Yahoo news:

Crystal Foster’s father advised her to spend the $500,000 income tax refund she got two years ago. When the government came looking for its money, the Fosters said it was their rightful reparations, since their ancestors were slaves.

Though there is no federal reparations program, Foster had spent the money in eight days, buying a $40,000 Mercedes Benz, paying off her student loans and helping her brother pay for his first year at Virginia Tech.

Foster’s father, Robert Lee Foster, prepared her tax forms and was convicted along with his daughter of trying to defraud the government. He maintains he did the right thing.

“Black people are not treated as humans, but as things by the U.S. government,” he said in an interview at the Northern Neck Regional Jail. “We were used as resources to enrich this country and we get no inheritance from the wealth we brought.”

According to the Internal Revenue Service, more than 80,000 tax returns were filed in 2001 seeking nonexistent slavery tax credits, totaling $2.7 billion. More than $30 million was mistakenly paid out in slave reparations in 2000 and part of 2001.

First, I’m all for slavery reparations, provided they go to people who were actually slaves. Defrauding the government is secondary to the issue that the IRS still paid out an actual $30M! Don’t they have like accountants or something to check this stuff?

While people are defrauding the government (an ordinarily noble purpose) and debating issues like free money because relatives may have been slaves, SayUncle estimates that in the US today approximately 20 black people will be murdered, 506 black people will be arrested for drug trafficking, and 22 black people will commit a murder. Glad our priorities are straight.

Not-So-Great-Britain has set a record for gun crime. But they don’t have guns. Funny how that is.

Bill Hobbs adds a personal touch to the late term abortion debate.

Kevin writes: Europe Gets Iran to Allow Inspectors.

I retort: You don’t suppose it has anything to do with that little firefight going on next door, do ya?

The Daily Times:

A resolution recognizing “God as the foundation of our national heritage” has been approved by several Tennessee county governments and is being considered by others.

The Blount County mayor’s office received the resolution last week and forwarded it to the Intergovernmental Committee for consideration at its November meeting.

Trousdale County Executive Jerry Clift expects his county commission to pass the legislation overwhelmingly Monday.

“It’s basic. We’re in the Bible Belt. We go to church and believe in God,” he said Wednesday. “We want to let the people of the state know our beliefs.”

The idea originated in Greene County, where Mayor Roger Jones sent copies of legislation unanimously approved by the commission last month to Tennessee’s other 94 county government leaders.

So, our local government officials are spending their time trying to pass a resolution recognizing God as the foundation of our heritage? So much for that first amendment.

Oh and bring on the ACLU:

Several Tennessee county governments recently passed resolutions approving the posting of the Ten Commandments in government buildings. Hamilton County was ordered to remove its plaque, but such displays remain in others as court battles continue.

Per this:

Senate Democrats plan to urge Congress to reauthorize a law banning plastic guns that could be used by terrorists to slip past airport metal detectors.

Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., said Tuesday he plans to introduce legislation to reauthorize the Terrorist Firearm Detection Act of 1988, which bans the creation or possession plastic firearms. Exemptions for the military and intelligence agencies are provided in the law.

Officials worry terrorists would be able to get their hands on plastic weapons that would have no metal parts to set off metal detectors at airports and other security checkpoints.

The bill was last reauthorized in 1998 and expires in December

That is genius! I mean we all know terrorists obey laws, particularly gun and explosives laws. This will surely prevent people from accessing plastic guns. Bravo!

The idiot lawsuit I mentioned here is getting national press coverage:

A $246 million lawsuit was filed against the designer, marketer and a retailer of the video game series “Grand Theft Auto” by the families of two people shot by teenagers apparently inspired by the game.

The suit claims marketer Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., designers Take-Two Interactive Software and Rockstar Games, and Wal-Mart, are liable for $46 million in compensatory damages and $200 million in punitive damages.

Aaron Hamel, 45, a registered nurse, was killed and Kimberly Bede, 19, of Moneta, Va., was seriously wounded when their cars were hit June 25 by .22-caliber bullets as they passed through the Great Smoky Mountains.

I tried to email this story on George Washington’s whiskey to Andrew but his mailbox is full.

I almost made it through the day without blogging guns. Some folks don’t like Glocks apparently.

First, my general opinion on guns is based on function not appearance. I own only three guns: an AR15, a Sigarms P229 in 9mm, and a Glock 30. Despite talking about gun rights all the time, my collection is limited. I buy guns for function and fun. I don’t hunt and only shoot at the range. I have an AR15 because they are fun and cheap to shoot. I have the two handguns for concealed carry. I have two for those instances in which I leave the house and the Mrs. stays home. That way, I have mine and she has one at the house.

Since I don’t collect, I want something that is functional, reliable, and comfortable. All three guns fit that description. I don’t like guns with wooden stocks (easy to scratch and heavy), that are chrome colored (the shine interferes with site picture), or that I can’t just toss into the back of a car. I like plastic, aluminum and blued steel. I don’t care what they look like. They feel good and I’m not concerned if I scratch one. If I forked out the bling bling for a Kimber, I’d be afraid to shoot it.

Why a Sig? The most reliable and functional handgun ever. Can take abuse and is the finest feeling handgun I have ever held.

Why an AR15? Reliable, feel good, and parts are cheap & plentiful.

Why a Glock? Simple, reliable, functional and I don’t care if I scratch it. And they are tough as nails.

In fact, my advice to anyone who has never purchased a gun and wants to is that they should buy a Glock. Here’s why:

Cheaper than Sigs

Simple design (they only have 34 parts)

They are tough. Glock has frozen them in ice; dipped them in sea water, mud and sand; driven trucks over them; dropped them from helicopters; chemically degreased them; not cleaned them for 10,000 round tests; and the list goes on. And the Glocks have always functioned.

They have a firing pin block, safe action, and trigger safety. Like the Sig, there is no manual, user operated safety. If you don’t want it to fire, don’t pull the trigger.

The trigger pull is manageable for almost anyone (5 pounds I believe) and the wife can operate it.

There are millions of accessories for Glocks, such as lasers, rails, lights, holsters, and mag extensions.

Replacement parts are cheap.

The Glock comes with two magazines, a magazine loader, a cleaning brush, a cleaning rod, child safety lock and other niftiness. When you buy a Glock, the only other purchase you need to make is ammunition, eye and ear protection, and gun oil. Nothing else. It’s included. Some guns only come with one magazine, hence I won’t buy one. This is why I did not buy the Taurus PT145.

They are simple to operate: insert magazine, rack slide, pull trigger. That’s it. No decockers, thumb safety, or other gizmos to learn. Great for a beginner.

People who don’t like Glocks typically don’t like them because they feel awkward. They are boxy. Or because they are partially plastic. Or they don’t like not having manual safeties. Proper firearms safety eliminates the need for a manual safety.

I dig ‘em.

In response to this post, CJ took issue in comments:

The only person in the entire story to even suggest terrorism is the park ranger himself.

If you read the story, CJ is correct. Brian states that he was fairly certain the anchor mentioned terrorism on TeeVee.

Still, I think it is a case of making mountains out of mole hills.

Still no response from NZ Bear regarding this issue. Currently in the ecosystem, I am listed as a large mammal with 252 incoming links. I should be a marsupial with 98 links. I figure if I link the TLB site enough I may get his attention.

I’d love to be a mammal but I haven’t earned it.

James posts about a terrible dog owner. Read it and learn what not to do. I concur, this dog will bite someone someday.

but we have to remind you that we’re still at war against terrorism.

Knoxville residents are going to see what a terrible emergency looks like Wednesday. A full scale chemical attack will be faked as a drill to test homeland security.

Police cars, fire trucks, ambulances, and Haz-Mat crews will all take place in the drill.

Organizers say the massive drill will look frightening. The center of the action will be somewhere in downtown Knoxville, but the details are being kept secret.

Darrell Debusk with KPD said, “There’s a few people that actually know the scenario, where it will take place, When it will take place and that’s to give you a real life indication of how you’re going to respond.”

The action will take place between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Hundreds of volunteers will pretend to e victims to make everything more believable.

After the drill, emergency workers will look at what can be improved to make Knoxville more safe in case of a real chemical attack.

I cannot find a link but apparently an orangutan has escaped and is tormenting local residents by killing their cats.

Update: Loyal reader Drake provides a link to the story.

With the advent of Viagra, people can’t spell Niagara.

Update: All better now. I wonder if Matt Drudge read that.

Yesterday, I bought one of these. A compact, 11 shot 45 ACP.

First, the administration has never said that there was an imminent threat from Iraq. If anyone can prove otherwise, please do. The fact is, Dubya said specifically that there wasn’t. Second, this whole they implied it nonsense is a bit silly.

However an Iraqi paper has published that Hussein provided training for Al Qaeda. In fact, there are many links connecting Iraq to terrorists. Go here and scroll away. So, it seems they may have been an imminent threat, albeit indirectly.

Update: Oops. I misspoke (mistyped?) above. I said link with al Qaeda and meant imminent threat. I was reading a bunch of different things and used the wrong terms. Apologies.

Here in East Tennessee, nothing really ever happens. When it does though, it is huge. So, a lot of our reporter types tend to exaggerate what’s going on or make mountains out of molehills. They got to earn their money somehow. But this is just stupid:

Al Qaeda in Monroe County?

Not only is it stupid but it’s funny.

Two local idiots with idiot parents fired their 22 rifles into traffic on the interstate and killed a guy a while back. Now, the parents of the victim are suing the makers of Grand Theft Auto for $246M:

The controversial “Grand Theft Auto” video game series is central to a $246 million lawsuit against the game’s makers and the family of two teenage boys who went on a fatal shooting spree in June.

In Monday’s lawsuit filed in Cocke County Circuit Court, the parents of Aaron Hamel argue that the game’s manufacturers allegedly concealed from users that it “inspires and trains copycat violence” and that children are particularly vulnerable to the game’s alleged effects.

This is just about the dumbest thing I’ve ever . . . no it isn’t. This crap happens all the time. Abysmal.

I posted a bit back that I would no longer support the Presbyterian church because of their stance on the Assault Weapons ban. I was mistaken. It was only the Washington office.

My church isn’t affiliated with them. However, I think churches should stay out of the government business in general.

The End of Blogging continues to take some victims.

I’ve been missing Rachel for a while. She stopped updating frequently so I only check in periodically. And now Kim? Blech.

Bummer.

In reference to my post about giving Bush the heave ho, I’ve gotten some comments telling me that I shouldn’t do it. AlphaPatriot opines:

Yeah, the conservatives of the country got pissed off at Bush the Elder and sent a clear message to the Republican Party in 1992 by voting for Ross Perot. As a consequence we suffered the indignity of eight years of Clinton.

How did that “clear signal” work out for y’all?

Well, Bush 2 talked the right talk, which is a sign they got the message. He did, however, fail to walk the walk, which is another sign that the Republicans don’t care about the personal freedom loving, small government, responsibility taking wing of the Republican (libertarian) fringe. But, the loyalists argue, it’s reasonable since we suffered through 9/11. That is crap.

Kevin opines in comments:

I’d like to remind you that the elephant is the Republican party symbol – it does not mean that politicians who call themselves Republicans have much of a memory. Please bear in mind that when many, many of us voted ‘in protest’ for Ross Perot it didn’t get us four years of Bubba, but eight – and it very, very nearly got us four more years of Gore.

And THAT didn’t get Republican ‘back on track,’ now did it?

Go ahead, vote Libertarian or don’t vote at all, but don’t think it’s going to change the behavior of the Republican Party. They’re too disconnected from reality for it to affect them.

Yes, it got us Clinton but the message was sent to Republicans, who apparently lack comprehension. It temporarily got them back on track they just failed to follow through. They continue to do so.

Both AlphaPatriot and Kevin admit to the failure of the Republican party but insist on voting against Democrats. That is more important to some folks but not me. I would rather run screaming at the pending governmental failure than ease into it. Get it over with, instead of prolonging it. If you charge it, it has to respond. If you allow it to happen gradually, you can’t stop it.

It is truly a sad state of affairs when people like Kevin and AlphaPatriot have to vote against someone and not for them.

Rocket Jones has a Q&A about model rocketry. Give it a read.

Jeff has the weekly report on the gun bias up. Lots of good stuff.

Well lookie ya’ll, Rich is back.

I am remiss in mentioning that on June 4, Gov. Bredesen signed into law a bill that reads:

The sheriff or chief of police of the city of residence of a person purchasing any firearm, defined by the National Firearms Act, 26 U.S.C. 5845 et seq., shall execute within fifteen (15) business days of any request all documents required to be submitted by the purchaser if the purchaser is not prohibited from possessing firearms pursuant to § 39-17-1316.

In English, this means that if a Tennessee resident applies for a Class 3 weapons permit (to purchase machine guns, suppressors, short barreled rifles, etc.), that the chief law enforcement officer must sign off in 15 days if the person isn’t prohibited from owning them. This is good because a local official can no longer just sit on these requests. It took a friend of mine six months to get his signed off.

Some local officials never sign these things.

Update: I like Guy’s term of Shall Issue Class 3.

Yahoo news:

Sexual identity is wired into the genes, which discounts the concept that homosexuality and transgender sexuality are a choice, California researchers reported on Monday.

“Our findings may help answer an important question — why do we feel male or female?” Dr. Eric Vilain, a genetics professor at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine, said in a statement. “Sexual identity is rooted in every person’s biology before birth and springs from a variation in our individual genome.”

His team has identified 54 genes in mice that may explain why male and female brains look and function differently.

I dunno what the social significance of this will be but it is interesting.

There are a great many conservatives who have stated that they will not support the Republicans in 2004 because of the recent big government Republican strategy. Also, quite a few little L libertarians who have historically voted for Republicans as the lesser of evils have said they won’t support Republicans either (like me).

Via Spoons (one of those conservatives) comes Mrs. du Toit’s defense of supporting Bush, as a conservative. She is right that the responsibility lies with the people to fix the quagmire that is politics.

However, she changes some of the arguments:

Simply put, the President is not responsible for the economy, job creation, health and welfare, or anything else we might term the Domestic Agenda.

I don’t know of many conservatives who have faulted Bush in this area.

The second issue is that Bush did not get a clear mandate.

I don’t know that that is an issue people like me have either.

Neither of these issues has a lot to do with why people otherwise inclined to vote Republican aren’t going to vote for him. It boils down to specifics and not sweeping generalizations. Here goes a list:

Bush stated he will sign the renewal of the Assault Weapons Ban. It could just be that he’s saying that to garner votes from gun controllers and relying on congress not to get the bill to him. After all, who else are gun owners going to vote for? This is a slap in the face to a key Republican demographic. Can’t pin that on Congress.

The Ashcroft Justice Department. ‘Nuff said. Can’t pin that on Congress.

Those pesky Saudis. The administration kowtowing to those thugs is abysmal and no one should tolerate it. Can’t pin that on Congress.

The highest deficit ever coupled with the biggest federal government ever. This is definitely anathema to conservatism. This one can be pinned on Congress but it was signed into law by Bush

I could go on, but I want to get to my point. The Republicans are failing you. They are becoming what they said they weren’t. It is funny how the party of big government is the one that’s in power, isn’t it? It’s a power grab and blatant partisanship is not going to help.

Mrs. du Toit ends with:

For heaven’s sakes, a split in the Conservative vote will be our undoing and then, truly then, all our hopes are dashed.

I disagree. I think if voters send a clear message to this administration that this is not the Republican party that we will tolerate and it costs them the highest office in the land, they will get the message. I would give four years to Howard Dean to get the Republicans back on track. Continuing to support them only encourages their big government ways.

I’m voting Dean in the primary and the Libertarian candidate in the general.

Kevin notes that the new movie Runaway Jury has changed from the book version. In the book version, the lawsuit was against a tobacco company. In the movie, it’s about a manufacturer of assault weapons. I don’t think these companies have nearly as much cash as big tobacco, not even a fraction.

Also, from Useful Fools comes this dialogue from Threat Matrix:

One of them asks “Can we do this?” and another answers “Under the Patriot Act, we can get anything.”

John tells us that is a total lie.

I’m glad to hear Andrew is Ok. And I’m glad my experience helped him a bit.

It is kind of funny how white-man-with-chest-pains is sped up in the whole ER process. Glad you’re Ok, Andrew!