Blount County results are covered here. Not a good day for incumbents (which is usually a good thing) as Cantrell ousted Padgett. And newcomer Finney beat Clabough.

Jamie Hagood easily wins, which surprised nobody.

And, good news, by a 70% margin, Knoxvillians tell the city they can’t use taxpayer money for a new convention center hotel that nobody will use. This despite some allegations that the ballot was worded funny intentionally.

And the town I’m from says not to a sales tax.

More results over at KnoxNews.

Bubba has more.

Cool article on the H&K G11, which utilized caseless ammunition. The gun that never was.

I heard about this story on the radio this morning. Seems that a couple of lawyers were wandering around the halls of their office building shooting each other with BB pistols. You know, to blow off steam.

As police searched, they were met by Melinda Hagaman, who works at a business in the building; she told them not to worry.

“I knew it had to be the lawyers from down the hall,” she said in an interview Monday. “They had done this before.”
…
Hagaman, 25, said she immediately knew what was going on Friday because she got caught in a crossfire between the BB-fighting lawyers about a month ago. “I was outside on a break and I got shot in the finger and shoulder,” she said.

Brilliant, right? Well, it gets better:

Police arrested one of them, Gary K. Burger…Burger specializes in personal injury, auto accidents, workers’ compensation and medical malpractice cases.

You can’t make this stuff up, folks.

Via this Augusta Free Press article, comes news of a law firm, Waldo and Lyle, P.C., that specializes in private property rights. They have a handy guide to eminent domain that’s worth reading.

Bubba has announced that reporter Michael Silence will be blogging for KnoxNews (URL to be determined later). This led to a discussion on the name, which is tentatively going to be called No Silence Here. Some suggestions from Bubba and his readers:

The Sound of Silence
The Silent Spot
Silence is Golden
Moment of Silence
Silence of the (something or other, not sure what)

My suggestions:

Random Acts of Silence
Breaking the Silence
Gratuitous Silence

Regardless, Michael will be a welcome addition to the blogosphere. What are your suggestions?

Not only are gun shirts racist, they are also speciesist.

Heartless Libertarian reports that the shortage of regular capacity AR15 magazines is continuing. I mentioned how the assault weapons ban had dried up the supply of M9 magazines for our troops a while back. Supply and demand, go figure.

I can’t help but think that this story is missing some information:

In Jamestown, police say one resident had enough firepower in his house, to equip a small army.

Officers confiscated somewhere between five hundred and a thousand guns from the home of 63-year-old Thad Schank. He faces a weapons possession charge. Police also say one of Schank’s weapons was stolen a couple months ago, which means it’s somewhere out on the streets. When police realized just how many guns Schank had, they decided to get them out of his home, so that no more guns would end up in the hands of criminals.

So, someone may steal your guns, so we’ll take them from you. A weapons possession charge? I’m not sure about Jamestown gun laws, but is possessing guns a crime?

By now, you have no doubt heard of the allegations that Kerry shot some kid in the back, lied to get medals, etc., etc. I suppose the allegations are possible. However, this stuff sounded crazy or made up from the onset to me, rather like the allegations from some folks that Clinton had some number of people killed. Or Bush is waging a war for oil and his daddy. Or black helicopters. Or faerie dust. Or global warming.

However, when Kerry releases the hounds and gets his lawyers to start telling station managers they shouldn’t air the ads by these people, it makes it look like he’s hiding something. Instead, he should address it by denying it or dismissing them as lunatics or partisans.

Update: And I’m not saying that sending in the lawyers makes me think that he’s actually guilty of this stuff but that it looks fishy. It’s not a good political move in terms of appearance.

Blogs having an influence:

The Wall Street Journal Online is promoting one story per day outside its subscription wall to bloggers. NYTimes.com is boosting the number of RSS feeds it offers. Media companies are starting to work with — instead of against — the blogosphere.

Could we be entering a belated Age of Enlightenment when it comes to the way media companies treat independent bloggers? After years of deep-linking legal debates and arguments about whether bloggers are journalists, some mainstream media outlets are starting to realize a link from a prominent blogger can bring traffic and buzz.

Take the example of the Wall Street Journal Online. Just a few years ago, Patrick Phillips, who runs the IWantMedia Web site, got in trouble with the Journal’s legal department for linking to stories behind the subscription wall by using the site’s “Email This” function. Now, WSJ.com night editor David Patton sends out an e-mail each evening especially to bloggers to let them know about the site’s “free feature,” an article that is available for free. (And yes, these e-mails start with “Dear Bloggers” and end with a courteous “Thank you.”)

Most excellent.

In all fairness, I used to regularly read Oliver Willis before he drank the Kool-Aid or whatever it was that turned him from a moderate sounding liberal (who was quick to call people on the left out for acting like moonbats) to the partisan hack he now is (though most of my reading was for the pics of scantily clad women). That aside, perusing his site recently out of curiosity from this post by Jeff , the comments that ensued, and the allegation he called Michelle insane, reveals how unlike Kryptonite to stupid he really is.

In an argument, fat jokes (no matter how funny) are unacceptable. However, what is acceptable is not addressing the accusation that you are a big fat liar:

When your argument boils down to “ha-ha, you’re fat and you like food” (never mind I’ve never gotten personal with Jeff), it’s like I’ve already won.

I had this argument. In the third grade. It was stupid and asinine then, and it certainly is now.

No, you haven’t won. You just avoided the meat of the post (that you’re a liar). No wonder he takes issue with the joke part, he equates humor about demographics he belongs to with hate.

Other third grade debating tips:

Call someone names, just not fat.

The pot calling the kettle anything but fat: Blogging is getting into the bad habit of omitting easily available information, yet some things are missing here and here.

The I’m-rubber-you’re-glue defense (with a hint of making stuff up): I don’t usually call names, but in this case the smear is so egregious, its needed. No, I don’t agree with the folks who say Bush is to blame, but the people acting as if 9/11 only happened to them are just as bad.

And, lastly, Nanny-nanny-boo-boo your opponent: Hate does make you crazy or, you know, partisan hackery makes you sound crazy.

By the way, I guess I’m running out of stuff to talk about as I have spent the last few days poking other blogs with a stick.

California’s proposed ear crop ban, that I mentioned here, is not to be:

What began in June with an amendment to an otherwise widely-supported veterinary medical bill ended Wednesday when sponsor Senator Liz Figueroa agreed to remove the ear cropping ban from California SB1548.

Update: In the comments to my other post, reader Jen writes:

I am a assistant at a veterinarian’s office and we are all glad the ban didn’t go through. If it did, that would force more and more people to do it illegally in their basements, without the right anesthesia or pain killers. All that the government needs to do is pass a law stating that any ear crop done by a person without a veterinarian’s licence would be practicing without a licence. In addition, dewclaws are the nails in the position right above the foot, the “ankle” so-to-speak. They are removed because sometimes they’re very loose and hang there. They can be easily caught and ripped while the dog is playing, working, etc.

I do not disagree.

Folks are astounded that in a BBC poll, 6% of 16-to-24-year-old Britons thought Gandalf defeated the Spanish Armada. 15% thought that on July 12, Orangemen in Ireland celebrate the victory at Helm’s Deep (silly wankers; we all know they’re celebrating Syracuse’s victory over…some other sports team).

“This is extremely shocking,” said Nick Seaton, a chairman of some education-booster-organization. Not to worry, Mr. Seaton. I suspect the lads have had a nice joke at the Beeb’s expense here. I can just imagine some teenage yob snickering to his mate, “Oy, Gaz, I marked ‘Gandalf’ for #12!”

WATE:

Knoxville police issued their first citation under the city’s 2003 “pooper scooper” ordinance,handing a judge’s wife the ticket for refusing to pick up after her dog.

The law was designed after people complained about dog feces in the downtown area.

Michele Jenkins was cited Friday after a bicycle officer watched as Jenkins’ red chow defecated near an intersection.

Jenkins is the wife of Knox County Criminal Court Judge Ray Lee Jenkins.

Knoxville police says she was given an opportunity to clean it up, but refused.

Seriously though, clean up after your pet.

The Plain Dealer published the names of CCW holders in Ohio. Shortly after, a CCW holder was shot:

When three robbers came to Singleton’s business Tuesday morning – they allegedly shot before Singleton had time to react to their demands.

Now, I suppose it is possible that the miscreants read his name in the paper, as some are speculating. However, I don’t think it’s that likely. Stupid 17 year-old criminals probably aren’t that big on reading the news.

For their apparent incompetence that may have lead to the abuse of a child, three Tennessee Department of Children’s Services employees were disciplined but not fired:

Failure to assign an alleged abuse referral dated April 26, 2004, for investigation by a team leader.

A DCS case manager did not properly forward information to a child protective services investigator on June 16, 2004, regarding alleged abuse of Haley.

And a supervisor failed to instruct the child protective services investigator to report to the hospital until several hours after the child arrived for medical treatment.

For that, they received:

Discipline included the demotion of a Team Leader to a nonsupervisory Case Manager position, along with a 20-day suspension without pay.

Additionally, a case manager was suspended for three days without pay for failing to properly contact a child protective services worker, which placed a child at risk of harm.

A third employee received a letter of written warning.

We often hear how some politicians err police support the assault weapons ban, well not this guy:

I look at the assault weapons ban kind of like the teacher you had in grade school who, after getting hit in the back of the head with a spit ball, made the entire class stay after school. Everyone was punished for the actions of one. While it’s true that there have been some horrific, terrible crimes against people committed with these weapons in this country, do we punish everyone for the actions of a few?

One note, however, is this paragraph:

A few hours after talking with Mr. McMahon, I ran across a story on the Internet while researching a workshop I am going to give this fall. It was the news story of a young police officer killed in the line of duty by a 16-year-old boy with one of these types of weapons. After shooting the officer, the suspect killed himself. That is what got me to thinking more about this weapons ban.

Actually, the weapon used in that shooting (the one here in Tennessee that tragically took the life of Jason Scott) was an SKS, which is not covered by the ban.

Weekly gun links are up with lots of good stuff!

Update: I wonder how long before those Benelli extensions are classified as Destructive Devices? They did that with supposed Street Sweepers (aka, shotguns with high capacity magazines):

In early 1994, ATF decided (in ATF Rulings 94-1 and 94-2) that three 12 gauge shotgun models, the USAS 12, Striker 12, and Street Sweeper, were destructive devices, owing to their non-sporting character, and having a bore over 1/2 inch, as all 12 gauge shotguns do.

The Striker, with a 12 round capacity, is a Destructive Device subject to a $200 NFA tax, whereas some shotguns hold 9. I guess those three extra rounds make it particularly dangerous. And, just curious, what authority does the ATF have to classify a shotgun as a Destructive Device?

Hastert’s press secretary doesn’t think a vote is likely.

Someone doused a pit bull with paint and set the poor thing on fire:

Princess was burned so badly she was euthanized after her arrival at the Philadelphia Animal Care and Control Association, said Jeff Moran, spokesman for the health department, which oversees the animal care agency.

Officials of the Pennsylvania SPCA had intended to offer to try to nurse Princess back to health, said assistant public relations director Megan Kane.

Another dog set afire in South Philadelphia several years ago was saved from death by the SPCA staff, Kane said.

That badly burned dog was found in flames Oct. 4, 2001, at 5th and Morris streets, and taken to the SPCA. A 5-month-old German shepherd-shar pei mix, she was named Baby by SPCA personnel.

This is no longer possibly the most asinine thing I’ve seen in a while, this is:

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Republican congressional candidate James L. Hart acknowledges that he is an “intellectual outlaw.”

He is an unapologetic supporter of eugenics, the phony science that resulted in thousands of sterilizations in an attempt to purify the white race. He believes the country will look “like one big Detroit” if it doesn’t eliminate welfare and immigration. He believes that if blacks were integrated centuries ago, the automobile never would have been invented.

Wow! Just wow. Just a note: eugenics may be morally bankrupt, evil, and leave a foul taste in your mouth, but it is not a phony science. It is, as the term’s creator Francis Galton says, a moral philosophy to improve humanity. That doesn’t make it any less crap but I doubt anyone would consider it a science. More:

Much of Hart’s platform revolves around eugenics, which arose in the early 20th century as a pseudoscientific movement to solve social problems by preventing the “unfit” from having children. It inspired 33 states to pass laws that allowed the sterilization of some 65,000 people, and Nazi Germany used the U.S. examples to justify programs that sterilized and killed millions.

Hart, a 60-year-old real estate agent, knows his views on eugenics are far from the mainstream and viewed as racist by most people.

He insists his beliefs have nothing to do with racism and everything to do with “favored races” from Europe and Asia and “less-favored races” from Africa. To achieve his goal of a country populated by “favored races,” Hart proposes eliminating both welfare and immigration.

What an idiot. I am almost speechless. But Hart isn’t. He has a website too.

Ok, I know I’m really hitting the blog equivalent of rock-bottom by linking to SomethingAwful, but it struck me that this review of Classic Rock bands left out a terribly important act: Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Somebody explain to me how I can be listening to the local Classic Rock station, hear “Freebird,” scream in pain, and then switch to the Classic Rock station in a town 80 miles away, only to find out they’re playing “Sweet Home Alabama.” How do they do that?

In Lewiston, Maine, city officials are considering taking a man’s property to build a convention center:

Hollis said he planned to rebuild on the lot until last April when city officials began discussing taking the property by eminent domain.

Hollis and the city began negotiating a sale soon afterward.

Last June, city officials announced an agreement to pay $250,000 for the empty lots and use it in a redevelopment for a possible conference center. As part of the agreement, though, Hollis must legally absolve the city of responsibility for the explosion. Hollis said he is not eager to sign the agreement.

“If I do, my insurance company can´t come back _ I can´t come back _ and sue them if I have to,” Hollis said.

The city also agreed to relocate his business last year at a cost of $540,000. Still Hollis said he doubts the buses are going anywhere soon.

City Administrator Jim Bennett said the city will agree to put up a sign, directing Hollis´ customers to his new location once the agreement is signed.

A convention center is for the public good?

So, it looks like two candidates have stepped up to the plate to challenge Obama. What’s important is their positions on issues, right? Wrong. What’s important to the AP is that they are both black.

The AP mentions their stances on issues at the bottom thusly:

Keyes opposes abortion and gay rights, wants to replace the income tax with a national sales tax, and calls affirmative action a “government patronage program.” Barthwell, a medical doctor, has a history of supporting Democratic politicians and has publicly opposed marijuana for medical uses in her role as deputy drug czar, but her positions on other key issues are largely unknown.

Shouldn’t you figure out what her positions on other key issues are?

Self,

You really ought to make it a point to annoy Jeff Goldstein semi-regularly. Because when he responds to said annoyance, it’s hysterical.

Love,

Self

Via Jay comes what is possibly the most asinine thing I’ve seen in a while. What an idiot.

Update: Oh, dear lord. There are a great many more idiots. If your moonbat quotient is already high, don’t look any further:

Holy Mother of All that is Stupid – I think that would make a fine title for that blog.

Comparing gun owners to Nazis and Klansmen? Godwin’s law meet dumb ass, dumb ass meet Godwin’s law.

Lastly, this genius writes:

I think Glenn Reynolds is either the most clueless law professor at the University of Tennessee or the kind of sick racist who doesn’t have the balls to wear a Klan robe or burn a cross. There are thousands of gun shirts. You want to walk around with an MP-5K shirt, you can find one. AK-47, no problem. But that noxious shirt is one no decent person would wear, because there is no joke in it. A number of handguns and “celebrate diversity” on it implies something pretty dark and evil. Especially with the colors used on the white shirt, red, yellow and green. You would have to be a moron not to see the pan-African connotation with. I mean, you have easily made that shirt with the tag line “variety is the spice of life”, the joke made, and not even the most hypersensitive liberal could say a word. Reynolds even jokes about wearing it to a faculty meeting, something he doesn’t have the balls to do because he would be called on it.

That shirt is the kind of thing you see at Klan and militia rallies. It isn’t about political correctness either, because it implies the only kind of diveristy is a heavily armed one which is clearly anti-black in tenor and temperment. (sic)

No Steve, the only moron here is you. Lighten up.

And that is the last time I ever read Atrios. I feel so dirty having been exposed to such idiocy.

If you haven’t seen This land is your land, you should and where the Hell have you been? Everyone has seen it. How do I know this? Because my four year old nephews were singing it. Seriously. The don’t even get the waffle joke but think it’s funny. I may get concerned in the event they call me a UN pussy.

Almost qualifying as too stupid to fisk, this one blames some of the problems I mention here (i.e., 7,000 people get guns who shouldn’t and that charges were only filed in 154 of 122,000 illegal attempts to purchase arms) on Ashcroft. Apparently, Ashcroft is the patron saint of us gun extremists (their rhetoric, not mine).

However, the actual study blames these problems on:

… staff shortages, technology problems and lack of adequate timeliness standards. The review also found that agents did not consider it a priority to track down the illegal gun purchasers because they are not viewed as dangerous. “We were also told that ‘bad guys’ generally do not purchase their firearms through legitimate dealers,” the review said.

Additionally, this hysterical piece by the Atlanta Journal Constitution tries to tie guns to terrorism. Lame.

I found this:

Interesting opinion in the Beacon News: “Bush playing both sides on assault ban.” It discusses the potential renewal or expiration of the assault weapons ban.

At the end of the article, I read this: “The endangered statute is designed to help stem the senseless arms race that has had grisly consequences for thousands of innocent victims. That is why it is endorsed by scores of law enforcement organizations as well as trauma surgeons who deal on a daily basis with the damage done by these firearms.”

I noticed that this is written in the present tense, i.e., law enforcement officers and trauma surgeons are today, now, dealing with “the damage done by these firearms.”

If doctors and law enforcement officers are indeed dealing with this, how can anyone believe that the ban is working in the first place? Yes, I know, earlier on in the article, then-President Reagan is quoted, stating that the ban would not eliminate crimes involving assault weapons, but would tend to dry up the supply of the guns, thereby making them less accessible to criminals. I’ll try and dig up the original wording of the ban and see just exactly which “assault weapons” are listed there. These days, a gun that merely looks like someone’s idea of an assault weapon is in risk of being added to that list. I don’t think this is what Reagan had in mind.

That being said, I find it most interesting of all how so many on the left are also hot-to-trot to keep this law in effect. Ask the average leftie what s/he thinks of profiling, and you’re likely to get an earful of reasons why it’s so terrible a practice. What is this ban but a case of profiling a gun merely on its looks?

Gun profiling? I like it.

Beretta was found to be not responsible for a tragic accidental shooting. I rather wish these gun manufacturers would start counter suing those involved (including the Brady Campaign). Of course, I’m not a lawyer so I don’t know if that is feasible. I do think that would have the effect of limiting such frivolous lawsuits.