Pocket gophers are ruining my yard.
I’ve tried the gas bombs. I’ve tried flooding them out. Now I’m reduced to digging into tunnels and sprinkling zinc phosphide pellets.
The frustrating thing is, I can sit in my enclosed back patio and see their evil little heads pop up as they clear new holes. If I lived in a civilized community, John and Eli (aka Uday and Qusai) would be able to earn bounties with the Crossman.
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
Ignorance and Fear Go Hand in Hand...
TriggerFinger deconstructs [How you say in Bloggese, "fisks," yes?] an ignorant and fearful woman's anti-gun editorial, and does a great job if it.
He's much nicer than I am about these things.
He's much nicer than I am about these things.
Shoot to Live
"A RECENT WAVE of violent attacks with axes and cleavers raises the issue, once again, about the effectiveness of restricting, banning, or simply scaring people away from owning firearms."—Jennifer Freeman
The 3rd Annual Nigerian EMail Conference
"I present to you an urgent and confidential request: I request your attendance at The 3rd Annual Nigerian EMail Conference. This is an excellent opportunity to meet your distinguished colleagues, learn new marketing techniques, and spend your hard-earned money. Attending this conference demands the highest trust, security and confidentiality between us."
Hysterical!
Hysterical!
Monday, March 14, 2005
Technical Difficulties
The site is slow to load and the blogroll has disappeared. The Blogrolling site page can't be accessed, so this is the same as what happened last time--I suspect there are site problems there affecting the page--as Douglas Adams said, "Don't Panic."
Your highly trained WarOnGuns technical support staff (me, who knows virtually nothing about post-Triassic technology) is working 'round the clock to restore the site to peak performance.
UPDATE:
Yep—as Bart Simpson says, “I didn't do it, no one saw me do it, there's no way you can prove anything!”
Blogrolling has been having recurring system problems they can't seem to fix.
This has been a relatively heavy day—wonder how many site visitors gave up and think this is par for the course?
Oh well, I get what I pay for.
Your highly trained WarOnGuns technical support staff (me, who knows virtually nothing about post-Triassic technology) is working 'round the clock to restore the site to peak performance.
UPDATE:
Yep—as Bart Simpson says, “I didn't do it, no one saw me do it, there's no way you can prove anything!”
Blogrolling has been having recurring system problems they can't seem to fix.
This has been a relatively heavy day—wonder how many site visitors gave up and think this is par for the course?
Oh well, I get what I pay for.
Another Fool With an Opinion
"If she was pointing that gun at me I could take it from her in a heart beat."
On March 5, I congratulated friend Deborah Courtney for getting front page ink in The Orange County Register.
One Ian Fitz-Gibbon wrote to the OCR reporter:
After reading your article on Deborah I just had to laugh. She’s another fool with a gun. Does she walk around with a gun in her purse? LOL My guess is that if she had that gun when she was raped she would either be dead or be wondering why she bought it in the first place. A criminal won’t wait for her to reach into her purse or run out to her car to retrieve a gun. It’s also my guess that if she was pointing that gun at me I could take it from her in a heart beat. Being smart……..or not doing something stupid will do more for a person’s protection and security than carrying a gun. The most important thing in self-defense is what’s in your head, not what’s in your hand!
Regards,
Ian Fitz-Gibbon
Mr. Fitz-Gibbon apparently considers himself an authority on defensive tactics.
He’s evidently more educated on the matter than Florida State University criminologist Gary Kleck, whose surveys indicate up to 2.5 million defensive gun uses each year by Americans.
He’s obviously done more thorough research than economist John Lott [scroll down to bottom of right column to download CV], whose exhaustive analyses of statistics from all 3,054 counties in the United States from 1977 to 1994 confirm the title of his aptly named More Guns, Less Crime.
“Murder rates decline when either more women or more men carry concealed handguns, but a gun represents a much larger change in a woman's ability to defend herself than it does for a man. An additional woman carrying a concealed handgun reduces the murder rate for women by about 3 to 4 times more than an additional man carrying a concealed handgun reduces the murder rate for men,” Lott concludes.
But we must assume that Mr. Fitz-Gibbon has amassed and analyzed superior empirical evidence.
He’s clearly reported on more case studies than Robert Waters, whose The Best Defense provides chilling, real life examples of ordinary people repelling brutal criminals with firearms. And “being smart”—just like Ian Fitz-Gibbon—would no doubt assure superior outcomes for those people chronicled in KeepAndBearArms.com’s “Operation Self Defense,” each of whom was, evidently, “just another fool with a gun.”
“My guess is that if she had that gun when she was raped she would either be dead or be wondering why she bought it in the first place. A criminal won’t wait for her to reach into her purse or run out to her car to retrieve a gun,” Fitz-Gibbon smirks.
Unfortunately, your guess is wrong, Mr. Fitz-Gibbon. Without going into the details of her ordeal, her assailant trapped her. She knew he was coming for her before the actual physical assault, and would have had time to retrieve a concealed firearm if she’d had one.
“It’s also my guess that if she was pointing that gun at me I could take it from her in a heart beat,” he claims.
Really?
Do you have any idea how many shots a trained shooter can squeeze off “in a heartbeat” Mr. Fitz-Gibbon?
Here's a concession: Back when I was young and immortal, I was pretty heavily into martial arts. I used to do a demonstration, and, when I established the conditions (that is, having someone point a toy gun at me when I was standing within three feet of them, with instructions to shoot if I made a false move), I could—without fail—disable their gun hand and strike a simulated crippling blow. But it wasn’t real—there was no danger. And importantly, I controlled the situation.
What makes you think you would control the situation and be allowed to get within striking distance? I guess you must be a greater authority on such matters than Col. Jeff Cooper, so a trained shooter who has mastered the mental discipline of applying his Color Code would be no match against your awesome prowess.
Your point is not that you could surprise and ambush a targeted victim—hell, anyone could do that. You claim you can disarm someone who is trained and equipped, and who has you in their sights!
I could arrange a demonstration, if you like, Mr. Fitz-Gibbon. I’m sure I could assemble an audience that would love to see you exhibit how what’s in your head will overcome what’s in a trained shooter’s hand. I can probably even arrange for you to place bets on your ability to prevail against, say, my 10-year-old, someone who is elderly, and maybe even a disabled shooter. We’ll even videotape it, and post it on the Internet. And don't worry, we'll only use props. Care to prove your words?
How did you dismiss Deborah? Oh, yeah, "LOL!"
You should be careful about laughing at people, Mr. Fitz-Gibbon, especially when you're obviously in over your head—it makes you come across as just another fool with an opinion.
AFTERWORD FROM TJ JOHNSTON
Ian: being Deborah's trainer, I want to respond to your comments.
Deborah's rape was typical in that the assailant didn't jump out of the bushes and attack her. That media stereotype is so far from reality. Rapists set up their victims. And when they do, the potential victim has a series of options, which are greatly expanded if they have access to a firearm.
In Deborah's case, the assailant locked her in her personal office and then carefully walked around the rest of the building, closing windows and locking the front door. If she had her Glock in her office, he would have found a nasty confrontation when he returned to attack her.
You sound very courageous, in that you feel you could disarm somebody very easily. Candidly, it is possible. I teach those techniques and it requires much disciplined practice, considerable confidence, speed and precision to do it safely. With the hammer cocked, most handguns will fire with only minimal pressure on the trigger, and the movement that action requires is much less than the movement to reach out and take the gun away. If the person with the firearm maintains his/her distance, the person encroaching WILL BE SHOT.
Most importantly, as the statistics from John Lott, Gary Kleck, and a host of other criminologists show, the mere presence of a firearm deters most criminals, usually without the gun being discharged. No one wants to get shot, and criminals are not brave people. They run away.
The facts are clear and irrefutable. In her situation, if Deborah had been armed, she wouldn't have been raped.
And I would challenge you to take a loaded handgun away from her. Knowing her current attitude and aptitude, I am confident that you would have at least one more hole in you than before the attempt.
Regards,
TJ Johnston
www.allsafedefense.com
On March 5, I congratulated friend Deborah Courtney for getting front page ink in The Orange County Register.
One Ian Fitz-Gibbon wrote to the OCR reporter:
After reading your article on Deborah I just had to laugh. She’s another fool with a gun. Does she walk around with a gun in her purse? LOL My guess is that if she had that gun when she was raped she would either be dead or be wondering why she bought it in the first place. A criminal won’t wait for her to reach into her purse or run out to her car to retrieve a gun. It’s also my guess that if she was pointing that gun at me I could take it from her in a heart beat. Being smart……..or not doing something stupid will do more for a person’s protection and security than carrying a gun. The most important thing in self-defense is what’s in your head, not what’s in your hand!
Regards,
Ian Fitz-Gibbon
Mr. Fitz-Gibbon apparently considers himself an authority on defensive tactics.
He’s evidently more educated on the matter than Florida State University criminologist Gary Kleck, whose surveys indicate up to 2.5 million defensive gun uses each year by Americans.
He’s obviously done more thorough research than economist John Lott [scroll down to bottom of right column to download CV], whose exhaustive analyses of statistics from all 3,054 counties in the United States from 1977 to 1994 confirm the title of his aptly named More Guns, Less Crime.
“Murder rates decline when either more women or more men carry concealed handguns, but a gun represents a much larger change in a woman's ability to defend herself than it does for a man. An additional woman carrying a concealed handgun reduces the murder rate for women by about 3 to 4 times more than an additional man carrying a concealed handgun reduces the murder rate for men,” Lott concludes.
But we must assume that Mr. Fitz-Gibbon has amassed and analyzed superior empirical evidence.
He’s clearly reported on more case studies than Robert Waters, whose The Best Defense provides chilling, real life examples of ordinary people repelling brutal criminals with firearms. And “being smart”—just like Ian Fitz-Gibbon—would no doubt assure superior outcomes for those people chronicled in KeepAndBearArms.com’s “Operation Self Defense,” each of whom was, evidently, “just another fool with a gun.”
“My guess is that if she had that gun when she was raped she would either be dead or be wondering why she bought it in the first place. A criminal won’t wait for her to reach into her purse or run out to her car to retrieve a gun,” Fitz-Gibbon smirks.
Unfortunately, your guess is wrong, Mr. Fitz-Gibbon. Without going into the details of her ordeal, her assailant trapped her. She knew he was coming for her before the actual physical assault, and would have had time to retrieve a concealed firearm if she’d had one.
“It’s also my guess that if she was pointing that gun at me I could take it from her in a heart beat,” he claims.
Really?
Do you have any idea how many shots a trained shooter can squeeze off “in a heartbeat” Mr. Fitz-Gibbon?
Here's a concession: Back when I was young and immortal, I was pretty heavily into martial arts. I used to do a demonstration, and, when I established the conditions (that is, having someone point a toy gun at me when I was standing within three feet of them, with instructions to shoot if I made a false move), I could—without fail—disable their gun hand and strike a simulated crippling blow. But it wasn’t real—there was no danger. And importantly, I controlled the situation.
What makes you think you would control the situation and be allowed to get within striking distance? I guess you must be a greater authority on such matters than Col. Jeff Cooper, so a trained shooter who has mastered the mental discipline of applying his Color Code would be no match against your awesome prowess.
Your point is not that you could surprise and ambush a targeted victim—hell, anyone could do that. You claim you can disarm someone who is trained and equipped, and who has you in their sights!
I could arrange a demonstration, if you like, Mr. Fitz-Gibbon. I’m sure I could assemble an audience that would love to see you exhibit how what’s in your head will overcome what’s in a trained shooter’s hand. I can probably even arrange for you to place bets on your ability to prevail against, say, my 10-year-old, someone who is elderly, and maybe even a disabled shooter. We’ll even videotape it, and post it on the Internet. And don't worry, we'll only use props. Care to prove your words?
How did you dismiss Deborah? Oh, yeah, "LOL!"
You should be careful about laughing at people, Mr. Fitz-Gibbon, especially when you're obviously in over your head—it makes you come across as just another fool with an opinion.
AFTERWORD FROM TJ JOHNSTON
Ian: being Deborah's trainer, I want to respond to your comments.
Deborah's rape was typical in that the assailant didn't jump out of the bushes and attack her. That media stereotype is so far from reality. Rapists set up their victims. And when they do, the potential victim has a series of options, which are greatly expanded if they have access to a firearm.
In Deborah's case, the assailant locked her in her personal office and then carefully walked around the rest of the building, closing windows and locking the front door. If she had her Glock in her office, he would have found a nasty confrontation when he returned to attack her.
You sound very courageous, in that you feel you could disarm somebody very easily. Candidly, it is possible. I teach those techniques and it requires much disciplined practice, considerable confidence, speed and precision to do it safely. With the hammer cocked, most handguns will fire with only minimal pressure on the trigger, and the movement that action requires is much less than the movement to reach out and take the gun away. If the person with the firearm maintains his/her distance, the person encroaching WILL BE SHOT.
Most importantly, as the statistics from John Lott, Gary Kleck, and a host of other criminologists show, the mere presence of a firearm deters most criminals, usually without the gun being discharged. No one wants to get shot, and criminals are not brave people. They run away.
The facts are clear and irrefutable. In her situation, if Deborah had been armed, she wouldn't have been raped.
And I would challenge you to take a loaded handgun away from her. Knowing her current attitude and aptitude, I am confident that you would have at least one more hole in you than before the attempt.
Regards,
TJ Johnston
www.allsafedefense.com
Sunday, March 13, 2005
Bloggers: Have You Applied for Your Reporting License?
One of the more shopworn arguments in the civilian disarmament playbook says the Founders were talking about muskets when they penned the Second Amendment, and they could not possibly have conceived of the terrible firepower of today’s weaponry—to which our side generally replies they couldn’t have conceived of modern communications technology when establishing the First Amendment, yet no one is suggesting limits on free speech.
Right.
While bloggers have rightly bared their teeth at the recent McCain-Feingold trial balloon, there’s another looming threat that hasn’t generated much of a response on 2A sites I frequent: the state assuming it is the sole arbiter of who among us will be recognized as a “journalist.”
Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge James Kleinberg has again raised this issue, and we need to pay attention to his ruling, especially the part where he writes “Defining what is a 'journalist' has become more complicated as the variety of media has expanded."
Judge, I don’t see that being your call. You have no legitimate authority to issue de facto reporting permits. The only argument in this case should be whether the rights of another, in this case, Apple, via alleged theft and dissemination of their proprietary trade secrets, have been violated.
We all know of the many instances where the internet community covers vital liberty issues that are ignored by the lapdog Establishment press, especially in its coverage of citizens persecuted for taking the Second Amendment at its word. Case in point--don’t expect CBS or The Los Angeles Times to tell us about BATFU incompetence almost destroying a man’s life.
If we independents are muffled, the only thing you’ll hear about such cases is how an antisocial threat to society has been removed by heroic community helpers.
How very Red Chinese.
Right.
While bloggers have rightly bared their teeth at the recent McCain-Feingold trial balloon, there’s another looming threat that hasn’t generated much of a response on 2A sites I frequent: the state assuming it is the sole arbiter of who among us will be recognized as a “journalist.”
Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge James Kleinberg has again raised this issue, and we need to pay attention to his ruling, especially the part where he writes “Defining what is a 'journalist' has become more complicated as the variety of media has expanded."
Judge, I don’t see that being your call. You have no legitimate authority to issue de facto reporting permits. The only argument in this case should be whether the rights of another, in this case, Apple, via alleged theft and dissemination of their proprietary trade secrets, have been violated.
We all know of the many instances where the internet community covers vital liberty issues that are ignored by the lapdog Establishment press, especially in its coverage of citizens persecuted for taking the Second Amendment at its word. Case in point--don’t expect CBS or The Los Angeles Times to tell us about BATFU incompetence almost destroying a man’s life.
If we independents are muffled, the only thing you’ll hear about such cases is how an antisocial threat to society has been removed by heroic community helpers.
How very Red Chinese.
I’m a Lumberjack and I’m Okay…
Kyle Shelton, who foolishly believes he possesses both wit and insight, scribed a panty-wringing warning against guns in bars for a student rag called The Lumberjack.
“As soon as guns are allowed in bars,” he snipes, “…guns in schools can't be far behind.”
Uh, yeah.
Comments from site visitors were going swimmingly until Kumbaya-soloist “Rachel” chimed in:
"People feeling they need to carry concealed weapons is a sad testimony of the time we live in—it’s not sad because crime rates have escalated, but because people’s thinking has shifted so dramatically, from loving their neighbor to suddenly being afraid of him."
Kids.
“As soon as guns are allowed in bars,” he snipes, “…guns in schools can't be far behind.”
Uh, yeah.
Comments from site visitors were going swimmingly until Kumbaya-soloist “Rachel” chimed in:
"People feeling they need to carry concealed weapons is a sad testimony of the time we live in—it’s not sad because crime rates have escalated, but because people’s thinking has shifted so dramatically, from loving their neighbor to suddenly being afraid of him."
Kids.
Saturday, March 12, 2005
Bravo to women who defend themselves
“Bravo. A standing ovation for Deborah Courtney, the rape victim who has learned how to defend herself with her Glock 9 mm. She redefines the term ‘gun control’ [‘Steady aim, steel will,’ News, March 5].”
Read complete letter.
[Use Bug Me Not to bypass OCR’s site registration.]
The War on Guns is hard at work deconstructing another letter that was not so kind. Stay tuned…
Read complete letter.
[Use Bug Me Not to bypass OCR’s site registration.]
The War on Guns is hard at work deconstructing another letter that was not so kind. Stay tuned…
Friday, March 11, 2005
Some Unambiguous Questions for Gun Industry Lawsuit Advocates
Here is a direct question—I DEFY anyone from the civilian disarmament camp to publicly and unequivocally provide a “yes" or “no” answer.
If someone buys a gun or ammunition, and either malfunction causing injury or property damage, can the victim(s) sue the manufacturer responsible for the product defect?
YES or NO?
The answer, of course, is “Yes,” and they know it. We’ve always been able to do so. There is no exemption or shielding from liability. To suggest otherwise is yet another example of prevarication everyone has come to expect.
Here’s another question: If Sarah Brady’s son accidentally or intentionally shoots someone with the rifle she bought him, should the victims be able to sue the gun manufacturer?
If someone buys a gun or ammunition, and either malfunction causing injury or property damage, can the victim(s) sue the manufacturer responsible for the product defect?
YES or NO?
The answer, of course, is “Yes,” and they know it. We’ve always been able to do so. There is no exemption or shielding from liability. To suggest otherwise is yet another example of prevarication everyone has come to expect.
Here’s another question: If Sarah Brady’s son accidentally or intentionally shoots someone with the rifle she bought him, should the victims be able to sue the gun manufacturer?
Thursday, March 10, 2005
Open Letter to "Rabbi" Eric H. Yoffie, President, Union of American Hebrew Congregations
In response to http://urj.org/yoffie/archive/mmm/
“Rabbi” Yoffie:
(PresUAHC@urj.org)
You are neither a master nor a teacher.
What a traitor to Jews and to all of humanity you are, calling for “gun control.” You are either evil or a fool.
You do not deserve the freedoms of this country, established in powder, steel and blood by armed citizens risking their lives, fortunes and sacred honor, to resist tyranny. In their wisdom, they codified our unalienable claim to the tools of self determination and defense on both a personal and a societal level by recognizing the right of the people to keep and bear arms, and by putting lawful infringement of this right off limits to government.
You are nothing but a genocide enabler. You make a mockery of the phrase “Never again.” The evil policies you endorse guarantee that mass murder of citizens by governments will indeed happen again.
The people of the Warsaw ghetto listened to false leaders like you until it was too late. The lesson taught by a small band with the courage not to listen shook the Third Reich to its core, and should have resounded with Jewish people forever.
I won’t waste my time trying to persuade you. If I had the slightest inkling that you are not an anti-defense fanatic, I would point you to Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership. If I thought it would make a bit of difference, I would urge you to obtain a copy of Innocents Betrayed. But I don’t believe you are redeemable.
So what I will do instead is warn people against you, that if they listen to you, they will be powerless to prevent this from happening to themselves or their loved ones.
People like me will NEVER disarm as long as we draw breath, so I leave you with one question: How many of us are you willing to have the state persecute, imprison or kill to enforce your will against us?
With disgust and contempt,
David Codrea
“Rabbi” Yoffie:
(PresUAHC@urj.org)
You are neither a master nor a teacher.
What a traitor to Jews and to all of humanity you are, calling for “gun control.” You are either evil or a fool.
You do not deserve the freedoms of this country, established in powder, steel and blood by armed citizens risking their lives, fortunes and sacred honor, to resist tyranny. In their wisdom, they codified our unalienable claim to the tools of self determination and defense on both a personal and a societal level by recognizing the right of the people to keep and bear arms, and by putting lawful infringement of this right off limits to government.
You are nothing but a genocide enabler. You make a mockery of the phrase “Never again.” The evil policies you endorse guarantee that mass murder of citizens by governments will indeed happen again.
The people of the Warsaw ghetto listened to false leaders like you until it was too late. The lesson taught by a small band with the courage not to listen shook the Third Reich to its core, and should have resounded with Jewish people forever.
I won’t waste my time trying to persuade you. If I had the slightest inkling that you are not an anti-defense fanatic, I would point you to Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership. If I thought it would make a bit of difference, I would urge you to obtain a copy of Innocents Betrayed. But I don’t believe you are redeemable.
So what I will do instead is warn people against you, that if they listen to you, they will be powerless to prevent this from happening to themselves or their loved ones.
People like me will NEVER disarm as long as we draw breath, so I leave you with one question: How many of us are you willing to have the state persecute, imprison or kill to enforce your will against us?
With disgust and contempt,
David Codrea
Wednesday, March 09, 2005
The Eloi Award
I wrote an article for the Jan. 2000 Millenium issue of GUNS AND AMMO Magazine titled "The New Eloi."
Using H. G. Wells' "The Time Machine" as a metaphor, it made the argument that "society has fragmented into three distinct groups, the provide-all/control-all state, the provided-for/controlled general populace, and the increasingly besieged self-determining/self-controlling rationalist individual. Or, in terms of Wells' prescient speculative fantasy, we could identify these as the Morlocks, the Eloi, and the Time Traveller."
Markeeta Gould is a Mansfield, OH, woman who was "jailed for failure to file a 2001 city income tax bill totaling 96 cents…[she]earned $55 that year…on Feb. 19, she was arrested in front of her children."
He reaction? Was she outraged? Has she comprehended the loss of her sovereign individual rights, and has she been galvanized to fight against the blatant tyranny of a system where such outcomes are inevitable?
“Gould said she was embarrassed to be arrested.
"‘I'm a mother and I'm a law-abiding citizen,’ she said. ‘I paid my taxes every year before and I paid my taxes every year after. With me getting arrested, I could lose my job.’"
Ms. Gould, you are suffering from Stockholm Syndrome. You get The War on Guns' Eloi Award (I may make this a monthly feature).
And our Morlock of the Month Award goes to Mansfield Finance Director Sandra Converse, who claimed the Nuremberg Defense, saying she is bound by city filing policy.
"We don't know what people owe if they do not file. We wouldn't be doing our jobs if we didn't enforce this,” Converse claims.
So, Sandra, you financial genius—how much of the people’s money would you say you’ve spent in your insane quest to recover 96 cents?
To borrow a metaphor from another work of Classic literature, Victor Hugo's "Les Misérables," at least the fanatically obsessive Javert had the good sense to throw himself off a bridge.
Using H. G. Wells' "The Time Machine" as a metaphor, it made the argument that "society has fragmented into three distinct groups, the provide-all/control-all state, the provided-for/controlled general populace, and the increasingly besieged self-determining/self-controlling rationalist individual. Or, in terms of Wells' prescient speculative fantasy, we could identify these as the Morlocks, the Eloi, and the Time Traveller."
Markeeta Gould is a Mansfield, OH, woman who was "jailed for failure to file a 2001 city income tax bill totaling 96 cents…[she]earned $55 that year…on Feb. 19, she was arrested in front of her children."
He reaction? Was she outraged? Has she comprehended the loss of her sovereign individual rights, and has she been galvanized to fight against the blatant tyranny of a system where such outcomes are inevitable?
“Gould said she was embarrassed to be arrested.
"‘I'm a mother and I'm a law-abiding citizen,’ she said. ‘I paid my taxes every year before and I paid my taxes every year after. With me getting arrested, I could lose my job.’"
Ms. Gould, you are suffering from Stockholm Syndrome. You get The War on Guns' Eloi Award (I may make this a monthly feature).
And our Morlock of the Month Award goes to Mansfield Finance Director Sandra Converse, who claimed the Nuremberg Defense, saying she is bound by city filing policy.
"We don't know what people owe if they do not file. We wouldn't be doing our jobs if we didn't enforce this,” Converse claims.
So, Sandra, you financial genius—how much of the people’s money would you say you’ve spent in your insane quest to recover 96 cents?
To borrow a metaphor from another work of Classic literature, Victor Hugo's "Les Misérables," at least the fanatically obsessive Javert had the good sense to throw himself off a bridge.
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
Credit Card Fraud Hits New High Despite Chip and PIN
Now substitute the phrase “Crime Using Guns” for “Credit Card Fraud,” and you’ll have some idea of where so-called “smart gun” technology will surely take us.
Here are some observations from a few years back.
Here are some observations from a few years back.
Vanishing Point Reappears Today
“Charles Robert Carner’s action-packed remake of the cult classic 'Vanishing Point' roars onto DVD from Anchor Bay Entertainment, March 8, 2005. Viggo Mortensen (“The Lord of the Rings”) stars as Kowalski, the lone hero in the Dodge Challenger who leads an army of lawmen on a wild car chase across the American West…”
Read my review to see why liberty activists should give a damn.
Read my review to see why liberty activists should give a damn.
Monday, March 07, 2005
Capture the Flag!
My U.S. Representative, Jane Harman, is one of the most anti-gun members of Congress. Holding press conferences with Sarah Brady to promote more gun laws, she campaigned on the slogan "I wear my opposition [to believers in the Second Amendment] like a badge of honor."
So why in the world did I send her a check? And why do I encourage all RKBA supporters to follow suit with their own representative?
One of the constituent services that Congress provides to "We the People" is a program that lets you fly a commemorative flag over the nation's Capitol building. For a nominal fee (I paid about thirteen bucks) you can specify one of a couple different flag sizes and materials, the date you want your flag flown, and why you are flying it.
I asked for the flag to be flown on April 19 with the notation:
"In tribute to the Citizen Patriots of Lexington and Concord who resisted confiscation of their armaments on this date in 1775, and in continued defiance of all who would infringe on the Right of the People to keep and bear arms."
I can think of many other homages, such as "In loving memory of the children of Mount Carmel," or "For Vicki and Sammy Weaver," or numerous other events warranting commemoration. I'm sure you can, too.
Whether your Representative chooses to process the orders or return them, a point will have been made (and I'm still not clear what their options are for refusing to do so). If enough of us follow suit, it can be a powerful point. Their choice will be to fly our flags in defiance of their statist policies or to create a public record of suppressing alternative political sentiments. And it will either cost you nothing, or, for a nominal price you'll get a beautiful flag and a commemorative certificate signed by the Architect of the Capitol. You'll also have the satisfaction of knowing that you sent your Congressthing a strong, no-compromise statement of principle, and maybe even made him or her squirm.
Why not contact your Representative and ask for an order form? Let's all fly a flag for freedom!
Sunday, March 06, 2005
In the Fight Against Terrorism, Some Rights Must Be Repealed
A Muslim thinks we need to get rid of the right to keep and bear arms in order to fight the war on terror.
This same Muslim, who decries stereotyping his co-religionists, has no problem libeling those of us who rightfully embrace the original intent of the Founders:
“Today," he states authoritatively, "only a handful of citizens outside of neo-nazi and white supremacist groups view gun ownership as a means of keeping the government in check.”
In other words, he demands tolerance for people who agree with him, and armed suppression of those who don't. And just to ensure his point is made, he demonizes us and emphasizes what he says is our minority status. What a unique and new philosophy! I'm sure no one's ever tried that before.
“Junaid M. Afeef," his tag line states, "is a Research Associate at the Institute for Social Policy & Understanding.”
Great way to promote “understanding,” Mr. Afeef. Do you understand “Molon Labe”?
You can help promote Mr. Afeef's understanding of American social policy by contacting him at junaid.afeef@gmail.com. Just be careful--he seems like the type to start something and then report you if he gets the response he deserves.
This same Muslim, who decries stereotyping his co-religionists, has no problem libeling those of us who rightfully embrace the original intent of the Founders:
“Today," he states authoritatively, "only a handful of citizens outside of neo-nazi and white supremacist groups view gun ownership as a means of keeping the government in check.”
In other words, he demands tolerance for people who agree with him, and armed suppression of those who don't. And just to ensure his point is made, he demonizes us and emphasizes what he says is our minority status. What a unique and new philosophy! I'm sure no one's ever tried that before.
“Junaid M. Afeef," his tag line states, "is a Research Associate at the Institute for Social Policy & Understanding.”
Great way to promote “understanding,” Mr. Afeef. Do you understand “Molon Labe”?
You can help promote Mr. Afeef's understanding of American social policy by contacting him at junaid.afeef@gmail.com. Just be careful--he seems like the type to start something and then report you if he gets the response he deserves.
Saturday, March 05, 2005
"Steady Aim, Steel Will"
Congratulations to Liberty Belle, victims' rights advocate, and genuinely nice person Deborah Courtney for making the front page of the Orange County Register.
(If you want to bypass the OCR site’s registration, try BugMeNot.)
(If you want to bypass the OCR site’s registration, try BugMeNot.)
The Blogger Rebellion
The two graphics posted below have quickly emerged as standards to rally under against the government's latest threat to free speech.
There's also a sound file I highly recommend that provides a succinct motto for the cause, courtesy of Mr. Garrison.
Courtesy Feces Flinging Monkey.
Courtesy GeekWithA.45.
There's also a sound file I highly recommend that provides a succinct motto for the cause, courtesy of Mr. Garrison.
Courtesy Feces Flinging Monkey.
Courtesy GeekWithA.45.
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