Tennessee is set to pass legislation severely restricting immigrants access to drivers licenses:

The bill would prohibit illegal immigrants and foreign visitors on temporary visas from getting standard driver’s licenses. Instead, they could apply for “certificates of driving” that would be marked “NOT VALID FOR I.D.” and would show only that the holder knew the rules of the road. The certificates, which would look significantly different than driver’s licenses, could not be used as a way to confirm one’s identity before boarding an airplane, buying a gun or renting a vehicle.

Sounds good to me.

You have to admire the foresight of the Clinton administration in ensuring that the AWB would expire during an election year. That said, Snitch has some info on the politics:

At least 52 U.S. senators, as well as President Bush and Democratic opponent John Kerry, support renewing the law. Gun supporters, meantime, are ready for an extended fight should any backers of the ban move to renew the dying law.

“I hope it dies a sanctimonious death,” said Kirk Smith, a National Rifle Association field representative from North Carolina. “But it’s an election year, so you will have demigods and rhetoric, and it will be ratcheted up. I am sitting back and waiting for the fireworks.”

One attempt to extend the ban was defeated in the Senate last month when anti-gun advocates attached a renewal measure to a bill designed to protect the gun industry from lawsuits. That defeat has not stopped ban advocates like Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) from finding ways to extend the bill.

Feinstein’s spokesman, Scott Gerber, said the California senator would revive the ban by attaching the legislation to a more popular bill. “The data clearly shows the assault weapons ban is working,” Feinstein stated on her website. “From the moment the law went into effect there has been a steady and dramatic decline in the number of banned weapons turning up in crimes. It’s clear to me the assault weapons ban needs to be re-authorized so that we can continue to keep these military-styled weapons off the streets.

Update: Here’s a list of people to call and tell them you oppose renewing the ban:

Mike Castle (R-Del.)
202-225-4165

Christopher Shays (R-Conn.)
202-225-5541

Mark Kirk (R-Ill.)
202-225-4835

Mike Ferguson (R-N.J.)
202-225-5361

Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.)
202-225-5516

I put up the Thursday gun links over at Les Jones’ place.

Today, on my way home from work, I saw a local radio station’s traffic vehicle driving down the road. Not all that odd, except that it’s rear bumper was hanging off as though it had been in an accident. Surreal or ironic? I dunno. But I can see it now:

Tom, there’s an accident at the corner of . . . [sound of accident] . . . crap, someone just rear-ended my while I’m sitting here rubbernecking

Then, I made my trip to the local dump to drop off some trash. It was closed. Seriously, why does a dump have business hours and need an attendant?

Something I’ve been thinking about is how blogs equalize the debate. Sure, some bloggers like to write about blogging impacting media and reporting (which some blogs do but not most; hence the impact on media is grossly overstated when it happens). However, I mean on a fundamentally personal level. To illustrate this, I’m going to pick on two of my favorite bloggers. Why these two bloggers? Because I’ve met them in real life. Don’t get me wrong, they’re both super nice guys and I am not trying to insult them. And I’m going to pick on myself some.

About me: My speech is rather monotonous. I have a deep voice and my voice naturally doesn’t fluctuate in pitch or volume very much. I appear, I’ve been told, rather stoic and sort of unaffected by my environment. This causes me some problems: 1) I am a terrible public speaker because I’m monotonous; 2) I can’t tell jokes (seriously, I am quite deficient in my ability to deliver a punchline); 3) Because of my monotonous voice, my comments come across as inappropriate when I’m actually joking (even though I realize that I am joking, those listening who don’t know me often think I’m rude); 4) People have difficulty hearing me unless I speak loudly. And I interrupt people – a lot. I’m getting better about that last one though. I don’t do it on purpose but sometimes I’ve just gotta blurt something out.

Victim number 1: South(of)KnoxBubba is a very soft-spoken, polite, professional person to talk to in real life. He’s a very intelligent guy who won’t hesitate to tell you what he thinks, but he’s polite enough to let you finish what you’re saying. He won’t butt in and interrupt you and likely won’t call you out when you interrupt him. In fact, after the last time I saw SKB, the Mrs. pointed out to me later that I interrupted him quite a bit (sorry ’bout that). He’s a good listener. Bubba is a class act.

Victim number 2: tgirsch has a very powerful voice. When he speaks, people listen. They can’t help it. He’s clear, articulate, and composes himself well. And he can get very loud without appearing rude.

Now, in a real life debate between me and Bubba, I could out-rude him in a manner reminiscent of the first Gore v. Bush debate. Mind you, that doesn’t mean I’d win any debate based on the merits of my argument, just that I’d be a bit louder than him and would appear to control the debate.

tgirsch would kick my ass. He could run for office. Don’t know that I’d vote for him, but he’d level his opponents in a debate. He has that kind of presence about him that make people listen. Also, he’d be the guy you’d want yelling fire in an emergency because people would hear him quite distinctly. If I interrupted him, he could just talk over me. And he could interrupt me and I’d be powerless to stop it unless I pulled a Ross Perot Can I finish? and threw a tantrum.

When we’re typing away, we take our turns. As a bonus, we can even do some research. It does level the playing field. Tom, SKB, and I have engaged in debate. We’ve each had our shares of wins and losses. We’re all equal in terms of presence on-line and our wits are what matter at the keyboard.

Maybe Kerry and Bush should do their first debate in an on-line chat room? That would have helped Gore.

It looks like some Republican members of Congress are blocking Bush’s effort at renewing the Patriot act:

A group of libertarian-minded Republicans in Congress is blocking President Bush’s effort to strengthen domestic counterterrorism laws and reauthorize the USA Patriot Act, which the president has made one of his top domestic priorities this year.

As a result of this opposition, Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, was forced last week to cancel panel consideration of legislation that would have given law-enforcement officials more tools to pursue suspected terrorists.

Good.

In 2002, Tennesseans voted on an amendment to remove the $50 limit on fines not assessed by juries. It was defeated. I voted against it because it had no limit (in other words, they could start charging $10K for violating a sign ordinance or something). At least the new version sets a limit, that limit is $500.

That’s all I wanted the first time. No restriction would likely lead to abuse.

Something big is brewing in this torture flap. Lynndie England is stating she was ordered to pose in the various pictures.

We have grunts pointing fingers at the chain of command, the chain of command pointing fingers at the administration, and the administration pointing fingers at the grunts.

There’s a lot more to this than we know. Heads should roll and right now, they’re not.

In a comment to my post about the anti-gunners attempting to illicit a potential illegal weapons transfer, a reader commented:

If you look on the area code of the number listed on the SAS website you will see it is a CA number from the 805 area code. And if I understand CA gun laws then those are illegal. CA has a state AWB that I think has no grandfather clause and for sure does not allow transfer of Assault Weapons

I am unfamiliar with California law, but the reader is basically stating that the transfer would be illegal in California.

Update: XRLQ tells me in comments that the transfer may not be legal but some arms are grandfathered.

Additionally, the 805 area code has been transposed (scroll down for Linda S. Vaughn’s contact info). It’s actually 850, which is Florida. So, again, I still contend nothing illegal but likely a ploy to study (again, a term used very loosely) how easy it is to obtain assault weapons.

The NRA, whom you may remember had Cheney give a speech that seemed more to be like Cheney trying to smooth over some issues with gun owners, has held off it’s endorsement of Bush until the assault weapons ban expires:

An influential gun-rights group known for backing Republicans is unlikely to endorse President Bush until after the federal assault-weapons ban expires in September.

Bush supports the renewal of the 10-year ban but has not called on the GOP-controlled Congress to act. If he does so, the move would probably cost him the endorsement of the National Rifle Association (NRA).

Some political observers believe that the NRA’s endorsement is a certainty, pointing out the group’s stinging criticism of Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.

But gun-rights activists dispute the claim that Bush can count on the NRA’s support; the group remained neutral in 1992 and 1996. The NRA did not endorse Republican nominee Bob Dole’s 1996 presidential bid because of his wavering stance on the assault-weapons ban and opted not to back George H.W. Bush in his 1992 re-election effort. The NRA did endorse George W. Bush in 2000.

Many Capitol Hill aides and lawmakers say Bush will determine whether the ban is extended beyond Sept. 13. An aide to House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) has said privately that if Bush pushes for it, the ban will probably be reauthorized. But if he doesn’t, the chances of legislation’s passing this year are remote.

As a reminder, this line was put in:

He said the policy on the assault-weapons ban will be resolved by Congress, adding that it is no coincidence that soon after the 1994 ban was enacted, Republicans took control of Capitol Hill.

The most disheartening part of this article:

“The legislation would pass if it came to the floor,” Castle said. “There are a number of Republicans who would support this.”

Looks like the NRA is doing the right thing. So, maybe some NRA apologists from a while back were right about them. However, they were wrong about the House being willing to stop it.

Well, I said if the ban expires I’ll join the NRA.

Granted, it is a degree of partisan bickering (you did it! Well, you did it more), but JYB alerts us to 17 officials who were told of the prison abuse before 60 Minutes 2 broke the story.

I guess the calls for resignation from the left will be forthcoming? Nah.

Update: Oh, and Rummy even came out with it publicly in January. Here’s a press release from U.S. Central Command (scroll down).

Just a partisan witch hunt.

And where was the media in January? I guess without shocking photos, they have no story.

James reviews the Springfield XD.

Readers know that the Mrs. is pregnant. Seven weeks to go. For a while now, baby has been pretty active. She’s doing somersaults, cartwheels, and generally moving around a lot. In fact, you can on occasion see movement through the Mrs.’ shirt. It’s quite phenomenal. Or so I’m told.

See, I rarely see it or feel it. I have this magical ability. Every time Mrs. Uncle says come feel, she’s kicking like crazy and I approach and place my hand on Mrs. Uncle’s belly, baby stops. Maybe she’s bashful or something. I don’t know.

As disappointing to me as this is, it absolutely frustrates the Mrs. She’ll ask if I felt something and I have to tell her that I didn’t. I’ve talked to a lot of fathers who report experiencing the same problem.

On the odd occasion she keeps moving, it’s pretty amazing. Also, we’re starting to get to the point where we can feel body parts (though we can’t identify which parts they are – but we’re told if it’s soft then it’s a butt). It’s pretty amazing when I can feel her.

We were told during the ultrasound that she was a girl. We asked how certain they were that it would be a girl and the doctor said she wouldn’t have told us she was a girl unless she was absolutely certain. Now, we have friends who are telling us that their respective doctors gave them percentages (i.e., we’re 98% certain it’s a girl). We didn’t get any percentages and were just told it’s a girl. The Mrs. now has this uneasy feeling that she may be a boy. That’s not a problem, other than the fact that we bought a ton of stuff in girlie colors.

Also, we recently took a bunch of classes on different subjects, like breathing and relaxation; breastfeeding; infant CPR; and a general birthing class. The majority of these classes seem to be tailored to women who are going to do natural childbirth. I wonder what percentage of women actually do natural childbirth, particularly since I think the Mrs. will be of the give me an epidural in the parking lot variety of pregnancies (though she swears she’ll wait as long as she can).

I have no intention of playing catch. I won’t be on the business end during labor. I’ll be there but, having watched childbirth during one of our classes, it doesn’t look like something I want to see. It’s one thing to see it happen to a stranger on video, it’s another the see the love of your life going through that. And I think I’d probably pass out. I’m squeamish.

After watching the video of the birth, I found some things rather odd. When the baby pops out (and after the head makes it, it does just pop right out), the doc just kinda tosses the baby up on mom’s belly. Apparently, the warmth comforts the baby and they try to do that as quickly as possible. In the video, the doc just tossed the baby right up there like he was slinging a hay bale, which caused mom and the nurses to reach for baby pretty quickly (after all, baby is, uhm, lubricated and may slip off).

Another thing is that you get to see 3D representations of how the various body parts and organs move around and change. Yeah, I had high school health classes and understood what was happening, but it makes it more understandable to see a 3D image of how a placenta fits, how the baby positions, and how mom’s organs move around (no wonder she has to pee all the time).

And people swear babies get hiccups. I don’t see how, since babies don’t actually breathe, per se. But we’ve had a couple of times where she was thumping in a definite rhythmic pattern that could have been hiccups. It’s pretty neat.

One more ultra sound to go. It’ll be neat even though we’re told that this time (since she’s so big now) that it may be hard to make things out. Looking forward to it!

Oh, I haven’t quite panicked about being a dad yet, but it’s coming.

Dale has a good looking stew recipe.

Yesterday, I was linked by Firearm News and iFeminists. Cool, traffic spike. Thanks!

I am remiss in mentioning that Marc is back and blogging.

A local landmark (where I have seen performances by The Violent Femmes, Nine Inch Nails, The Jesus and Mary Chain, and many others) is likely to be foreclosed on. I also recall years ago when they were in financial trouble, the did a few special performances of The Rocky Horror Picture Show to raise money. They need to do something, I’ll miss that place.

Cas Walker broke this story first.

Joining the ranks of DiFi and Rosie, is Chicago Councilwoman Alderman Arenda Troutman. She has a policeman assigned to guard her home. I imagine other residents would like someone to guard their homes since they’re not legally allowed to do so. And this quote illustrates what’s wrong with most politicians:

Deserve it? Damn right. I should receive the protection I am receiving. I am an elected official. You’re darn right,

Just like you and me, only better.

Whenever some one says to me: Uncle, why are you so certain that gun control is a political loser?

I say: Because Jesse Jackson thinks it’s a good idea.

Via email from Tom.

The Second Amendment Sisters have this entry on the MMM/Brady Campaign going undercover. It seems Linda S. Vaughn, the Southeast Region’s Senior Associate Director for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence United with the Million Mom March, may have tried to bait an ad to illicit potential illegal weapons transfers. Since she left her MMM/Brady Campaign office telephone number as the point of contact, the ruse was quickly discovered.

It doesn’t seem to me that any of the weapons listed were illegal (assuming they are pre-ban). It does seem to me that Linda was trying to conduct another of their studies (term used very, very loosely) on the acquisition of assault weapons.

Additionally, Linda’s actions have been reported to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.

Update: More significant information here.

See, I told you so.

I’m back from our little weekend getaway. We flew into Chicago’s Midway airport Friday morning, spent the night with my brother-in-law in the Northwest ‘Burbs, and on Saturday drove up to a wedding in Madison, WI. Just a few observations:

The Democrat and Chronicle has an article on New York’s attempt at ballistic fingerprinting (which will never work because you can always buy these and barrel ballistics change over time, particularly during the first 200 rounds) and a lawsuit against the system. Some interesting figures from the article:

CoBIS has cost the state more than $12 million and “since inception, not one crime has been solved using the system,” the lawsuit alleges.

“It’s costing the state of New York about $4 million a year.”

Nearly 52,000 guns were registered in the CoBIS system since its inception in March 2001, said State Police spokesman Lt. Glenn Miner.

There have been no “confirmed hits” between registered guns and guns used in crimes, he said.

By my calculation, that is $230.77 per gun. That and the fact it doesn’t work means the future isn’t looking good for ballistic fingerprinting.

Remember that chart of IQs by state going around that was claiming smart states vote Democrat? Well, it’s discredited. The story keeps changing but here is a long post on the issue.

Jeff has his weekly check on gun bias up. Today’s focus: A couple of moms standing around.

Oregon Daily Emerald:

The media industry has been infested by the rise of pseudo-journalists who go against journalism’s long tradition to serve the public with accurate information, Los Angeles Times Editor John S. Carroll told a packed room in the Gerlinger Lounge on Thursday.

Carroll delivered the annual Ruhl Lecture, titled “The Wolf in Reporter’s Clothing: The Rise of Pseudo-Journalism in America.” The lecture was sponsored by the School of Journalism and Communication.

“All over the country there are offices that look like newsrooms and there are people in those offices that look for all the world just like journalists, but they are not practicing journalism,” he said. “They regard the audience with a cold cynicism. They are practicing something I call a pseudo-journalism, and they view their audience as something to be manipulated.”

Holy crap! He’s outing his employer, the LA Times. No, I jest. It’s a tirade against Fox News. Seriously. The LA Times liberal pseudo-journalism is well documented but instead of addressing that, he lambastes the other side.

You might be taken more seriously if you cleaned up your own house first.

The first Million Mom March supposedly numbered about 750,000 (a figure which critics have called grossly inflated, in fact one source I read put the number at about 50,000 – maybe). Well, there was another one. And it has been dubbed by others the thousand gang limp. Not only did it lack numbers, it lacked impact.

Here’s another unsigned opinion piece that says (in part):

Virtually every national health and child advocacy group also supports the Assault Weapons Reauthorization Act of 2004. President Bush and presumed Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry have given the ban a thumbs-up.

I’m accustomed to proponents of the ban evoking the children, but the health group issue is a new one to me. If doing it for the children doesn’t scare you, your health will.

Signed into law in 1994, the ban prohibits the manufacture, sale, transfer or possession of 19 kinds of military type, semi-automatic assault weapons that utilize detachable ammunition magazines.

That is not true. It bans features that weapons can have. It has zero effect on military type weapons. Strangely, those 19 kinds of weapons are still made today.

The legislation would also close a loophole that bans high-capacity ammunition magazines that hold 10-or more rounds while allowing their import into the country. Clearly this convoluted law falls under the wink-wink category.

Huh? The importation of high capacity magazines is a new one to me. I’m sure it’s still done (for police sales if nothing else) but it is illegal to sell new ones (until September).

While the law has stemmed the flow and use of these weapons in the country, there are still loopholes. The main problem with the assault class is that they can be converted to fully automatic status, albeit with less ease than pre-ban models.

The law has in no way stemmed the flow of these weapons. When the manufacturers discovered the ban was going into effect, they cranked out tons of them. This drove the initial price down. The ban, at the start, actually put more on the streets than it took off the streets. They still manufacture the weapons, they just remove some features. Olympic Arms went so far as to rename their post-ban rifle the PCR (Politically Correct Rifle). Again, invoking the word loophole. No such loophole exists.

The last bit about easily converting to full auto is blatantly untrue. And it’s not easier to convert post ban models. In fact, civilian AR15s (pre and post ban) require machining to accept parts to make them full auto because the manufacturers chose to make them difficult to convert.

And this article brings us your touchy-feely crap moment of the day:

“I am troubled by the argument of opponents of the assault weapons ban that these weapons are not used in crimes,” said Democratic U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin of Springfield. “Newspapers and evening news reports are filled with stories of the heartbreak these guns cause.”

Then name them and identify the assault weapons.

Lastly, a note about coverage: Today, google news alerts sent me 11 14 (I’ve received 3 since this morning) err 16 now notices about the MMM march having supposedly one thousand to three thousand people (depending on the source). Yet I’ve seen minimal coverage of the pro-gun march by the Second Amendment Sisters (who I know were there) other than a blurb in various articles. I wonder how many pro gun marchers there were?

Update: Countertop reports witnessing about 300 pro gun marchers.

I know, it’s not technically summer but since it’s beautiful outside; I’m grilling some steaks; and I’m on my third mint julep, it feels like summer.

Well, this website has ruined every stereotype about gay people having a flair for style.

Rhea Gay Day is tomorrow.

Since I have been proclaimed Mr. Media Watchdork by one Michael Zitz for factchecking some gun related articles, I feel obligated to toot my own horn for a bit. You may recall, I authored an opinion piece for a Maryland Paper a while back. The same editor just asked me for some resources for a new article they’re writing on guns.

SayUncle: Watchdork and source of gun info!