The Eyes Have It

"If you've been convicted of a crime, in essence, this will act as a digital scarlet letter. If you're a known shoplifter, for example, you won't be able to go into a store without being flagged. For others, boarding a plane will be impossible." [More]

Or buying a gun if you're on a "terror watch list"?
I'm thinking contact lenses with retina pattern prints, but then I'm thinking hell, just put a stop to this crap.

And then there's this:

Opting out actually puts more of a flag on you than just being part of the system. We believe everyone will opt-in.

Followed by wishful excuse-making from the rope-selling capitalist:

"We're not talking about anything different here--just a system that's good for all of us."

Yeah, pal. And they'll eat you last?

I'll decide what's good for me.

German socialist: 'Guns for me but not for thee'?

See, we're really nice guys now. Those other "old school" progressives, well, they were just perverts. You can trust us with a monopoly of violence. Honest. [More]

Today's Gun Rights Examiner observes latter day German National Socialists want everyone disarmed but themselves.

This is my shocked face.

Also get an update on the Shipley sentencing hearing.

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Standing a Chance

Mike Vanderboegh talked about something a while back that bears a refresher on in light of two other stories that caught my attention in my daily content search. It's a theme advanced regularly by the left and the ignorant:

"Small gun groups don't stand a chance"

Communications are interrupted in less connected-to-the-grid parts of the world. Somebody needs to tell that to this guy.

Or to these folks.

There are some misinformed souls in the "gun community" who disparage the "Threepers" as wanting to start a civil war. They're also not above laying on the defeatist scorn.

I'm reminded of something I said in an article I wrote for GUNS & AMMO around 10 years back, titled "You Say You Want a Revolution?":

But that’s ok. As long as such uncertainty exists, the Second Amendment is doing its job. As long as government fears an armed populace, and based on all the idiot laws they’re trying to pass, they sure must, a powerful check on tyranny remains in place. After all, it is an evident truth that the strength of our nation can be measured by its freedom, and the Second Amendment is the key bellwether for this freedom. We can see in its erosion the breakdown of trust between government and the governed, and the attendant instability and conflict that is inevitable when this happens.

The seemingly paradoxical truth is, if you want to create a stable, peaceful and free society, where a Chechnya-style conflict becomes the unlikeliest of possibilities, you must guarantee that the whole people can arm themselves to the teeth. For only by making the cost of infringing our rights too high can we make those who would abridge them afraid to act. Just as, at the individual level, a criminal avoids a potential victim who may be armed, so too does this work on a societal scale.

If none of us stand a chance, why would we take a chance on a stand?

This Day in History: August 20

The Hand of providence has been so conspicuous in all this, that he must be worse than an infidel that lacks faith, and more than wicked, that has not gratitude enough to acknowledge his obligations. [More]

When Fire-Breathing Bartenders Are Outlawed...

Cirrito said an investigator told him that the marshals received a letter in the mail with a photo taken of a previous performance at the bar. [More]

See what a wonderful society we can build if we encourage a snitch culture?

I wonder if the rat is a competitor?

Does Florida gun turn-in program create even more dangers?

Does that "no questions asked" cover us during transport, or might we get more "kicks for guns" than we bargained for? [More]

Today's Gun Rights Examiner column looks at some hidden dangers.

Also tune into yesterday's Trigger Sports Live!

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We're the Only Ones Without Question Enough

“I am very confident his audio/video camera will help both the officer and the citizen,” said Adams. “Since all actions will be recorded, there will never be a question on what was said and how it was handled.” [More]

I know you said there will never be a question, Chief, but I still have one: You won't mind if we reciprocate?

[Via retrotruckman]

Quigley Down Under

One can hope. With lots of flames. [Read]

Along with this co-sponsoring domestic enemy...Don't count on any Illinois gun owner who votes for him under the "lesser of two evils" excuse for anything.

Oh, Deer!

And I'll bet it was cute, too. [Read]

Dreams of My Father

He was a WWII vet?

Maybe he was...

Why Can't I Get a Gun License?

Why would you want one? [Read]

Mr. Pynchon?

If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don't have to worry about answers.

Proud Bloomberg is His Mayor

I don't think Eric Margolis would want to test the tolerance of those he feels compelled to be an apologist for. [Read]

I haven't weighed in on the mosque issue because it's pretty far afield of what I focus on, and that's not my focus here--it's on a supposed libertarian praising control freak fascists like Obama and Bloomberg, and claiming pride in being a subject.

That said, I do fear a government that could prevent the erection of a religious structure. And that said, I have a right to protest any private entities helping to actualize this--assuming I give a damn about what happens in New York City any more.

[Via Paul W. Davis]

This Day in History: August 19

Bates was back in New York to warn Clinton of the American troops movements on August 19, 1778 and her information influenced Clinton's decision to send more men to defend Rhode Island, forcing the American and French armies to withdraw from Newport...[More]

GRE Round Up for August 18

Here's the latest from my Gun Rights Examiner colleagues:

Liston Matthews/Knoxville:
Greenback yard invasion

Greenback yard invasion injures mayor

Dave Workman/Seattle:
One down, many to go following Tuesday primary

Be sure and check out these other Liberty-oriented Examiners:

• Jesse Mathewson/Cochise County Libertarian
  
• Kent McManigal/Albuquerque Libertarian
• Anthony Martin/Conservative

And John Longenecker has a new issue of Liberty News/Safer Streets.

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Total ban fails to stop Chinese gun trade

The paradox and unintended consequence for the gun banners is, the more they make owning a gun difficult, the more innovative and unregulated the market becomes. They create conditions where the real world outcome is exactly the opposite of what they say they want. [More]

Today's Gun Rights Examiner column looks at a Great Wall--one where the best gun deals in town are offered.

Also read my GUNS Magazine recap of McDonald and find out who's ratting out who today on Trigger Sports Live!

NOTE: As many of you have noted, Examiner.com is screwed up nine ways from Sunday with their site "upgrade." I published this over four hours ago and it still is not showing up on my main page. Also, I am aware that some of the embedded links don't work--their publishing tool added an extra "http"--I corrected it in draft form two hours ago when I noticed, but those changes still have not migrated to the live page.

I've been getting quite a few emails on this--subscriptions route readers to error pages, innocuous comments get rejected by a profanity filter on the fritz, etc., etc.

You should see things from my end. We content providers are spitting mad. I've personally filled out at least four tech support tickets and have identified literally dozens of new foul-ups this ill-designed and handled "upgrade" has caused--from things that deeply impact my ability to do basic formatting to outrageous disconnects that seem designed to drive away old readers and make it more difficult to attract new ones.

On that note, I've gotten a few emails from the former who say they will no longer be reading because of this, or forwarding links, as I always ask regular readers to do.

If I could wave a magic wand and make things different I would, but I can't--so I'm forced to either fight on the terrain I find myself in--or give up and retreat.

Hopefully things will smooth out soon. Please be patient, and above all, please have mercy on me--I already get over a hundred emails a day and can do nothing about tech issues. Matter of fact, I'd consider it a favor if you would contact them instead.

Don't be gentle. I haven't been.

Up, Up and Away...

Vanderboegh reports on a maiden voyage. [Read]

Those BATFUers can't do anything without destroying things, can they? I guess we should be thankful that we see no engulfing flames...

[Evacuating the Concrete @$$hole, L-R:
Observing/reporting Waldo in background,
Deputy Ken, Little Jimmy, Agent Keeku,
unnamed dog that miraculously survived a raid
(ballast, to be dropped for lift when they hit the jet stream),
Andy "straw man" Traver and visiting Fibbie Lon Horiuchi]

Bashing?

Or simply telling it like it is? [Read]

Some Fairfax über alles apologists don't understand the difference.

The pistolero does, and tells it like it is.

A Peaceful Event

Of course. [Read]

Haven't they already proven how polite they are?

We're the Only Ones Bordering on Despair Enough

After a bad day on the job as a Border Patrol agent, Eddie DeLaCruz went home and began discussing with his wife how to celebrate her upcoming birthday. Then he casually pressed his government-issued handgun under his chin and pulled the trigger. [More]

Anybody hear the antis clamoring to ban "government-issued handguns"?

[Via Ed M]

A Popular Notion

The Victorian Police Chief Commissioner Simon Overland says he expects a rise in gun crime and shootings as Melbourne's population continues to increase. [More]

Meaning "gun control" alone isn't working--we need population control!

With edicts and administrators and enforcers and everything!