Something we already knew: concealed carry permit holders more lawful than most. But News Channel 5 notes:

“As it turns out, we’ve not had any trouble with our gun permit holders– they’ve got a near perfect behavior record,” Rep. Frank Niceley, R-Strawberry Plains, told a House committee last week.

Still, he defends his characterization of “a near-perfect record.”

“Their behavior records is better than our uniformed police,” Niceley tells NewsChannel 5’s chief investigative reporter Phil Williams. “We’ve had no problems. We’ve not had shoot-outs at the OK Corral, like some of these people predicted.”

It’s a sentiment echoed by state Rep. Eddie Bass, D-Prospect.

“From a law enforcement perspective and with 20 years, I’ve never, never had a problem with a gun permit holder,” the former sheriff says.

Good. But we can’t have a gun story without some good old fashioned shitting our pants:

But NewsChannel 5 Investigates checked a database of those who have had handgun permits and discovered almost 500 potential matches with people who’ve ended up committing murders, attempted murders, rapes, robberies and other serious felonies.

So, 500. Out of more than 190,000. Even at 190,000, that’s about 0.2631%. I guess that’s not near perfect enough. However, I’m with News Channel 5 on this:

But even when permit holders have committed serious felonies, our investigation last month discovered that the Department of Safety had been, in some cases, renewing their permits.

Now, that is a concern. The 0.2631%, no so much.

Update: Curt makes a good point in comments:

“Potential matches?”

TWEEEEET! Flag on the play.

Misleading through use of weasel words. 15 yard penalty. Loss of down.

What, exactly, is a “potential match”? Does that mean that someone with a permit happens to have the same name as someone who was convicted of a violent crime?

Hardly compelling evidence if you ask me. It shouldn’t be that hard for an enterprising investigative journalist to track down both sets of (public in most cases) records and compare them.

Of course, doing so would not only require them to leave their comfy desk chair to actually do some “investigating”, but may very well completely disprove their entire point.

Can’t have that, now can we?

In Missouri.

Hilzoy:

[I] was absolutely thrilled by one fact in this post: the claim that Obama and his team do not plan to use the word ‘czar’.

Thank heavens. We’ve had drug czars, energy czars; we may yet get a car czar. I’m tired of czars. And why czars, anyways? They didn’t do all that well in Russia, as far as I can tell. If we have to go against our democratic traditions, why not an Imperator, or a Pharoah Pharaoh (oops), or a Basileus, or a Mikado? For that matter, why not an Energy Yang di-Pertuan Agong, or an Oba of Energy, or an Energy Tlatoani?

Personally, I think we should just embrace the silliness of all these titles and designate Carol Browner our new Grand Energy Poobah.

I’ve mentioned our local porn store before and it’s various trouble in dealing with the local yokel good ol’ boy network that thinks you shouldn’t look at dirty movies. And also how it was a landmark everyone ignored. I was heading to a secure and undisclosed location the other day and noticed that there is now a quilt shop where the porn store used to be. I wonder if they moved or eventually got tired of dealing with all the local legal wrangling and closed?

Remote controlled helicopter with a 45 attached to it.

Personally, I prefer the one with the shotgun.

A few years back, some juveniles killed some students and a teacher at a school. One of the shooters applied for a concealed carry permit in Arkansas. He was denied. Good.

The shooter was 11 at the time. At first, from what I know of the law, juveniles tend to have their records expunged when they turn 18. So, I wondered how this denial would have occurred. The article states:

Sadler says the state police denied the permit within the last week over concerns about the accuracy of Grant’s list of places where he had lived.

Sadler says Golden has 10 days to appeal the decision, after receiving the denial sent by certified mail. Sadler says state police are investigating whether to file criminal charges over the accuracy of the rejected application.

Interesting. Even after expungement, fingerprints are forever.

I guess teaching them to be sitting ducks would not be controversial?

Foxnews:

A proposal to teach children as young as 10 years old to fight back against a classroom gunman is causing quite a stir in a small town in Massachusetts.

The Georgetown Public Schools in Georgetown, Mass., are considering a proposal to teach kids to fend off a gunman with backpacks or textbooks as part of a proposal to revamp their “Code Blue” safety policy.

Those who support the idea say it may seem extreme, but it could save a child’s life.

This idea seems to come up every so often (see past coverage of similar news stories here and here). And I think it’s a good idea.

Update: More from Jay.

I used to do a meme on anti-gunners being so violent. Now, it seems like they’re corrupt too. Thirdpower looks at their track record:

Blago is the second Brady Campaign endorsed state governor to take a fall for corruption this year.

[…]

Almost half-a-dozen MAIG (Mayors Against Guns) Mayors have fallen

And more.

In SC, a bill has been drafted to allow residents to carry concealed weapons without a permit. Like Alaska and Vermont.

The NYT is crapping its pants over the new ruling. Denise addresses their general condescension. Also, says the NYT:

“Anticipating what Barack Obama has called “common-sense gun safety laws,” the Bush administration has rushed through a last-minute gun rule that is the antithesis of common sense.”

Actually, the grassroots of this movement have been going on for well over a year. It’s not exactly a last minute sort of deal. You know, the Department of Interior solicited feedback. Got some. Extended the deadline because they didn’t like the pro-gun feedback they were getting. Pro-gun feedback continued.

Looks like some states are cracking down on the asshats who drive slow in the passing lane. Get out of the way.

Rustmeister on conspiracy theories:

Bottom line? Don’t take these posts seriously, because I don’t.

I’m a fan of conspiracy theories myself because they are entertaining. I’ve written about that before, here and here. I think taking some of the greatest conspiracy theories of our time and making movies out of them would be a huge seller. Assuming they’re not really unbelievable ones and Oliver Stone is not involved.

David:

Defense shouldn’t be that hard of a concept for a football coach to grasp.

Aunt B. on gun rights:

But it seems to me to kind of show a fundimental (sic) problem with where the Gun Rights movement is at the moment–in that depending on where you live, you might have a whole lot more rights than someone in another part of the country. So, the risks for someone in California calling out are a lot greater than the risks for someone in Tennessee.

Oh wait. I may have changed that quote.

Seen at Fark: Atlanta police push for end of Citizen’s Review Board. Board pushes for end of the police shooting old ladies and lying about it.

Story here.

Tom points out that Xrlq is spreading liberalism.

Those magical places where you’re not going to run into criminals or large animals.

Local columnist has some issues with the new ruling allowing those with concealed carry permits to carry their weapons in parks. Seems he recalls an incident where someone had a gun and was shooting it in the park, thereby disturbing the serenity of that magical place where every thing is fluffy bunnies. If only, at the time, there was a law or, maybe, a federal regulation that prohibited that . . . oh, what? There was?

I’d also venture a guess those folks were not carry permit holders.

To the chagrin of my fellow gun nuts, I’ve long stated, based on various readings, that the second amendment does not guarantee a right to concealed carry of weapons. To which my fellow gun nuts reply with something to the effect of what part of bear arms don’t you understand? Then I point out, due to various sources including state constitutions, that the wearing of arms was considered, at the time, to be separate from keeping and bearing.

Eugene Volokh offers an interesting bit on this subject.

Update: Greg says it must be Helmke’s great grand dad. Heh.

UK police accidentally mail a machine gun to grandmother. It’s OK, though. From the pic, it looks like it had a safety lock.

Seen at AR-15.com, it looks like Gunny’s is having a match:

GUNNY’S FIRST ANNUAL
GET OUT OF THE SNOW INDOOR MATCH
31 JANUARY 2009

Format: This is a one day tactical pistol match with 6 stages, with typically 12-24 rounds per stage. IDPA targets and scoring is used, though typically, no cover, concealment, or magazine retention requirements. No extreme physical stuff, but your skills will be tested and you will have a good time.

When: Saturday, 31 January 2009
On-site registration begins at 8:00 AM. Shooters meeting at 9:00 AM
First shots fired at 9:30 AM

Where: Gunny’s Indoor Range
2208 East Broadway
Maryville, TN
865-233-3471

Guns: If your gun is legal in IDPA, or in USPSA Limited/Limited-10/Single Stack/Production, then it’s fine for this match. . No optics or compensators. Magazine wells, long heavy dust shrouds, bull barrels and oversize magazine releases are permitted, however the gun must fit into the IDPA test box

Magazines: Extended magazines are permitted, however “All pistols are limited to 10 rounds maximum in the magazine, regardless of magazine capacity.” You may carry as many magazines as you wish.

Gear: Gear must be basically IDPA or IPSC Production/Limited legal. No race rig holsters, etc. Holster and magazines to be behind the centerline of the body

Ammo Requirements: 80-120 rounds NOTE- round count is an estimate. Always bring extra.

Cost: $60

Lewis Scoring System: Prizes will be awarded to 1st and 2nd place in Gold, Silver, and Bronze Divisions (assuming a full field). Remaining prizes to be awarded based on order of finish. Awards presentation will take place within 45 minutes after the last shot is taken. Presuming there are 60 shooters, there will be a $3500 prize table with EVERYBODY going to the table at least once.

HR 6257, to reauthorize the ban on weapons that look like assault weapons, only has four cosponsors. All Republican.

Calling in gay. I would probably fire them. I mean, couldn’t you just let me know in advance that you’re going to be out on this day and take an appropriate vacation/sick day so I could plan accordingly? It’s nice to give notice when you know of an absence in advance. I support your cause but I got to manage too. Don’t be a dick for the cause.

Heh: Powered by spite.

In Florida, more folks getting carry permits.

In Oregon, number of permits may set a record.

Blue Ridge Arsenal Owner Voted Obama & Celebrates with Increased Sales. Video at the link. I’d shop elsewhere.

Tam has Volume 1 and Volume 2.

Gangbangers support gun buy backs.

F&F reads Josh Sugarmann’s Every Handgun Is Aimed At You, so you don’t have to. More here.

S&W M&P 60,000 rounds logged on a blog. Neat.

Ya know, reading through the list of shenanigans, it makes one wonder how often stuff like this happens and we don’t know about it. To root out political corruption, the feds tend to have to go undercover, use recording devices, and generally get all Spy v. Spy. Recall, the Tennessee Waltz took about three years. And look at some of the stuff noted:

[I]ntercepted phone conversations between ROD BLAGOJEVICH and others indicate that ROD BLAGOJEVICH is contemplating rescinding his commitment of state funds to benefit Children’s Memorial Hospital because Hospital Executive 1 has not made a recent campaign contribution to ROD BLAGOJEVICH.

Yup, withholding money from sick children over contributions. Gets better:

ROD BLAGOJEVICH said that the consultants (Advisor B and another consultant are believed to be on the call at that time) are telling him that he has to “suck it up” for two years and do nothing and give this “motherf**ker [the President-elect] his senator. F**k him. For nothing? F**k him.”

And:

ROD BLAGOJEVICH states that he will appoint “[Senate Candidate 1 [[Obama’s presumed favorite]]] . . . but if they feel like they can do this and not f**king give me anything . . . then I’ll f**king go [Senate Candidate 5].” (Senate Candidate 5 is publicly reported to be interested in the open Senate seat). ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated that if his wife could get on some corporate boards and “picks up another 150 grand a year or whatever” it would help ROD BLAGOJEVICH get through the next several years as Governor. . . .

All the creepiness of shady backroom deals you see in movies. And the guy tried to screw with Warren Buffett.

How much of this stuff happens in politics that we don’t know about? I’d rather they just banged hookers.