This Day in History: May 10

On this day in 1775, Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold lead a successful attack on Fort Ticonderoga in upstate New York, while the Second Continental Congress assembles in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

My Next Car

Russia's biggest carmaker plans to make a high-tech version of the Soviet-era Lada car that will be named after the creator of the Kalashnikov assault rifle, the Vedomosti business daily said.

"We will probably work... to create a military jeep," said the head of arms trader Rosoboronexport, Sergei Chemezov, quoted by the paper...

Vedomosti suggested the new car could be Russia's answer to the United States' Hummer, a vehicle originally designed for army use that is now a rich city-dweller's status symbol and is increasingly popular on the streets of Moscow.

Right after I win the lottery...

Tragedy and Justice

The father of a three-year-old Detroit boy who fatally shot himself in the head has been charged with second-degree child abuse...a 4-year felony.

Tragic. If you're a moral and rational person, I don't think there's any punishment that could be meted out that would be worse than the knowledge that your actions led to such a result. I'm not saying their shouldn't be legal consequences, but just think life would be literal hell and those consequences would pale against the guilt.

I don't normally post these types of stories. A week and a half ago, a few contributors sent me a link for "The Only Ones" files: a story about the New York police official's son who killed himself with his father's negligently stored pistol. My reply as to why I didn't want to post on that incident:

Yeah, I saw this last night and decided not to do an "only ones" feature on it just because of the nature of the poor kid and the horror his parents must be going through--maybe I'm copping out, but I wouldn't wish this hell on my worst enemy, and I've accused the other side of dancing in blood at tragedies--I just can't bring myself to use this story to my advantage.

I still feel that way. The only reason I bring it up here is to note that under similar circumstances, I see a citizen facing 4-year charges, but not the cop.

State Secrets

The names of those packing heat in Florida should not be a state secret.

Boy, I wish I wasn't in a hurry to get to another 14 hour work day--these morons really deserve a good fisking, they are just so wrong on so many counts.

Example:

In other years, gun supporters have argued that the knowledge that someone had a permit to carry a concealed weapon would be a deterrent to crime. Now they have reversed themselves, contending that keeping concealed weapons permits as public records makes the gun owners vulnerable to attack or harassment.

No, the argument has always been the knowledge that someone is likely to be armed in a given situation is what has been presented as a deterrent. Knowing specifically who eliminates the uncertainty factor and identifies a target.

It's yet another reason why I think whether or not you're carrying should be a personal secret, not a state one.

We're the Only Ones Cleared Enough

The police officer said he had met Alice less than an hour earlier when he found her walking along a road. He said he gave her a lift as she appeared "agitated and drunk".

The officer said he was running out of fuel and went to a cash machine to get money to buy petrol.

He said that on returning to the car he drove a short distance when Alice shot herself with his gun, which had been lying in the car.

What, you're not supposed to leave a loaded gun next to an "agitated and drunk" teenage girl you picked up--I mean, gave a helpful ride to--off the street?

Good call by that police ombudsman, that there's no evidence this was "anything other than a tragic accident". I hope the girl's family that went to her with their dispute is satisfied with the fox's henhouse investigation.