Wednesday, February 03, 2016

SCREW-UP ALERT

SCREW UP ALERT-- Turns out buried in the text I just found out  "Michael is a "she."-- so I pulled the OK article -- I will need to rework it.

One Question

Americans 'much likelier to be killed by guns' than people in other countries ... Research finds rate of deaths involving guns 10 times higher in the US than other populous, high-income countries [More]
If it's due to guns, how do rates for the millions of members of the NRA, arguably the most heavily-armed civilian population on the planet -- compare with those "gun-controlled' countries?

Or do you just lump us all in with Bloomberg city denizens?

That's two questions, isn't it?

Dang. Three.

Maybe I should retitle this "A Spate of Questions."


The "Die" is Cast

A model of self-control
Hollywood lottery winner Dennis Quaid explains why you and I must be controlled. [Watch]

That would be the same Dennis Quaid whose history of failure to control himself disqualified him from buying a gun for over 20 years.

And it appears he still has issues.

You can vote "Funny" or "Die" on the video, hence the name.

[Via Kevin Starrett]

New York, New York, It's a Wonderful Town!

The Bronx is up and the Battery's down
The people ride in a hole in the ground,
New York, New York, it's a wonderful town!
[More]
“It does concern me because I have to take it every day. So it’s kind of scary" ... “We’re living in fear of being slashed on the subway; something needs to happen” ... Riders griped that they’re not seeing police on trains, or many platforms.
Oh, they're there all right.

It's just that they're hiding.

Exclusive: The “Smart” Set

But back to Obama and his executive action, the one that really isn’t intended to send troops into harm’s way with weapon failure rates equivalent to garage door openers and television remotes: The military is just being used to funnel some appropriations into developments that can then be showcased for the media in some nonessential but sensationalized functions. [More]
My latest GUNS Magazine "Rights Watch" column notes SOP for this administration: Misdirection, smoke and mirrors

'Defense Delivery'

Focused on the delivery, a pizza delivery driver is ambushed from behind by four assailants armed with a blunt object. [More]
This week on ATSN's "Stop the Threat"...

On Again/Off Again

I can't keep up. [More]

Maybe that's the plan.

Cushy Gig

The D.C. Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve a bill that includes a proposal to pay residents a stipend not to commit crimes. [More]
They can still commit 'em. It's just they can't get caught. For now.

Why did a Mencken quote suddenly come to mind...?

[Via several of you]

In Good Hands

What did they do, send in the cleaning lady?  [Watch]

Tell me this isn't worth trading all kinds of freedoms in for. Right, Mom?

Rigorous!

[Via Geordan]

We Hold These Truths to Be Self-Evident

Gun Free South Africa has lost their credibility [More]
I could have told you that just from the stupid name.

Did they ever have any to begin with?

The Question of Our Time

Is America Ruled By Law or Ruled by Power? [More]
At this point, I'd say the scales are intolerably tipped to the second answer, with forms and rituals set up to make things seem like the first to all who don't look too closely...

[Via Geordan]

GUNS FOR EVERYONE!

To start with, nobody advocates universal gun ownership.  There are obviously many people who should not have a gun.  Some easy examples would be people with certain severe mental illnesses, people below a certain age and those who have committed violent crimes. [More]
Those exceptions all have custodians, right?  Because otherwise...

It's not about everyone else having a gun. It's about everyone else having a choice.

[Via Mike H]

It's Not as Immediately Gratifying as Torches and Pitchforks, BUT...

Before we all saddle up and move out on this:

...it might help to ask some questions.

For starters, if they're the source, why is there no related post on the Pacific Patriot Networks website?

Why just a screenshot, instead of a link to the post, so Barbara Davis can be asked for more details?

If she is a PPN insider, privy to exclusive revelations, there's not much of a relationship trail.

With all the legal defenses the feds have, and with the release of all information vetted to make sure no liabilities are presented, where did PPN get hold of such dynamite?  Assuming they did. I've asked and will update this post if they answer:
[Click to enlarge]

Here's one thing we can verify -- the FBI does claim LaVoy Finicum "did have a loaded 9 mm semi-automatic handgun in that pocket."

So now we ask ourselves:

Was it a plant?  They might not be that stupid, but what about OSP? There will be reports. There will be other recordings.

What if the recovered gun was stolen? Have we ruled out the possibility it was bought through a private sale, and LaVoy did not know? (And that alone would arouse other suspicions that would be pretty convenient at a time the feds are trying to suppress those.)

Who "on the inside" would have violated all protocol to release the serial number? The chain of custody for getting close enough to read them would be pretty limited, and at that point, with all the legal scrutiny, reports would be circulated on a "need to know" basis. That would mean there'd be a short list of leak suspects. The "whistleblower's" motivations for risking not only a career but also possible prosecution in order to make sure unverifiable information gets released on the Internet in conspiracy circles hardly seems like an act of enlightened self-interest.

Sure, there's a possibility this is planned disinformation by the government to further muddy waters and maybe get someone to overreact and take the focus off of them. There's also the possibility that it's all a hoax initiated by persons unknown for reasons that have not been stated.

The point being we do not know. We'll see if I get an answer.

This is a powder keg situation. The last thing needed is an unknown person with unknown motives lighting a match, and just buying into things and reacting in anger without knowing what's going on is, to say the least, destructive and irresponsible.

There are plenty of justice goals everyone wants to see come out of this situation. Some have a more immediate goal: Help save lives.

If you share that goal, please do what you can to make sure you're not a conduit for suspect information.

UPDATE:
I guess I'll try a different avenue of approach.

UPDATE:
I am going to call this fake...I just talked with my contact in touch with the family and I can confirm that LaVoy was not shot in the head (there will be an open casket funeral) and so far my LEO contact has stated that they have never run a serial number without letters. I will update when the number check gets back.