Time for a little vacation for me. I’ve been at this thing for almost two years since my last break and I’ve been obsessing over it too long, not to mention obsessing over politics, etc.

Don’t worry, it’s probably just a week off, at a rental cabin I spent time at a couple years ago. There’s no phone line there so I’ll not be checking email either.

I’ve been shamefully ignoring my other writing project (Sorry Bart, The Stuarts, Hanna, Connor. . .) and I will have my laptop with me to finally pay attention to and finish that. My apologies to them. I’ll get on the stick!

Lastly, there are changes coming at my real job that have been causing me (and others) a lot of stress. It might be time for me to start looking around or even moving. Anyone need an Employee of the year who’s led a 150 person company in sales the last two years in a row?

Time to recharge my batteries. If things go as planned I’ll be back late next week. Thanks for stopping by.

–Jeff

Some of us are heading to the range today to make our own 12 & 20 gauge fireworks. I hope your holiday is as pleasant.

Courtesy of the Department of Justice (and the Drudge Report,) here is a list of pardons granted by President Clinton.

That won’t stop all the howls coming from the Democrats (including from Hillary) over Bush’s commutation of Libby’s sentence.

Like anyone gives a rat’s ass, right? But, if it’s in the news, I guess I have to hold my nose and report it. From a press release:

Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr., founder and president of Rainbow PUSH Coalition, announced today he will organize a national day of protest in 25 cities on Aug. 28, 2007, to rally support for legislation to restrict gun sales.

“We have the right to live safe and secure, no matter where we live in America,” Rev. Jackson said during a prayer vigil at Chuck’s Gun Shop in this Chicago suburb.

“Our marching does not kill people; people who buy guns from gun shops kill people,” Rev. Jackson said.

[…]

Rev. Jackson said the nationwide rallies would represent a grassroots effort to press state and federal legislators into passing “common sense” legislation to stem the flow of handguns and military-style automatic weapons.

“I encourage anyone running for the presidency to address this issue in their next debates,” Rev. Jackson said. He favors tighter restrictions on who is allowed to buy guns, better background checks, longer waiting periods for gun purchases, and restrictions on how many guns an individual may buy within a calendar period.

Might I instead suggest a march to protest those committing all of these shootings? Of course, that would mean pointing the finger at the communities where gang activity, unsupervised (un-parented) kids, and crime are most prevalent and that would mean Jackson’s own constituency.

A quick thinking roommate dispatched an armed mutant. From the Waynesboro Record Herald (PA):

HAGERSTOWN - An armed intruder was shot and killed early Sunday morning after he and another man reportedly attempted to force their way into a Youngstown Court apartment, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

[…]

When Humphrey opened the door, the two men allegedly forced their way in, with Conely carrying a .22-caliber rifle. The apartment’s other resident, 24-year-old Michelle Reeder, heard Humphrey yelling and ran to the bedroom, retrieved a handgun and returned to the living room.

Conely reportedly held his gun to Humphrey’s head and also pointed it at Reeder and threatened to kill her. Reeder fired multiple rounds at Conely, striking him once in the upper body, according to the sheriff’s office.

Sheriff’s officials said the struggle continued into the bedroom, where Reeder stabbed Conely in the back with a knife. Officials didn’t indicate whether the gunshot wound or stab wound was the fatal injury.

The women were then able to escape unharmed. The other bad guy escaped but was quickly caught and is facing a whole lot of charges.

Michelle Reeder sounds like someone who knows how to take care of herself. Good for her!

There’s a discussion going on here by college students and professors about whether teachers should be armed. Most of the comments are against the idea — big shock there. My favorite comment has got to be:

“well, what if PZ is showing the class a new cephalopod and the squid reaches its tentacle into his breast pocket, pulls the gun out, and starts firing? WHAT THEN YOU CRAZY GUN-NUTS?”

What indeed!

I cannot fathom to what depths an octopus will go to cloud the issue of arms control. . .

That would seem to be my current rate. . . Now that I’ve become “All shotguns all the time,” it seems that my Mossberg 500 20 gauge wasn’t enough. Yes, this past weekend the flesh (and wallet) were weak and I picked up a Mossberg 500A Persuader:

In the past, I simply kept a handgun in the nightstand but that really isn’t a good home defense gun. A 12 Gauge pump gun is. In fact, it might just be about the best you can do.

I remember reading somewhere about someone warning those who were threatening him (it was a blogger not on my blogroll) who said, “I’ve got an AR-15 under my bed” or something to that effect. I can’t think of a gun less suited to home defense. After your rounds pass through three or 4 wall boards and strike your spouse or kids hiding in the next room. . .

Now a 12 gauge pump gun is something else again. Chances are just working the slide will be enough to send the invaders scurrying back out the window or door they entered your home through. And if they actually keep coming; well, it’s gonna suck being them. Hitting someone with a cloud of #00 buckshot at close range will really ruin their day and probably end their life.

This version has a 20″ barrel and you’ll notice the tube is just as long — it holds seven shotshells. What I really like best about the Mossberg 500’s are the location of the controls:

They’re right there so you can operate them without moving your shooting hand. The action is very smooth, by the way. Just the perfect thing to have leaning up in the corner where my bed is or to have with me to go investigate sounds that shouldn’t be there. Best, of course, is that the gun was only $325 in tax-free New Hampshire.

I don’t expect I will use the optional “pistol grip” in place of the regular stock you see in the picture because I don’t feel like having my wrist absorb all the recoil. Even putting the buttstock under my arm (carrying at “tit level” as my friend puts it) is better than that. Probably my only gripe about the gun is that there’s no checkering on the grip but I’ll overlook it. . .

On Coast-to-Coast AM last night, Art Bell announced he’s retiring. Again. I think this is the fourth time for him.

Well, I wish him well. Again. Certainly he created an unusual radio show that examined the weird, mysterious, scientific, what have you and the show flourishes today with millions of listeners. I’m one of them.

To be honest, George Noory, the primary weeknight host, is a better interviewer and to my mind has improved the show in the past few years.

There’s a nice piece in Tulsa World examining the impact of Oklahoma’s concealed carry laws after ten years:

Ten years later, officials say gun-carrying citizens responsible, deterring crime.

If the number of concealed-handgun license holders is any indication, robbers may have to worry about getting more than stolen goods during a heist.

With an increasing number of state residents legally packing heat, more robbers may be taking away some hot lead.

More than 54,000 Oklahomans are licensed to carry concealed handguns under the Oklahoma Self-Defense Act, said Jessica Brown, spokeswoman for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. That number is up from around 31,000 in 2000 and 15,081 in 1996, after the first year of licensing. Once approved, applicants are licensed to carry concealed weapons for five years. After five years, they are required to renew their application.

In the beginning, some people thought a wave of shootings by license holders would occur, but those fears have proved to be unfounded, Brown said.

“There’s very little of that, quite frankly,” she said. “Most people don’t want to hurt each other.”

[…]

[Tulsa Police Officer Jason] Willingham said that, in their duties, most police officers rarely come across concealed-handgun license holders.

“Most people who go through the trouble of getting a concealed-carry permit are not committing crimes,” he said. “By and large, the people with concealed-carry permits are not the ones we’re coming in contact with.”

This, of course, is the pattern in almost all states that have enacted laws permitting law abiding citizens to conceal-carry.

Judging by the comments posted following the story, most readers are surprised by the positive view of CCW presented by the writer-journalist. Not that the CCW experience has been positive; that the newspaper would print a positive story about it.

There are reports that Pelosi and Feinstein, Kucinich and Dingell, and others would like to bring the “equal time” rules back. According to this article it seems unlikely to happen but just in case, Indiana Rep. Mike Spence (R) has introduced a temporary measure (as an amendment attached to an appropriations bill) that would ban funding of the “Fairness Doctrine.”

Many liberals would love to see the “Fairness Doctrine” come back because they can’t get a toe-hold in talk radio. Air America has been a financial disaster and George Soros is putting his money behind groups trying to bring the attack on the First Amendment back. Interesting that Soros works so hard to shred both the First and Second Amendments of our country.

Anyway, if for some reason the “Fairness Doctrine” is revived, I think all media needs to be held accountable for presenting both sides of an issue. The Federal Communications Commission should have its charter expanded to encompass all “media” and insure “Fairness” all around. Here are areas where we need some “Fairness”. . .

1. National Public Radio. No brainer. The partially taxpayer funded network is blatantly biased toward the left and the Democratic Party. I think someone like Rush Limbaugh would make an excellent addition to All Things Considered and Fresh Air.

2. We need a conservative sitting right next to Brian Williams and Katie Couric and others on the NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN et al network nightly newscasts to counter the liberal leanings of those broadcasts.

3. Movies are media and if a movie is going to call itself a “documentary” and Hollywood is going to endorse and award such movies as factual, then these movies must present all sides of an issue. From now on, Michael Moore must devote half of his movie’s running time to counterclaims for –you know– fairness. This would also include movies by Al Gore about global warming. Half of his movie must be devoted to the threat of global cooling.

4. Why stop at celluloid? Books claiming to be “non-fiction” are media and we need some fairness there as well. From now on, half the chapters of a non-fiction book must be written by those with opinions differing from the author’s.

5. Lectures are a form of media and all sides need to be presented. Under my version of the “Fairness Doctrine” all college campuses must allow conservative speakers to present the opposing view of issues to the same students that are being currently limited to hearing only liberal speakers.

6. Newspapers such as the New York Times, LA Times, Washington Post, must all have editorial page writers showing a diversity of opinion. In the case of the New York Times, since they allow liberal bias to infect actual news stories (content, subject, placement) then conservatives must also be allowed to write the “articles” there. Fairness, you know.

7. Blogs are media, too. The new media. All sides must be presented so guest bloggers must be allowed to write posts with differing views from those of the blog’s primary blogger. Even here. And, of course, also at Daily Kos, Huffington Post, etc. And if liberals claim that, well since there are comments on those blogs allowing for opposing views, I would say to them that “talk radio” — which is really what the “Fairness Doctrine” is aimed at — allows listeners to call in with their views but that isn’t stopping Feinstein, Pelosi, Kucinich, etc. from wanting it back.

8. See how silly all of this is? See what an attack on freedom of speech the “Fairness Doctrine” actually is? Rep. Mike Pence is supposed to introduce a bill today that will make his amendment permanent. Let’s hope it receives the same welcome that the “Pence Amendment” did.

Gripe, gripe, gripe. The EPA is bitching because Sarasota cops are dumping firearms 12 miles out from shore. From the Herald Tribune of Florida:

The Sarasota police department has been told it must stop dumping guns into the Gulf of Mexico — something the agency has been doing for decades — because it violates federal law.

The federal Environmental Protection Agency notified department officials this week that the dumping must stop.

Police dumped more than 200 weapons into the Gulf this month, and sent pictures and a news release to local media.

It is something the department has done routinely for more than 30 years, and until now few complained, said police spokesman Jay Frank.

“We believe the story was more about taking 200 guns off the street, but people seemed to care more about us polluting the Gulf,” Frank said.

Now where the hell did I stow my scuba-diving gear? Anyone have a big-ass magnet I could borrow?

An example of how NOT to make the case for defensive firearm use. From the Palm Beach Post:

RIVIERA BEACH — After two men shoved guns in an auto shop owner’s face, taking $1,300 from his business, the owner grabbed his own gun, followed them outside and fired, police said.

Police don’t know if any of the shots hit either robber, but one did hit a bystander in the ankle.

The bystander, who police would not identify Wednesday, was taken to an area hospital with an injury said to be not life-threatening.

According to police, investigations into both the robbery and the shooting, which happened shortly after 1 p.m., are continuing.

Richard Hydro, 54, owner of Motor Werkes, in the 4600 block of Dyer Avenue, was not held by police. A man answering the telephone at his home said the business owner had been advised not to discuss the shooting.

Riviera Beach spokeswoman Rose Anne Brown, however, said, “The (robbery) victim, in fear of his life, followed the subjects and shot at them.”

Yes, but the robbery had already happened and if I’m reading this story correctly, the thugs had already left the shop. The business owner “followed the subjects and shot at them.”

No. Wrong way to go. If the immediate threat is past, you don’t go “following them” out of doors and start shooting wildly so that an innocent bystander is hit — fortunately not critically this time. Instead, this is when you should call the cops and let them handle the pursuit.

If they don’t get their new gun control laws, several members of the House representing Philadelphia will not vote for the overall state budget. From Phili.com:

Anger about the lack of action on gun-control bills boiled over onto the House floor yesterday, with several African American Democrats from Philadelphia vowing to hold up passage of the state budget unless their bills are considered.

With the city’s death toll approaching 200 this year, six members of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus made impassioned pleas for help during an unexpected two-hour discussion about gun violence and many of its root causes: drugs, joblessness and poverty.

They were not debating a bill; none of the 14 anti-crime bills introduced this session has even made it out of a House committee.

Amid a busy day filled with a slew of budget bills, Rep. Jewell Williams, chairman of the Philadelphia delegation, used a parliamentary procedure known as “unanimous consent” to voice his frustration over the stalled gun-control bills.

“I am going to make it completely clear: no gun legislation, no votes for the budget,” Williams said. “Philadelphia members are constantly asked to support legislation that helps other areas of the state as our pleas for help continue to fall on deaf ears.

Even with the enthusiastic support for more gun control by Gov. Rendell, I suspect the caucus is not going to get their way. Passing such measures as “One Gun per Month” will do nothing to stop crime and illegal guns. Would that they instead focused on the crime elements in their own neighborhoods, the broken families, the gangs, and so on. That WOULD have an effect.