Saturday, June 18, 2011

Even in the Safest City in America Guns are Bad News for Women


IRVINE – A man suspected of shooting a woman to death outside an Irvine home was taken into custody Thursday after a more than two-hour manhunt in the village of Turtle Rock, authorities said.

Police say Alejandra Hernandez, an employee at a private daycare center adjacent to Turtle Rock Elementary School, was shot by her estranged husband, John Rand Agosta, in a cul-de-sac across from the campus.

The apparent homicide was Irvine's first since 2009. Irvine has statistically ranked as the safest large city in America for the past seven years, based on FBI crime data covering communities with more than 100,000 residents.
I figure there are two possibilities. Either he was a legitimate gun owner who went bad, something the gun-rights folks keep trying to say is extremely rare, or he was a guy who couldn't own a gun legally but had no trouble getting one anyway. This goes back to the lawful gun owners since they are the source af nearly all guns used in crime.

So, there's no escape. People who want lax gun laws in order to save themselves a bit of inconvenience and expense, must accept responsibility for the results of those lax or non-existent laws.

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

Baltimore Awash in Gun Violence - It's Getting Worse


Six people were shot, one of them fatally, after a gunman opened fire Thursday afternoon on a group of people sitting on a porch in Southwest Baltimore.

Police said the victims ranged in age from 28 to 72. Two of the surviving victims were last reported in critical condition, while three suffered wounds that were not deemed life-threatening. The man who died had not been identified.

The fatal shooting continues a trend of recent daytime shootings in the city — two men, ages 40 and 26, were killed in separate shootings at 1:30 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. Tuesday along Greenmount Avenue, and a 23-year-old man was fatally shot about 2 p.m. Sunday in West Baltimore. For the year, 94 people have been slain in the city, compared with 89 at this time in 2010.
It seems we're allowing gun flow to continue unabated. Do the gun-rights folks accept this as the price for freedom? It seems so.

Had the guns which were used in all these recent shootings in Baltimore been properly controlled from the time of their manufacturer to their first transfer to an FFL person and to each transfer thereafter, most of them would never have reached the criminals' hands. Why is that so difficult? Are gun owners really so self-centered that they prefer this, what we could certainly call "blood in the streets," to a safer community?

Proper gun control laws would not interfere with the ability of good people to own guns if they want them. This is the big lie of the gun-rights extremists, that decent gun control laws are tantamount to preventing them from owning guns. It's just not so.

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

Friday, June 17, 2011

Castle Doctrine Redux?

I happen to believe that medicinal use of marijuana is legitimate; it genuinely helps some ill people.  But I can't put into words here all of the many thoughts that crossed my mind reading this.  A possibly legitimate instance of Castle Doctrine......but then, why not call police to report the crime, to report firing a weapon and to report stabbing someone.  This could be self-defense, except that the rest of this woman's conduct is problematic at best.

I can, MAYBE, just barely understand not realizing in all this that you had shot someone rather than missing them; firearms are ranged weapons rather than usually used in closer quarters, at least ideally.  It was clearly something that occurred after dark.......but how do you not know you stabbed someone?  That has to be 'up close and personal'.

As with the earlier post about the ding dong ditch shooting, it will be interesting to see if the gun violence victims were facing or attempting to flee, as more details emerge.

Until then - by all means, comment away!  Is this woman a criminal, a murderer?  As there appear to be no arrests or charges of any kind for the marijuana reported here, I'm presuming for the moment that was being grown legally.


Fom Huffington Post:

Karen Elaine Cordova, 48, was arrested Monday for allegedly stabbing two men who broke into her Erie, Colorado home where she grows medical marijuana -- killing one and and critically injuring the other -- is being formally charged with what will likely be second-degree murder and second-degree attempted murder Thursday.
According to the Longmont Times-Call, Cordova claims that Stephen Erikson, 34, and Kyle Dust, 31, broke into her house Saturday while she was home. Cordova confronted the two men and allegedly stabbed both of them, Erikson in the belly, leaving a 5-inch wound above his belly button cutting his stomach and liver, leaving Erikson alive but critically injured.
SECOND UPDATE:
Karen Elaine Cordova was released from Weld County Jail late Thursday and the district attorney's office announced that no charges will be filed against Cordova at this time, however the investigation remains open, according to The Denver Post.
More details have emerged from the alleged robbery and act of self defense from Cordova. Sheriff's spokesperson Margie Martinez spoke to the Daily Camera saying that Cordova never reported the burglary attempt or the fact that she had stabbed or shot anyone before the investigators arrived at her door on Monday.
Martinez went on to state to the Daily Camera that it was her understanding that investigators did not recover any weapons when searching Cordova's property, but did find some of the marijuana plants had been pulled from their pots. Martinez also states to the Daily Camera that the Colorado's "Make My Day" law will be taken into consideration, especially due to the nature of Dust's fatal gunshot wounds, before making any further arrests.
However, it hasn't been revealed where Dust was shot, but if he was shot in the back it could reveal he was fleeing the crime scene at the time which could further complicate this already complex story.UPDATE:
As more details emerge, this case of apparent self-defense gets more complex. The Denver Post reports that Weld County Coroner's autopsy report on Kyle Dust revealed that he died of a gunshot wound, not a stab wound, as the suspect, Karen Cordova originally told the police investigating the case.

Stephen Erikson, who was stabbed, remains in the hospital in critical condition.

EARLIER:
7News reports, that Erikson, still alive, staggerd into his Erie home when one of his roommates called 911. Erikson was taken to Lafayette Samaritan Hospital where he remains in critical condition.
In the police report Cordova is reported by the Longmont Times-Call as saying:
I am not going to lie, what would you do if someone broke into your house at 2:30 in the morning? I'm a single woman.
The Denver Post reports that although the attempted robbery and stabbings happened Saturday morning, Dust, the accomplice, was not found until Monday. Detectives returned to Cordova’s home where they found Dust’s body at the edge of her property, the Longmont Times-Call reports, when according to the police report Cordova said:
Oh my God, I didn't know that I killed him. They were coming for me. They were coming for me.
The investigation got more complex when it was discovered that Erikson met Cordova two weeks prior, learned that Cordova ran a medical marijiuana business out of her home and then scouted her home for a later burglary by posing as a home repair consultant to Cordova. Erikson had even robbed Cordova’s house once before, either Friday or earlier Saturday, and then later returned on Saturday with Dust to rob her again, the Longmont Times-Call reports.
Cordova is being held in Weld County Jail on $400,000 bail.

American Concerns


(credit source: Gallup)


See what's missing? That's right, a lot of things including gun violence. This goes a long way to explaining why the internet presence of gun-control supporters pales in comparison to the gun-rights advocates.

People who own guns and are passionate about them tend to be much more actively involved in the issue than people who don't own guns. It makes sense. And it highlights another oddity about the gun-rights movement.

Gun bloggers have their priorities mixed up. They tend to be one-issue folks who have insufficient concern for all the other important categories in that pie chart. Gun-control supporters on the other hand tend to have more balance and more common sense when prioritizing their concerns.

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

Phoenix - Alleged Murdering Cops at it Again

Home Made Zip Gun


This is the thing that Zorro used to keep saying refutes my claim that ALL guns start out legally owned. My point being that guns used in crime were at one point legally owned and somehow slipped into the criminal world. That's why I blame the lawful gun owners.

Please leave a comment.

Surrendering Weapons in Domestic Abuse Cases

The Record Journal reports on the issue of removing guns from domestic abusers in Connecticut.

When police are called to a domestic violence complaint or a restraining order is issued, weapons are always a chief concern, local law enforcement officials say.

State law allows police to seize any firearm in plain view at the scene of an incident even if no arrest is made and to seize a weapon from someone suspected of committing a crime, even if no arrest has been made. Protective orders require the surrender of weapons and judges usually order the same of people subject to a restraining order.

Area police said they don't hesitate to use those powers and often work pre-emptively to remove weapons in criminal cases before the courts issue orders the next business day.

While involved parties will usually surrender their guns voluntarily, police said, the system isn't foolproof. People can lie or hide weapons, or there can be filing irregularities in the computer database that tracks pistol permits and registrations. And some weapons, such as hunting rifles, don't have to be registered with the state.

The relationship between weapons and domestic violence is in sharp focus locally after an apparent murder-suicide in Southington Saturday, the second such incident in less than a week. Both involved a man apparently killing his ex-wife, then turning the gun on himself. The other incident was in Wallingford.
I would not want to forego due process.  There has to be legal reasons before confiscating anyone's weapons.  But, once those criteria have been met, the removal of those weapons is imperative and will save lives, usually women's lives.

Common sense gun control demands several improvements in the current mish-mash system we have now. 1. background checks on all gun sales, 2. licensing of all gun owners, 3. registration of all firearms.

With proper gun control like that, one of the first areas to see an improvement would be that of domestic violence.  Many times the offender is a law-abiding gun owner up until the time he crosses the line with his wife. Guys like that could be disarmed quickly and surely if the authorities knew what weapons they possessed.

The problem is many people fear that such controls would lead to ever-stricter ones. Gun owners who might not necessarily object to these proposals, vigorously resist them anyway, for fear that ultimately they too will be required to surrender weapons.  I don't agree with that, I think it's paranoid nonsense.  What do you think?

Please leave a comment.

Nirvana - Come as You Are

Now that I have a cool avatar, I figure it's time for a theme song. What do you think about this one?

UC Davis Survey Proves Gun Owners are Reckless and Irresponsible

From a UC Davis Violence Prevention Research Program survey the following conclusions were drawn.

Gun owners who carry concealed weapons or have confronted another person with a gun are more than twice as likely to drink heavily as people who do not own guns, according to a study by UC Davis researchers. Binge drinking, chronic heavy alcohol use, and drinking and driving were all more common among gun owners generally than among non-owners, even after adjusting for factors such as age, sex, race, and state of residence. But alcohol abuse was most common among firearm owners who participated in gun-related behaviors that carry a risk of violence, which also included having a loaded, unlocked firearm in the home and driving or riding in a vehicle with a loaded firearm.

"It's not surprising that risky behaviors go together," said Garen J. Wintemute, author of the study and director of the UC Davis Violence Prevention Research Program. "This is of particular concern given that alcohol intoxication also impairs a gun user's accuracy as well as his judgment on whether to shoot."

Over at The Truth About Guns they didn't like this one bit. And can you blame them? It's a damning indictment.

Some of the guys pointed out that telephone surveys cannot possibly yield the data necessary to draw valid conclusions.  I agree with that.  But many of the others responded with sacrasm and jokes, pretending to be as responsible with their guns as the blog host and one commenter named Van. I doubt they are. My money's on Wintemute.

What's your opinion?  Please leave a comment.

NOT Guns; That OTHER Penis Substitute, LOL!

From the STrib:

Research: For some men, what they drive reveals true sexual motives

  • Article by: PAUL WALSH , Star Tribune
  • Updated: June 16, 2011 - 12:59 PM

 
The racier the car, the racier the hormones -- unless you are Anthony Weiner.
That's what research results compiled with the help of the University of Minnesota say about some men when it comes to conspicuous spending and their desire for sexual dalliances.
The series of studies, "Peacocks, Porsches and Thorstein Veblen: Conspicuous Consumption as a Sexual Signaling System," was conducted with nearly 1,000 test subjects and published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
Veblen, an American economist and sociologist, popularized the term "conspicuous consumption" of the leisure class more than 100 years ago and pooh-poohed its contribution to productivity.
Researchers found that just as peacocks flaunt their tails before potential mates, men may flaunt flashy possessions to charm potential dates. Notably, not all men use this ploy - just those with short-term sexual relationships on their mind.
Congressman Weiner's vehicle selection -- he drives a Nissan Pathfinder -- seems to run counter to the research.
"The studies show that some men are like peacocks. They're the ones driving the bright-colored sports car," co-author Vladas Griskevicius, assistant marketing professor at the U, said in a statement announcing the research results Thursday.
In one of the studies, women viewed two biographies for a man. They each were 32 years old, had a master's degree, worked for a Fortune 500 company as a senior analyst and enjoyed bicycling, movies and music. The only difference being that one drove a Porsche ($58,000) and the other a Honda ($15,655).
The man with the Porsche was preferred over the Honda man as a date but not for marriage. Women inferred from a man's flashy spending that he was interested in sex without commitment, the study concluded.
"When women considered [a man] for a long-term relationship, owning the sports car held no advantage relative to owning an economy car," said Daniel Beal, assistant professor of psychology at Rice. "People may feel that owning flashy things makes them more attractive as a relationship partner, but in truth, many men might be sending women the wrong message."
And this is not a two-way street, the studies found. While men may use conspicuous consumption as a short-term mating call, the researchers discovered that women are not inclined to do the same.
Along with Minnesota, others schools involved in the research were the University of Texas-San Antonio, Rice University, Arizona State University and the University of New Mexico.
Paul Walsh
Now, I'm finding this particularly interesting in the light of the accusation that the Obama administration was buying record numbers of limos.  Except.......they weren't.  Limos were sedans, or protective service vehicles for the State Department for VIPs; a number of them weren't ordered by Obama but rather ordered and paid for by the Bush administration, just delivered during the Obama term; and the reported numbers were flat out incorrect.  So, the latest thing for us in MN is the news that one of our Congressmen, (R) Chip Cravaack, is leasing a $1,000 a month luxury car for himself and his staff, using tax payer money.

Being a congressman seems to have gone to his head; I think it would be far more appropriate to use his own car - he lives here - and submit mileage expenses, if he is going to be espousing all the sacrifices and belt tightening; or at the very least, to lease a cheaper, less extravagant vehicle.  But like Weiner, I can't see it as a sexual thing, since he's not driving the kind of vehicle above.  I should contact the U of MN and ask them what limos and luxury vehicles mean in terms of sexual signals......

Thursday, June 16, 2011

The Ultimate Gun Fetishist

The folks over at The Truth About Guns seemed to agree this was a joke.

Lamar Smith on the al-Qaeda Video

Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas), the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said tightening gun laws to address the threat would be to surrender to terrorists at the expense of Americans' rights.

“We’ve seen time and again that terrorists will use anything, including our own rights and freedoms, to plot attacks against innocent Americans,” Smith said in an email. “But simply because terrorists abuse our liberties doesn’t mean that we should limit the rights of law-abiding Americans. On the contrary, to limit our rights is to give in to terrorists and the fear they try to spread.”
In other words, requiring everybody who buys a gun to first submit to a background check is tantamount to surrendering to the terrorists and limiting the rights of law-abiding Americans?

I wish someone would explain that to me.

Please leave a comment.

Colorado's Greeley-Evans School District 6 Says "No" to Guns.


The loser in this battle, School Board Member Brett Reese, made the following remarks, which clearly indicate how biased and closed-minded the gun rights folks can be.

“It's laughable the comments you just made,” Reese said. “Because what I could understand from Mr. Stack's comments is that we almost always have children in the audience, so we shouldn't have weapons. I don't know what children have to do with arming yourself … It's always safe to have extra guns around.”
"It's always safe to have extra guns around." Isn't that a hoot?

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

NY Cop's Manslaughter Conviction Overturned

The New York Post reports on a fascinating case.  I agree with the dissenting judge.  What do you think? 

The dissenting judge, Rosalyn Richter, said Lora’s story was "far-fetched," noting that he could have put his gun away when he saw it was a car accident and not a shooting, and that Arzu had been shot in the back at close range. 

She also pointed out evidence that contradicted Lora’s testimony that he was being dragged by the car when he opened fire, but the majority said that didn’t matter- he was still trying to cause serious physical injury.
They overturned the conviction and dismissed the indictment. 

Lora had been facing one to three years in prison, but wound up not serving any time because he was out on bail during the appeal.
Please leave a comment.

Crescent City CA Shooting


Contra Costa Times reports on the tragedy which left one woman critically wounded, a 14-year-old brain dead and the shooter dead by suicide.

They don't get much sicker than this one. The one thing you can count on is everyone's ability (right?) to own a gun.

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

Toothless Laws

via Chris Brown at Media Matters along with a wonderful article about the hearings.






Man Shoots Boy for Ringing His Doorbell

I wonder if this adult is going to try to claim that the boy ringing his doorbell and then running away caused him to fear for his life? 

From the Huffpost, filed by Mark Hanrahan:
Ding-Dong-Ditch Shooting: Michael Bishop Of Louisville Charged With Shooting 12-Year-Old Over Prank

A Kentucky man has been charged with attempted murder after he shot a 12-year-old boy in the back for ringing his doorbell during a game of Ding Dong Ditch.
Jason Eberle of Louisville, was playing the game, which involves someone ringing a doorbell and running away, on Monday night with friends. The New York Post reports that after the kids rang 56-year-old Michael Bishop's bell he came out onto his porch armed with a shotgun and opened fire, hitting Eberle in the back and shoulder.
Bishop was arrested and has been charged with attempted murder. The Louisville Courier Journal reports that he was released Tuesday night after posting $10,000 bail.
Eberle was hit in the shoulder and the back and suffered two collapsed lungs in the incident. He is currently being treated in hospital where his condition is described as "improving".
Eberle's uncle, Bart McMahon, told Kentucky's WLKY "It's outrageous, it's intolerable and that's why we have prisons for people who can't confine their behavior within the bounds of law."
"If he was so bothered, the best thing for him to do would have been to call the parents or yell at the kids. [The shooting was] not a self-defense maneuver; that is nothing but a flat-out assault on an innocent child."
Neighbor Wayne McDowell, speaking to WHAS11 described the horrific state of the boy's injuries.
Story continues below
"[Eberle] probably had 200 [shotgun pellet wounds]. Looked like he took 75 percent of the blast and his head was bleeding to where they had to hold towels on it. It wasn't good, just make you sick."

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

The Gunloon Doctor: Miguel Faria

In a recent comment, Anon claimed the Kellermann study (showing a gun in the household was many more times likely to be used against a member of that household than against some unknown attacker) had been thoughly "debunked" by a Dr. Miguel Faria.

I've run across this claim before, so it's pretty easy to eviscerate it.

Until recently, Faria was head of a small group called the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) which put out its "findings" in a publication called  the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons (JPANDS).  Here's what Science-Based Medicine says about AAPS:

 It is not an exaggeration to say that the AAPS, through its journal JPANDS, is waging a war on science- and evidence-based medicine in the name of its politics.

In addition to opposition to any gun control, AAPS also claims:
  • Fluoridation of drinking water is against freedom;
  • HIV does not cause AIDS;
  • Vaccinations cause autism and that "shaken baby syndrome" is a hoax and is caused by vaccinations;
  • Abortion causes breast cancer;
  • Climate change is a hoax;
  • Illegal aliens bring the "plague" and leprosy to the US;
  • That Barack Obama used "mind control" to win election in 2008.
This is what passes for scholarship among gunloons.  More on AAPS.

    Being Prepared - Underground Bunkers


    For all those semper paratus guys, I'd think it would be downright irresponsible to not get one of these babies, especially now that they're so affordable.



    Houston Motel 6 Shooting - Boy 7 Kills Brother 5


    Houston police said the shooting happened in Room 138 at the Motel 6 on the Katy Freeway near state Highway 6 about 10:30 a.m.

    "Right now, it's just two children involved with a gun," said Sgt. Bobby Roberts with the Houston Police Department. "His 7-year-old brother got a gun from somewhere and shot him."

    The 5-year-old was shot once in the chest with a rifle. Roberts said it appeared to be an accident.

    The father was out of the room at the time, paying his bill, police said. The father was gone for only a few minutes, according to authorities.
    Stupid, stupid gun owners. How much you wanna bet this guy had taught his 7-year-old not to touch the gun? That's the 7-year-old who will probably never be the same again because of this stupid, stupid gun owner.

    What's your opintion? Please leave a comment.

    True Gun-rights Advocates Never Ever Give Up


    You see, these attitudes so common today have their origins in the dark mists of Midieval history.

    All right, so we'll call it a draw then.

    Does Standing Up to Criminals Make One a Hero?



    I gave my opinion of Eddie Peoples. I'm not so sure about this guy. It does seem to me that his attempt to lock the teenage criminals in the store, which was dramatically unsuccessful since they got away and he was shot, is not enough to make him a hero. I think what makes him a hero is the obsession we have with macho tough-guy attitudes as depicted in Hollywood films. It's the vicarious thrill we get by imagining WE too might be that brave and fearless in a critical moment.

    The problem with this is it's a big lie which feeds into the unrealistic fantasy of wannabe macho men. The inability to stand aside when witnessing a crime, is not necessarily the hallmark of a hero. Gunowners especially need to remember this.

    What's your opinion?  Please leave a comment.

    Castle Doctrine Mentality at Work in Ohio

    via Norwegianity from Jonathan Turley

    Charles DuBose, 55, is accused of the heinous act of shooting Ivhan`e Merritt, 11, for the offense of playing on his front lawn in Cleveland at 10:40 p.m.

    Witnesses said DuBose was upset with the children and then fired after one child walked across his lawn and another bumped his car.

    The so-called Castle Doctrine laws would never justify something like this. But what contributes to these incidents is the attitude that property and privacy are more important than human life. These are the very attitudes that are bolstered by the Castle Doctrine Mentality, which guys like Du Bose cannot distinguise from the letter of the law.

    Let's count this one as another success of the gun-rights movement in Ohio.

    Please leave a comment.

    Women on Target

    The ironically titled 12 WBOY reports with the following opening line:

    Ladies, we all know we're capable of doing a lot of impressive things. 

    Amanda Knox (Foxy Knoxy) is Innocent

    Sarah explains. It's an absolutely fascinating case and the synopsis provided on Preaching to the Choir is wonderful.

    Tuesday, June 14, 2011

    Anti-Government Paranoid Right Wing Militia Gun Nut Planned Assassinations

    From MSNBC:
    'Armed and extremely dangerous' ex-militia leader hunted after Mont. shootout
    Sheriff's deputies sweep rental cabin

    David Burgert, a former Marine, previously told police 'he wasn't going to be taken down'

    Federal and state agents are searching a 30-square-mile swath of rugged Montana forest for a former militia leader following a shootout with sheriff's deputies, authorities said.
    David Burgert, 47, exchanged gunfire with Missoula County sheriff's deputies along a logging trail Sunday after a slow-speed chase near Lolo, officials said. No one was hurt.
    Burgert grabbed gear from his Jeep and fled on foot into the woods, Missoula County Undersheriff Mike Dominick said.
    Known for his anti-government sentiments, Burgert previously told police "he wasn't going to be taken down like last time," Dominick said.
    The former Marine may have planned the attack, Dominick told The Associated Press Monday. Officials believe he may have placed caches of food and weapons along his planned escape route.
    Stolen rifles
    Authorities found ammunition packed inside the Jeep's engine compartment and in another vehicle associated with Burgert, as well as two stolen rifles and a magazine of handgun ammunition on the ground near where he fled, Dominick said.

    "He was prepared for a confrontation," Dominick said. "It was not a high-speed chase, he drove purposely onto the logging road and he engaged the deputies with one to three shots."
    He described Burgert as a survivalist who is no stranger to the backwoods and who may be in possession of a third vehicle, possibly a tan or red Jeep model.
    Authorities seized two of three vehicles registered to Burgert, including the Jeep Cherokee loaded with rifles that he abandoned Sunday, but suspect he may have stashed the other vehicle in the Lolo National Forest, Dominick said.
    "He is armed and extremely dangerous," Dominick told Reuters.

    Jon Stewart on Herman Cain, Presidential Candidate

    More on the Fresno 2-year-old Killer

     Crime Voice reports. We talked about this one already here and here, but today there's a bit more about the dad.

    The gun was placed inside a box under Dubois’s bed and wasn’t locked, he told detectives. The .45 caliber handgun had one round in the chamber. Emily’s 2-year-old brother got the gun from under the bed and accidentally fired the weapon, hitting Emily in the chest.

    [The attorney for Dubois, Mark] Coleman added that Dubois is a former Marine who even taught gun safety in the military and to Boy Scouts. Coleman also confirmed that Dubois’ is a National Rifle Association instructor who owns most of the 53 guns stored inside the North Boyd Avenue residence.

    “Jarred had a gun safe,” Coleman said. “His dad didn’t have a gun safe at his location at the time. So the guns were being stored in Jarred’s house in the gun safe.”

    Dubois is currently facing a charge of negligent storage of a firearm that led to an accidental death. The case has gone to the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office for review.
    Can you believe this guy was a trained firearms instructor? I can. I think the quality of so-called experts is dubious to put it mildly.

    Do you think the charge of "negligent storage of a firearm" is sufficient? I don't. In cases like this, I usually feel incarceration is not right, but I don't think a slap on the wrist is right either. One strike you're out should apply to this guy, especially because this was one helluva big "strike."

    What's your opinion?  Please leave a comment.

    The City of Brotherly Love Awash in Bullets and Violence

    Philly.com reports on so much gun violence in Philadelphia it's difficult to add it all up. I came up with 3 dead and 7 wounded. And in all fairness to the gun fetishists, there were a couple vehicular incidents too.

    I congratulate all the gun-rights activists who have succeeded in making Pennsylvania the gun haven it is today.

    What's your opinion?  Please leave a comment.

    A Sincere Apology to Mike W.

    Well, we really stepped in it this time.

    In this offending post, Mike W. caught us shamelessly doctoring a photo of him using our most awesome photoshop skillz.

    Mike W. was not about to stand for such shenanigans.  And he let us know he was about to unleash a hissy-jihad upon our sorry butts the like has not been seen before.

    Mike B. and I quickly conferred--between bouts of panic, fear, uncontrolled sobbing and shots of 151 rum and Chechnyan black market Ouzo--and agreed the best course--indeed, the only course--was to apologize and hope Mike W. takes pity on our worthless souls.

    Monday, June 13, 2011

    Rachel on the Militia Movements - 30% Say Obama is the Antichrist

    via Urantian Sojourn.  It's old but fascinating.

    A Liberal Progressive Gun Owner on Guns

    24EvelJustin24 has a wonderful Youtube channel in which he espouses many of my own ideas on politics. Hear what he has to say about guns.

    Arming the World and Starting the Wars


    The United States plans to export $46.1 billion in weapons this year, nearly doubling its 2010 figures, officials said.
    Failed Empire has a wonderful post about this shameful business.

    What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

    Stephen Colbert on Mitt Romney


    We Need More Tax Cuts for the Rich



    Leona Helmsley's dog is dead. Trouble, aged 12, did not leave a will.

    Trouble’s $2 million inheritance would cover yearly costs of $100,000 for a full-time security guard — the dog had received death threats — $1,200 for food and $8,000 for grooming. Mr. Lekic was also paid $60,000 for being the dog’s guardian.

    “The funds held in trust for her care have reverted to the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust for charitable purposes.”
    Think Progress has the report on Michelle Bachmann's tax plan.

    In an interview published today by the Wall Street Journal, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) — who is toying with a presidential run herself — decided to one-up both Romney and Pawlenty, calling for a reduction in the corporate tax rate to 9 percent. Adding insult to injury, Bachmann wants to pair that huge tax cut with giant tax reductions for the rich, as well as a tax increase on the working poor:

    all links courtesy of Norwegianity.

    What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

    Beautiful Antique French Pistol


    (photo credit: MIKE SIMONS/Tulsa World)


    Celebrity Shooters Turn Out

    The Contra Costa Times reports on the event.

    It was a gun show that only Hollywood could have put on: shotgun-toting celebrities rubbing shoulders with cannon-blasting pirates and Western-style trick shooters while experimental machine guns were fully loaded for anyone wanting to take a shot.

    Actors, entertainers, gun enthusiasts, military service members and professional shooters trekked to Oak Tree Gun Club in Newhall on Saturday and took aim at clay discs fired into the air to benefit charities for veterans, children and nature as part of the 2011 Hollywood Celebrity Sporting Clays Invitationals.
    Is this a satirical article? The names are not exactly A-list celebrities, or am I wrong?

    Are the pro-gun folks that desperate for a slice of the Hollywood action which is pretty-much denied them?

    What do you think? Please leave a comment.

    Sunday, June 12, 2011

    Poster Boy for Gun Rights


    Do you know who this is? He used to comment over here, and still might, but anonymously. I think he's one of them.

    In the post which included the photo above, he's preaching open carry. The proponents of that peculiar aspect of gun rights advocacy want to make it so commonplace that people will no longer even notice. That's pretty funny considering how "normal" people view open carry now. They feel it's either shocking or weird, many feel it's threatening and aggressive. Practically no one thinks it's no big deal.

    What do you think about the look on Mike W.'s face? Do you think he's been watching his favorite movie again?

    What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

    Doctors and Guns

    Sebastian has an interesting post about how foolish the new gag-law in Florida is. On this we agree, but he made an odd point along the way about how many doctors are on his side.

    Says Sebastian:

    Gag laws are just a bad idea. Especially when you consider the number of doctors that are actually on our side. There are many. Some of them even read this blog.


    Say I:

    Oh, please Sebastian, MANY doctors are on your side? Give me a break, will ya? What percentage do you put on the “many” idea? I’d say it’s about 5% and you wanna know why? Doctors are highly educated, they’re trained in critical thinking and for the most part can see the fallacy of what you preach.
    What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

    "Jesus is a Straight Shooter."

    The Suburban Journals reports on the church-sponsored gun safety classes provided to empower women.

    Welcome to First Baptist Church, in Wentzville, Missouri.

    The seminar at the church is for those who want to learn about guns and gun safety. The class began a year ago as an all-female gathering.

    And if you're going to own a gun, she says, you must practice shooting at a firing range to ever be comfortable with the weapon. With practice and knowledge, she says, comes confidence.

    "You are no longer the little, withering petunia," she says.
    Now that's a cute way of saying what we've been talking about, no longer feeling like a "withering petunia." And linking up this fear-driven justification with The Lord, is pure genius. What do you think?

    Please leave a comment.

    Wisconsin Concealed Carry Would Require Training

    JSOnline reports on the latest developments in the Wisconsin gun-rights struggle. The extremists had been trying to move Wisconsin from one of the few states that prohibits any kind of concealed carry to one of the few that allows so-called Constitutional Carry, which is a cute euphemism for "no requirements at all." We discussed this before.

    People could carry concealed guns if they get training and permits under a bill a key committee approved Thursday, after Republicans stepped away from a proposal allowing guns without permits that earlier stirred controversy.

    The Joint Finance Committee passed the new version of the bill 12-4, with all Republicans voting for it and all Democrats voting against it. The Senate will take it up Tuesday.

    Permits would cost a maximum of $50 and be good for five years. Renewing a license would cost $25. To get a permit, people would have to offer proof they have passed a course on firearms training, firearms safety or hunter safety.
    Well, naturally I prefer some training to none when determining is someone is fit to carry a gun in public, but I'm afraid the suggestions for Wisconsin are sadly inadequate.

    How about this? Applicants must read The Truth About Guns every day, and arrange for personalized training by one of their heroes, Massad Ayoob. Then they'll be ready.

    What's your opinion?  Please leave a comment.

    Toledo, Ohio Gun Violence - An Experiment in Racism



    The Toledo Blade reports on the terrible frequency of gun violence in their city.

    You know how the gun-rights folks will often accuse their opponents of what they know they themselves are guilty of? Well, here's what I thought. Let's take a wild guess and say that central and North Toledo is where the black people live. Let's combine that fact with what we know about lawful gun ownership. Guns are manufactured by companies owned by white folks (is there even one exception?), they are distributed to Federal Firearms Licensees (not too many blacks there, eh?), then the free-for-all begins.

    Lax gun laws in places like Ohio facilitate the gun flow from the predominantly white beginnings of gun ownership out into the world, including all those that end up in central and North Toledo.

    The entire system is racist.  Blacks end up paying for the sins of whites. I know the argument that each ghetto shooter is solely responsible for his actions, but I don't buy it.  Most ghetto shooters are suffering from economic and educational disadvantages, many times drug and alcohol addiction is involved.  The folks who ensure a steady supply of guns are also to blame.

    Meanwhile, the gun-rights extremists will go to great lengths to argue that gun control is racist.  It started out that way 150 years ago, after all. 

    What's your opinion?

    Guns Keep Gun Store Employee Safe

    Not.
    The wounded employee, 64-year-old John Lukachak, is recovering from injuries to his left hand and upper shoulder. The gunman fired a single bullet that police said lodged in a large muscle in Mr. Lukachak's back.
    The robber, described as white and in his 50s, entered Federal Firearms Co. on Thoms Run Road at 10:05 a.m., just after the shop opened. Police said he was armed with a gun that had a large-capacity magazine, possibly a machine pistol, and took a weapon from the store. Mr. Lukachak reached for his own gun but did not return fire.

    As I've sagely noted many times, it's complete lunacy to believe a firearm (or many firearms) will keep you safe.  Too many gunloons believe a criminal is going to broadcast his intentions from the next county and give the gunloon and opportunity to assume his NRA-certified position.