Food Fight

Rescue Planned for Woman Trapped in Home by Giant Pig

I guess we can't feel too superior--some of our own stalwart Heirs of Liberty are ruled by turkeys.

Which makes the Zargonians and Ents very happy.

Huckster Finn

Matti Vanhanen said Finland should consider banning private handguns.

Well, that didn't take long.

[Via Zachary G]

So Happy Together

New York City will pay to install a better security camera system in a Virginia gun store that will make other changes to its sales practices, resolving a lawsuit the city filed two years ago...

Both sides said they were happy with the resolution.

Sorry. I understand why and all that, but then I look at examples set by Ryan Horsley and Jay Wallace, and...

Maybe I'm being unfair. But that "happy" comment didn't sit right.

[Via SameNoKami]

The Shirt Off His Back

Students at Dos Palos High School protested Thursday -- by wearing patriotic regalia to school -- after a sophomore student was forced to remove a T-shirt depicting the American flag...

Earlier in the day, he was speaking with a local news station when an unidentified teacher walked up to him, ripped off the microphone clipped to his shirt and told him he was not allowed to talk to the media.

Identify him. I'd like to exchange an email or two.

In fairness though, they are teaching the young inmates what they need to know to navigate the cell block. As well as respect for Dear Leader.

[Via Zachary G and David H]

We're the Only Ones "One...Uh...Five More for the Road!" Enough

A Chicago Police officer who had DUI charges dismissed against him in a fatal November crash was indicted Tuesday in the same Roscoe Village car accident that killed two men.

Nice of his fellow "Only Ones" to give him eight hours after his refusal to take a field sobriety test before they administered the breathalyzer. Why whoever made that decision isn't facing obstruction of justice charges is beyond me, but it does give a strong indicator that covering for your own is ingrained in the culture. Not that anyone paying attention should have any illusions about who is serving whom.

Forget it Jake, it's Chi-Town.

[Via David H]

Your Mind to My Mind. Your Thoughts to My Thoughts

Baggage searches are SOOOOOO early-21st century. Homeland Security is now testing the next generation of security screening — a body scanner that can read your mind.

Good grief. Make sure you click on the "MALINTENT in Action" link, and see if you can think up some Mad Magazine-style snappy answers to stupid questions. And then imagine getting beaten and cavity searched if you did.

Mr. Lightfoot?

If I could read your mind love
What a tale your thoughts could tell...

And remember: They hate us because we're free!

[Via Ron W]

Standing Up for Canadian Gun Rights

Here's an eyewitness account from David Hamel of that Canadian smoke and mirrors show we talked about the other day.

FYI, some background and details about our "protest." Trevor Laitila, the adult son of the NFA Office Manager, Diane Laitila, told me he heard Jack Layton on the radio talking about banning handguns, and he wanted to go to Layton's rally the next day and protest. I told him I would like to join him, and would give him a ride if he needed one. Trevor, an avid firearms collector blinded by diabetes, Elza Dontcheva, who is the NFA Bookkeeper, and I drove to the Layton rally.

For "protest" materials, we had "Remember C-68 Next Time You Vote" signs that the NFA had printed on green plastic bags designed to fit over election lawn signs. C-68 was the start of the long gun registry nearly 10 years ago. We also had "The Lioness Method of Rape Prevention" brochures, and copies of the CFJ featuring Megan Tandy on the cover, along with some NFA membership forms.

One thing we did NOT have, was any kind of NFA sanction for our activities. We did not ask permission or inform NFA National Exec of our plans. Elza and I have NO authority to speak to the media on behalf of the NFA.

During our stand off with security, one man came forward and told security to leave us alone, because we had a right to be there too, and hadn't done anything wrong. After the security incident and the subsequent media circus, we quietly and politely held up our signs and passed out materials to anyone who was interested, under the watchful eye of security, who were never more than seven yards away.

A number of people politely took materials, a few expressed support for our views, and only a couple of people made impolite or disrespectful comments. Perhaps not surprising, the latter group, exclusively chose to address their remarks to Trevor!

As we left, security followed us out and there was a tense moment for them as Elza approached Raj Pannu, who was outside talking with people. Elza knows Mr. Pannu from the university and respects him, so she shook his hand, spoke to him for a few moments, before giving him a copy of our magazine and the Lioness brochure, and we left.

Dispatches from the Front

We were talking yesterday about the Palm Pistol, and I exchanged a few emails with Matthew Carmel. He made a point I think it's important to consider, something I'm sensitive to, having lived in California all those years:

I also wanted to mention my surprise concerning peoples reaction when observing I am located in NJ. I live in this state, where else should my ideas come from? As much as I dislike the anti-gun attitudes here, it is not a foreign country. The anti-gun states are the front line in the battlefield for defending the Second Amendment. It would preaching to the choir if I lived in Texas. It is much more important, like George Patton, to bring the fight to your enemies.

This Day in History: September 24

The Battle of Longue-Pointe was fought on September 24, 1775, during the American Revolutionary War. A detachment of General Montgomery's army under Ethan Allen was defeated by Quebec militia outside the gates of Montreal.

That All Depends on the Meaning of the Word "Pistol"

This is from a BATFU letter that Sebastian has posted concerning the Palm Pistol.

The second thing I notice is, the developer can rely on current definition and invest the farm, and then have the invention reclassified and lose it all. How is this allowed to not only happen, but be apparent SOP?

The first thing, of course, is that a redefinition is underway. I've been looking around for the referenced notice of proposed rulemaking and come up dry--probably because I don't know how to navigate the federal labyrinth.

Anybody know what it is, and where we can read it? And maybe have input during an open public comment period?

UPDATE: Matthew Carmel, the recipient of the ATF letter, sent me an email after I posted this informing me the "Proposed change to definition published 70 FR 17624, 17626 (April 7, 2005) will have no effect on the Palm Pistol."

I had wondered about that and if there was a newer proposal, because the ATF letter is dated 2008, and says that "the submitted item could be affected."

Mr. Carmel tells me that's because "The 2005 proposed change has not yet been implemented, and may never be. Opportunity for public comment is long gone."

The Power of Signs

"Only Ones" exempted, of course.

Maybe the armed robber couldn't read. He probably won't go through the state-mandated waiting period or pay any background check fees, either. Heck, I'll bet he didn't even have the sign-required carry permit--hardly anybody in LA County/Redondo Beach does.

But perhaps they lucked out and he left the required thumbprint...

I'm glad everyone was OK--that store is about a mile from where I used to live and I've been to it many times.

School Shooting in Finland

At least nine people have been killed and two others seriously wounded in a shooting spree at a vocational college in Finland, police and officials say.

I'm noticing a recurring theme in most news accounts--pointing out Finland's relatively less restrictive gun laws and widespread gun ownership compared to much of Europe.

What I'm not seeing is any acknowledgement that, once more, the damage had been done by the time police arrived.

I'm searching around for Finnish laws to see if campuses there are mandated "gun-free," but in any case, I'm pretty sure shooting people is illegal.

The purported reptile (some reports at this time say he survived) can be seen here.

Timing is Everything

Report of gun threat brings police to school

And if someone with evil intent had brought one, the police would have been just in the nick of time to do what, exactly?

A Subtle Distinction

A store clerk fatally shot a man in an attempted robbery Monday afternoon at 27th Street and Prospect Avenue, police said.

There's a difference between giving them what they want and giving them what they deserve.

An Enumerated Power

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said reducing Jacksonville’s murder rate and protecting the St. Johns River would be priorities for him in the White House.

I was worried for a second that he might be biting off more than he can chew, lawfully delegated authority-wise, but thank goodness, there it is, Article II, Section 5:


[Via John G]

Tree People

I want you to know that, trees, that we care!

...Bring me to this rock, that has the most incredible life...

First the Zargonian sympathizers and now this. Click the title link and shake your head in disbelief. You can't make this stuff up.

Lunatic emotion-based demands for social change: where have gun owners seen that before?

Here's an appropriate response.

Speaking as someone who loaded up, unloaded and stacked two truckloads of logs over the weekend for the firepit, let me say the only pain I'm feeling is my achin' back and arms, which hadn't yet recovered from cleaning up after last week's windstorm that knocked over one tree in my yard and split off a huge, thick branch from another.

[Via Carl S]

Bubbles

Don't float in a bubble. I guarantee it will burst sooner or later.

Mike H bursts a few bubbles.

Qualified Immunity

Decisions by the Secretary pursuant to the authority of this Act are non-reviewable and committed to agency discretion, and may not be reviewed by any court of law or any administrative agency.

Hey, whose money do you think it is, anyway? Besides, what could go wrong?

And why limit such edicts to this department, or this narrowly-defined scope of authority?

[Via Ron W]

The Battle of Athens

Sunday's incident was the latest in a string of shootings in Athens over the summer. So far this year, there have been 14 shootings in the area, said Steve Whitmore, a sheriff's department spokesman. Eleven shootings reported since June left eight people dead.

Not that the sheriff's department actually gives a damn...

This Day in History: September 23

On September 23, 1775, a group of patriots living in the northern section of the Town gathered in Cow Neck – modern day Port Washington – and declared their allegiance to the revolutionary cause by formally seceding from the Town of Hempstead which was heavily populated by Loyalists to England.