Let’s Screw Up the Entire Internet to Save Newspapers

US Citizen finds an interesting ranking of gun blogs. Interesting to me that the two anti-gun blogs (Gun Guys and Brady) seem to get all their web-fu from various social sites.

A picture from Iran.

Where Great Britain used to be has the highest violent crime rate in Europe. Even more violent crime than the US. Unpossible, since we have all the guns.

WizardPC links up the actual complaint and notes some problems with it. My faves:

They state that no other state allows carry in “bars,” then in the footnotes list 23 states that do.

They falsely state that Carry Permit Holders can carry while drunk

Alrighty.

ACK lets us know that the lawsuit has been filed. Also, Nate Rau continues to publish complete bullshit:

“I would not file a lawsuit that I did not think had merit,” said Smith, whose legal research showed proponents of the new state law quoted faulty statistics regarding guns in bars policies nationwide.

Nate Rau continues lying about the supposed extensive legal research (see here, here, and here). Odd, though. Claims that the stats are bogus probably won’t be an issue in a court case. I think it’s just another opportunity to parrot their made up research.

And this lawsuit having merit will come as a shock to anyone I’ve talked who is remotely knowledgeable of Tennessee law. Still, I’m glad they’re doing this instead of something.

We had heard rumors of this before on gun boards. And also a mention in the press a bit back. Now, the Houston Chronicle is in on it:

Success on the front lines of a government blitz on gunrunners supplying Mexican drug cartels with Houston weaponry hinges on logging heavy miles and knocking on countless doors. Dozens of agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives — sent here from around the country — are needed to follow what ATF acting director Kenneth Melson described as a “massive number of investigative leads.”

All told, Mexican officials in 2008 asked federal agents to trace the origins of more than 7,500 firearms recovered at crime scenes in Mexico. Most of them were traced back to Texas, California and Arizona.

Among other things, the agents are combing neighborhoods and asking people about suspicious purchases as well as seeking explanations as to how their guns ended up used in murders, kidnappings and other crimes in Mexico.

I note that the Chronicle’s example is one designed to make you sympathetic to the authorities. Note that it doesn’t lead with the reports from many, many law-abiding people who have also had to endure such questioning.

Indeed.

ACK notes there’s some question as to whether an email actually came from Bill Haslam’s blackberry. It’s not unheard of. Zach Wamp actually emailed me once from his blackberry. He then responded quickly to me and also asked that I not give out his personal email address.

Via email from NRA: SB1113 AZ Restaurant Carry passed the Senate 19-8 at approximately 6AM Phoenix time and will be transmitted to the governor. She has 10 days (not counting Sundays) to sign or veto it.

The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association has told the city of Murfreesboro If guns are allowed in Murfreesboro’s parks, the city can expect to lose the Spring Fling. This event apparently brings Murfreesboro about $3.4M. Says Bernard Childress, head of the TSSAA:

“This is a zero-tolerance issue — period,” Childress said. “We don’t have a written policy. But if anyone had a gun where our kids are, we wouldn’t be there. There is no way possible that we’d allow a gun in one of our events.

Oh teh noes. Kids will be around lawful gun owners. It’s so important we didn’t even write it down.

Here’s a link to TSSAA’s sponsors.

Memphis Daily News:

Later this month, Beale Street will break out the hand-held metal detectors at the entrance points and use other security measures to keep guns out of the three-block area day and night.

The new measures are a reaction to the Tennessee Legislature’s passage of a law permitting those who legally own handguns to carry them concealed in places that serve alcohol as long as they aren’t drinking.

“When this street is closed it actually becomes a private street under our control. Most people don’t understand that,”

A privately owned street? Interesting.

Nashville City Paper:

Nashville Attorney David Randolph Smith officially will file a lawsuit Wednesday challenging the guns in bars legislation passed by state Legislators a few weeks ago.

[…]

The plaintiffs will allege that the bill is illegal on eight counts. Among them being, that the law is an unlawful public nuisance that threatens the life, health and safety of the public, as well as violating due process and increasing civil liability for the restaurants.

Plaintiffs claim it also violates Tennessee’s Occupational Safety and Health Act that expressively requires as a matter of federal and state law that employers provide a safe work place for employees. While a permit holder cannot drink alcohol while carrying a loaded weapon in a bar or restaurant, the new law doesn’t stop that person from having previously consumed alcohol.

You’ll recall that the lawyer in this case was the one who did the extensive legal research that Nate Rau claimed debunked the statement that 40 states allowed carry where alcohol was served. And you’ll also recall that it’s bullshit (see here, here, and here). Anyway, this lawsuit’s chance of success is about zero. State has broad discretion in regulating guns and restaurant owners can put up signs prohibiting carry.

I’m glad they’re doing this instead of something.

The TFA responds.

Eugene Volokh has a look. The justices cannot conceive of any non-violent or lawful uses for a pipe bomb. It’s not like we have a whole holiday that is celebrated by blowing stuff up, now is it.

Pipe bombs from an ATF standpoint are bombs because the pipe becomes shrapnel when it explodes. Fireworks aren’t bombs because they’re made of paper. Joe could probably chime in if my understanding is incorrect.

Update: Looks like Sebastian has similar thoughts.

In response to yesterday’s post of a guy shooting clays with a bow and arrow, here’s a video Lyle and company shooting clays with an AK.

Don’t try to rob a retired boxer.

Tennessee has a whole host of new laws that go into effect today. Some stupid. Some real stupid. And some inoffensive.

First up, is the no texting while driving law:

Rachel Nichol says reading or sending cell phone text messages while driving isn’t such a good idea — she’s had five fender benders, including one in a fast food drive-thru.

“I was texting and I rear-ended someone each time,” said Nichol, a 20-year-old Nashville bartender. “You’re not looking at the road. You’re only using one hand to drive and it’s really dangerous.”

That’s why she supports a law prohibiting the behavior. It’s among new Tennessee laws that take effect on Wednesday.

You see, because Rachel is an idiot, you must be one too. It only makes sense. For the children. I mean, if only it was illegal, then she wouldn’t do it. The law was unnecessary as our AG already said that it could be viewed as endangering others. It’s also going to be hard to enforce because your phone does other things too, like make phone calls. Ya know, my phone is also an MP3 player so if I’m changing the song by hitting the forward button and a cop sees me, he might think I’m texting.

Up next is a law designed to expand no-pedophile zones. You see, yesterday, pedophiles and sex offenders were required to stay 500 feet away from schools, parks, daycares, and playgrounds. Today, they must stay 1,000 feet away. That’ll help.

Also, a few more that aren’t bad.

We can now order wine and have it delivered. My wife already signed up for some wine club deal.

No more thumbprints for gun sales.

And it’s illegal to aim a laser pointer at firefighters and emergency medical technicians. Seems to me that, like the texting law, that would already be illegal.

Tax oppression index

Getting it:

5 years ago, I owned no guns and really felt like guns were an anachronism. I felt we’d progressed beyond a world where people needed guns to solve problems. Thinking with your head and not with your fist, as it were.

I was appalled at the disparity of gun violence in other developed countries.

I felt like having a gun was ridiculous because the odds were someone in my house would be hurt with them rather than use them to defend myself.

I had not touched a gun in 15 years, I’d grown out of them and was, frankly, scared of them.

I remember seeing a woman packing a pistol on a backpack trip with some boy scouts a few years back and was furious that she was doing so (open carry on public lands is mostly OK here in WA state).

Then Hurricane Katrina happened.

Evan Nappen on NJ’s gun rationing scheme: VIRTUALLY ENDS RETAIL HANDGUN SALES IN NJ

TMZ:

We’ve learned Michael Jackson was not the biological father of any of his children. And Debbie Rowe is not the biological mother of the two kids she bore for Michael. All three children were conceived in vitro — outside the womb.

Nothing to add. Just the headline.

My twitter-fu is back

Joe wants some help:

Ol’ Joe has a long shot chance at landing a media/PR gig with a local firm that reps some of the big players in the boomstick market.

Yep, I may get paid to talk about guns.

This firm is really keyed into the New Media and Social Media, which is awesome. The Shack, which I generally have had to hide my involvement from employers, is now a job asset.

So, get thee hence.

Glenn mentioned the blog of unnecessary quotation marks and Apostrophe Abuse.

Now, I present There, I Fixed It, a tribute to ingenuity.

Dickipedia, a list of people who are dicks. A taste:

Joe Biden began choosing unfortunate ways to publicly describe minorities from his birth on November 20, 1942, a birthday he shares with one of the Smothers Brothers, Bo Derek, and that guy from Cyprus Hill.

A push to opt out of allowing carry there.

A look at The Grab And Go Survival Pack.

Lots of folks shoot sporting clays. Not many do it with a bow and arrow:

For some reason, my twitter feed went Tango Uniform. Trying to fix.

A bit over at WATE on local restaurateurs on the guns in restaurants bill. And notes a few restaurants will be putting up signs saying they don’t want money from the law-abiding:

Patrick Sullivan’s, along with the Crown and Goose in the Old City, tell 6 News they plan to post signs.