass is clear. The image is sharp and crisp. So far, I am a fan and may even replace one of my EOTech’s with it.

From my post on being a kid in Hawaii, it seems quite a few readers spent some of their formative years there too. Cool.

Remember when Barack Obama took office and we got out of Afghanistan and Iraq; ended torture; got lobbyists out of Washington; government became transparent; bills wouldn’t be rushed through so he would delay signing them and they would be put on a webpage so we could all see them; there’d be no no-bid contracts; reformed the political appointment process; repealed DADT; and we all had a Coke and a smile and there was peace on Earth? Me neither

Had lunch with a friend yesterday who was an Obama supporter. He was a supporter for the right reasons, in my opinion. Those reasons consist entirely of the republicans sucked hard for six years. And they did. But he expressed to me utter disappointment in a man who has the presidency and control of the house and senate, yet has a complete inability to get anything done.

Campfield says the university of Tennessee is crossing the line:

Much to the chagrin of the University of Tennessee Students who are on their own time, on their own property doing legal things with legal guns still have constitutional rights. The University of Tennessee wants to have control over those rights. I have legislation that would say they do not.