Sunday, February 04, 2007

We're the Only Ones Friendly to Work With Enough

A former patrol officer of the Myrtle Point Police Department is in custody after being arrested for multiple sex crimes against a child...

Myrtle Point police officials did not want to talk about the accusations, or charges, but they did say Barnett was friendly to work with...
I'll bet he was.

Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?

[Via Y. Can Aire]

This Day in History: February 4

On this day in 1789, George Washington becomes the first and only president to be unanimously elected by the Electoral College. He repeated this notable feat on the same day in 1792.

Saturday, February 03, 2007

GUNS Magazine, February 1957

IF YOU WANT to out-shoot and out-hunt the experts, take the sage advice of one of the world's best shooters and hunters, the Rev. Oswald T. McGinn, a 78-year-old Catholic priest now in retirement. The gun-toting padre has not retired from shooting and hunting, however, and he can hit just about anything he shoots at. His unconventional technique violates every rule in the book, except the Good Book. Seeing some of the many exhibition shoots he has given might make one wonder if his bullets are guided by the sure hand of God.
"The Shooting Priest of Texas"--is that a great title or what? I can't begin to tell you the sense of joy it gave me to read about this wonderful man, and the sense of contempt I feel for some of his modern-day counterparts. Things sure were different 50 years ago, right down to Fr. McGinn being welcomed in schools to teach the kids real gun safety, as opposed to today's hysteria reflex conditioning. I haven't been able to locate any more about him on the internet, so if you have any information, please share it with us.

This issue also features "The Case for Legalized Machine Guns", which demonstrates how "matches train Swedes for national defense" (incidentally, according to Firearms Laws in Sweden, unless the law has changed in the last few years, they still do, albeit with some stringent requirments), and gives us another great and authoritative quote about the National Firearms Act of 1934--burn this one into memory:
Lt. Col. George M. Chinn of the US. Marine Corps, has stated: "No single law has done more to damage the national defense of the United States than that machine gun act."
Also in this issue:
  • "Pistol Shooting at Rifle Ranges"
  • "America's Youngest African Hunter"
  • "Making a Handgun Holster at Home"
  • "The Rawest Racket in Hunting"
  • And much more, including the classic period ads
Download your copy now. It's free, at least until it disappears in a few months to be replaced by "newer" issues. But if you missed previous issues, don't worry--GUNS Magazine is putting them on CDs for a very reasonable price.

A Request for BIDS

While I find no Constitutional authority for the Feds to conduct background checks at all, I don’t realistically expect my point of view to prevail any time soon. Interestingly, Puckett and Howard share that view. Still, BIDS truly represents a rollback of infringements without giving up any ground through compromise, and would do much toward eliminating the danger of a gun owner registration database.
"A Request for BIDS," my February 2007 Rights Watch column for GUNS Magazine, is now online.

[More on BIDS]

Out of the Frying Pan

In Minnesota, 74-year-old farmer Kenneth Englund is in trouble with the law for chasing down a suspected thief and holding him at bay with an unloaded shotgun...

Meanwhile, in the nation's capital, The Washington Post today tells how retired lawyer Gary Peterson helped police collar a fleeing robbery suspect by conking the guy on the head with a frying pan. The kid had burst into Peterson's kitchen.
What stands out for me is that in the situation with the gun, actual violence was avoided.

Here's what I think explains the different attitudes conveyed by the authorities:

[W]e liked his choice of weapon...

You'll notice they don't like the choice enough to deploy with skillets instead of guns themselves.

We're the Only Ones Stopping and Frisky Enough

The New York Police Department released new information yesterday showing that police officers stopped 508,540 individuals on New York City streets last year — an average of 1,393 stops per day — often searching them for illegal weapons. The number was up from 97,296 in 2002, the last time the department divulged 12 months’ worth of data.
Let's just put this in perspective:
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
But I'm sure this plenty of stare decisis to back up "The Only Ones" on this, and a defendant or his attorney would be charged with contempt of court if they attempted to taint the jury's opinions with something as subversive as the Bill of Rights...

And just remember: Our enemies hate us because we're free!

Bustin' Caps at the "Gun Culture"

The authors...say they hope to explicate "gun culture," which they never define, while also absolving hip-hop, in which many lyrics glorify guns and gun violence, of responsibility for gun violence.
Which means this is just total drek from the get-go, seeing as how to explicate means to detail and analyze. Maybe they meant "implicate"?

Regardless, here's a little real world test we can apply:

What percentage of drive-by's, gangland shootings, armed robberies, etc. were committed last month by people who identify themsleves with the gangsta rap culture, whether it's going to the clubs, buying the music, etc. Now how many similar incidents have been committed in the past century by those who identify themselves as NRA, GOA and JPFO members, and just to be fair, we'll include smaller regional groups like VCDL, RMGO, etc.?

Does this mean I'm blaming (c)rap music? Not at all, although I do believe the more misogynistic, racist and thug variants of the genre provide a pretty good character indicator for people I don't particularly want to be around.

This Day in History: February 3

On the evening of February 3, 1781, American General Nathanael Greene and his troops successfully cross the Yadkin River to evade General Charles Cornwallis. The crossing followed consecutive Patriot losses at the Catawba River and at Tarrant’s Tavern, as well as heavy rainfall on February 1, which Greene feared would soon make the river impassable.

Friday, February 02, 2007

Carnival of the Only Ones 2

Come on in, right through the turnstile here. Welcome to another Carnival of the Only Ones. Want a map of the grounds, or are you just going to wander? Right over there is the midway. Where should we go first?

Well, what the heck--it's my show, so I'll start if off with Wonders from The WarOnGuns:

We begin with this Circassian Beauty--Hubba, hubba, step back, gents. Who doesn't love a woman out of uniform, out of a car, out of her service pistol? And friend Bounty Hunter tells us there's an amateur dance contest open to all you young ladies going on under your...uh...THE Big Top!

Next we have the amazing self-firing handgun. Or was it a cell phone?

Don't get too close--it's The Amazing Electro, who can discharge bolts of Jovian wrath into his youthful assistant and still remain on active duty!

Next we wander over to the shooting gallery, where Y. Can Aire points out some amazing "feets" of marksmanship. I'll bet that was one "Only One" who was hopping mad!

But enough levity. Longtime WoG contributor Straightarrow calls our attention to Madame Nicki's, where she's featuring The Only Ones' Salute to Disabled Septuagenarian War Vets, a performance sure to make you wave your arms in patriotic fervor--assuming they haven't been yanked behind your back to aggravate old war wounds. It must be a great show, because BobG and his friends can't stop talking about it.

One thing we pride ourselves on here at The Only Ones Carnival is giving our customers a good deal. .45 Superman tells us to go visit the Pima County Sheriff's booth--offers like this won't last. Sorry, no rain checks, no returns, but Declan says you might want to ask for a sales slip anyway.

One of the best things about a carnival is the food. Kettle corn. Cotton candy. Funnel cakes. Sno-Cones. M-mmm. But correspondent NF tell us it's also important for some of us to watch our diets and make sure we get enough fiber. Along with enough illegal handguns, but when you're an alderman, you're also an "Only One," and the regular rules don't apply. (Arenda Troutman's colon? Suddenly, I've lost my appetite. Too bad, because Cowboy Blob tells us there's a Subway concession.)

But that's OK, because frequent correspondent 1894C reports there's more action afoot again back at the shooting gallery--you can't say The Only Ones aren't putting their best foot forward for this carnival.

Hey, who feels like trying out some of the rides? Hairy Hobbit suggests we try The Streak. Wait--that's not a ride--it involves someone without clothes getting some Amazing Electro action over at the food area--I knew we should have gotten a map at the entrance--we just went around full circle.

Does anyone need to use one of the clean rest facilities the Carnival prides itself on (well, assuming Arenda hasn't been there first)? Tavis S. points the way, and tells us even there you might walk away with a prize. Tavis also tells us that apparently, some kind of fundraiser involving dirty cars is being held.

Fits knows the importance of safety at any Carnival, and lets us know that in case of emergencies, there's a security tent set up to take your report and respond as only The Only Ones can.

.45 Superman has just returned from the dealer tables and tells us we absolutely gotta check out one of the most amazing acts ever performed at the Carnival: The Psychic Psychiatrist, the Mental Mindreader, that Enforcer of Emotion, Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle, who claims "[We're] the only ones who know whether the applicant is suicidal or is hallucinating about intruders."

OK, Omnipotent Only One--what card did I pick? The King of Clubs? Amazing--how does he do it? Or am I just hallucinating?

Hyunchback tells us he just had an electrifying experience--no, he hasn't circled back to Amazing Electro's show, he's found a worthy rival for AE (we'll bill him as Lightning Lord), who is passing on his awesome powers to the next generation in an in-your-face performance. We're sure you'll get a charge out of his act--or at least the little girls in the audience will.


And now we direct your attention to above the throngs, above the midway, above the law! Civis Proeliator announces The High-Flying Only Ones, who perform their legislature-defying act without a net! (I can't look!)

Well, that's it for this Only Ones Carnival. A big thanks to all who participated and contributed. I hope everybody had a good time. If you really want to get your money's worth, now that you've seen the highlights, take some time and go explore some of the fine blogs linked to here.

And remember:
The purpose of "The Only Ones" has never been to bash cops. The only reason I do this is to amass a credible body of evidence to present when those who would deny our right to keep and bear arms use the argument that only the police are professional and trained enough to do so safely and responsibly. And it's also used to illustrate when those of official status, rank or privilege, both in law enforcement and in some other government position, get special breaks not available to we commoners, particularly when they're involved in gun-related incidents.

St. Paul Wants it Gone (Freedom, that is...)

They give cops nightmares — and now St. Paul is considering a ban on brandishing realistic toy guns in public.
Sorry, Billy. You'll just need to ride that horse...I mean, bike outta here. If Lite Brite Mooninites can send waves of panic through officialdom, well, you, you're just gonna make some folks 'round here wet themselves.

And this is my "good" modern day scenario. In the alternate ending, the unleashed dog is the first to get it, and Billy, well, Billy should have never "went for his waistband."

The Evil Alien Prosecutor

Deliveryman who shot 2 is charged

Prosecutors say shootings justified, but gun concealed
See, the prosecutor is that captured alien from "Independence Day," who, when asked "What do you want from us?" replied:
We want you to die.
This really makes me want to hang around and file a police report.

[Via KU]

This Day in History: February 2


On this day in 1781, American General Nathanael Greene receives two bags of specie (coin as opposed to paper currency) from Elizabeth Maxwell Steele at her tavern in Salisbury, North Carolina--an incident later memorialized in a painting by Alonzo Chappel.

Thursday, February 01, 2007

Well Now, Isn't This Nice...


Blogger wouldn't let me post this morning until I switched over to the "new" (no longer Beta) version.

Now it looks like all internal links to previous posts don't work.

Whatever happened to "if it ain't broke don't fix it"? This screws me up big time, right down to being unable to access "The Only Ones" files.

It looks like my options are what? Join one of their forums and see if anybody replies? And then spend months learning techno-geek so I know what they're talking about?

Aarrrgh!

OK, I've calmed down now--I'll go look through "Blogger help" and see if I can find an actual email address to get a live human being. As if I have time for this.

Meanwhile, if anybody has already been through this curve, I've got one word:

HELP!

UPDATE: Looks like I'm not alone.

WarOnGuns to Interview David Hardy

I'll be interviewing attorney and author David T. Hardy on Monday about his new documentary, "In Search of the Second Amendment."

As with the Matt Bracken interview, Mr. Hardy will be checking in on the comments from time to time during the day and answering your questions.

Mark your calendars and think of what you want to ask--this should be good.

24

That's how many blogs have joined the Free Wayne Webring so far.


[More about Wayne Fincher via WarOnGuns]

I Guess if You Look at it That Way...

One person who works for Bloomberg put it best when he said this "really isn't about gun control, it's about crime control."
Yeah--don't think of this as rape, think of it as an arranged marriage...

[Via Declan]

So That Explains It

Why Gavin Newsom doesn't want people in San Francisco having guns, that is...

What kind of creep would do this to a good friend and supporter? I guess the same kind who would allow his underage companion to drink.

Oh, but he said if she did, he didn't notice. Well, for a guy who shows up at vigils for mortally wounded police officers plastered, that's not hard to believe.

My favorite line:
Gavin ought to resign and seek psychiatric help.
So naturally, this head case who can't even control his own life presses for more control over the lives of his subjects--and the inmates love him for it, giving him better than a 70% approval rating.

Night of the Evil Gun

Guns don’t like living beings. Their goal is to eliminate living beings.
I dunno, Mr. Gerard, my guns like me just fine. They've been behaving themselves like perfect little non-sentient inanimate tools for decades now, with nary a hint of hostility or aggression.

Maybe it's just you they don't like? Based on your idiotic and offensive belief system, that would seem to be the most plausible explanation. I mean, I don't like you either.

[Via 1894C]

Mooninites Invade Boston

"This is a perfect example of our passengers taking part in Homeland Security..."
Good grief.

I guess this business of making paranoia our national pastime is working.

Why don't "the authorities" just show everyone how easy it is to cripple a major city?

If there are any of those Aqua Teen Hunger Force promo pieces left over, they'll bring a fortune on eBay...which means they'd better inventory how many have been impounded in the evidence room, assuming they all made it there...

This Day in History: February 1

On this day in 1781, American Brigadier General William Lee Davidson dies in combat attempting to prevent General Charles Cornwallis’ army from crossing the Catawba River in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.