Open the Pod Bay Doors, WOG...

My trusty old workhorse computer, the Warongunsotron [WOG] 9000, is making the Devil's own noise.

It may be the hard drive, it may be the fan. I don't know, but I'm taking it in for the rubber glove turn-your-CPU-and-cough battery of tests.

We may or may not be blogging tomorrow or the next few days thereafter. But I'll hope for the best.

Just what do you think you're doing, Dave? I'm afraid...

The REAL Reason Kathryn Johnston Was Killed

Because of "stand your ground" laws.

For over 200 years, distinguishing self-defense from vigilantism was for police, prosecutors, juries, and judges to decide.

The new laws leave it up to you and me.

Self defense is vigilantism. There's no way to tell the difference during a violent encounter until it's adjudicated by the government.

Really. Rick Perlstein said it, I believe it, that settles it.

Does this creature remind you of anybody else?

We're the Only Ones Uncharged Enough

The parents of a Kennesaw police recruit killed by an instructor during firearms training said Wednesday they are frustrated and angry that the veteran officer responsible was neither charged with a crime nor fired...

The sheriff's administrative report on the shooting was released nearly six months after the shooting. It said that Jackson fired a single round during a drill in which recruits faced each other, drew their weapons, pulled the trigger, ejected the magazine, reloaded and pulled the trigger a second time, according to the sheriff's report.

Jackson took the place of the recruit facing Drummond to demonstrate the procedure, the report states. Jackson's semiautomatic pistol fired a live round when reloaded with the second magazine, striking Drummond in the chest, investigators reported.

I guess the grand jury foreman checked the wrong box...?

[More from "The Only Ones" files...]

[Via The Claire Files]

Why Kill a Dream When You Can Kill a Disarmed Victim?

The Chicago PD, which did such a stellar job keeping those people at Citcigroup Center from getting killed the other day, want to ensure even more disarmed human targets in the victim pool.

I've resisted posting this for some time, but enough is enough with these stupid "buy backs":


Think I'd get in trouble if I did this...?

Well, I can always dream--as long as I'm alive.

[Link to Chicago PD flyer via HZ]

We're the Only Ones Shooting First Enough

San Bernardino County Supervisor Josie Gonzales closed a spontaneous address to hundreds of county staffers Wednesday with an unexpected and somewhat shocking message to county public safety employees.

"Shoot first and ask questions later," she said. "I'll take care of the lawsuits."

...her final remarks drew applause and cheers from the audience...

Public safety employees should shoot the public that employs them to ensure public safety. How very circular. And that "drew applause and cheers."

Oh, wait. She was only joking.

Whew!

Ha ha. Good one. (But if it was a joke, how come the audience applauded and cheered, instead of laughed?)

Maybe we can address our co-workers and joke about shooting our employers, too. I'll bet our bosses would appreciate the humor as much as our applauding and cheering (but not laughing) fellow employees. I'll bet they'd also appreciate being treated like subjects, and even enemies.

Who wants to try it and report back on how it went?

[More from "The Only Ones" files...]

This Day in History: December 14

On this day in 1777, the Continental Congress names Irish-born Thomas Conway to the post of inspector general of the United States. Conway, who was born in Ireland but raised in France, entered the French army in 1749. He was recruited to the Patriot cause by Silas Deane, the American ambassador to France, and after meeting with General George Washington at Morristown in May 1777, he was appointed brigadier general and assigned to Major General John Sullivan’s division.