Two thirds of Nebraska’s lawmakers show support for passing concealed carry laws. It looks like “shall-issue” permits have a shot at passing this year:

By the numbers, it would appear that Nebraskans might get a shot at packing heat next year.

Two-thirds of state lawmakers responding to a survey by The World-Herald voiced support for some sort of legislation to allow carrying of concealed weapons, at least with conditions.

That would be enough votes to cut off a filibuster and pass legislation if all 33 senators hang together.

But the Nebraska Legislature has been down this road several times before. Every previous effort to pass a concealed-carry bill has failed in the face of outnumbered but determined opponents.

The most recent attempt was two years ago, when supporters couldn’t find enough votes to end debate. The sponsor of that 2003 bill, Sen. Gene Tyson of Norfolk, did not seek re-election this year.

General Dynamics and H&K have formed a partnership to develop a replacement to the M16 rifle and M4 carbine for the US military. Spec data for the XM8 can be found here. They really should consider changing caliber to the 6.8MM.

I wasn’t the only one playing with a laser pointer:

David Banach was showing his daughter a common laser pointer that he had purchased on the Internet, said attorney Gina Mendola Longarzo. Longarzo said she met with Banach on Saturday.

“At one moment he was in the backyard playing with his daughter,” said Longarzo, “and 10 minutes later 12 police cars descended and he was whisked away by authorities and interrogated until 4 a.m.”

Banach was taken from his Pitman Road home Friday by state, local and federal authorities investigating the shining of green lasers onto aircraft flying over the region.

Longarzo said once authorities fully investigate the incident, her client will be exonerated. He has not been charged, she said.

I am curious what these common laser pointers are. On another recent laser pointer play session with the dog, I decided to see how far I could shine the beam and still see it. I have a laser pointer that I bought at Office Depot that is common for presentations and such. I paid about $5 for it. I shined it at the trees behind the house and could clearly see it (I’d guess about 50 yards). Then, I aimed it down the street careful not to shine it at anyone’s houses. I could see it to the end of the road (I’m guessing about 500 yards or so). Then I shined it toward the barn over the hill. I’d guess that’s about 800 yards or so. I could still see it. I then shined it at the moon. I couldn’t see it on the moon. So, the effective range of a common presentation type laser is between 801 yards and 240,000 miles.

In addition to noting that the FBI says it’s not terrorism, USA Today writes:

Lasers have been a growing concern in the aviation community. Laser pointers, devices the size of a pen that are used by public speakers, have enough power to cause vision problems in pilots from a distance of 2 miles, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. A pilot hit by a laser also could become distracted.

So, maybe a little less than 240,000 miles.

Coming soon: ban on laser pointers.

Hoplophobes beware: Guns wander the street killing people. Actual headline from the Tennessean:

Firearms were responsible for most of 2004 homicides

First of all, life without TiVo sucks. I keep trying to pause live TV when I can’t. Of course, what is more sad is that the Mrs. tries to pause and rewind live radio in her car so I don’t have the bug as badly as her. That said, it was only about a month ago when I told the Mrs. that TiVo (or I) need to create a portable storage device so you can watch your TV on the road or take your TV to other places. Turns out, TiVo just did:

No longer confined to TiVo digital video recorders in the living room or bedroom, subscribers will be able to transfer their recorded shows to PCs or laptops and take them on the road — as long as the shows are not specially tagged with copy restrictions. That’s also the case for pay-per-view or on-demand movies, and some premium paid programming.

Most excellent. Unfortunately, the article states it doesn’t work with DirecTV TiVo units, which is what I have. Still, when I’m on the road, it’d be nice to load a few hours on the old laptop for viewing on the plane or at the airport.

Make sure you check out The Ten Ring. Well, what are you waiting for? Go on. I’ll be here when you get back.

CAGW Blog (who really needs friendlier permalinks) reports that, and I am not making this up*, KFC must disclose its secret recipe because the secret recipe is unfair to its European competitors:

In an international anti-trust case, a European Union court ruled on Wednesday that Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), an American institution, was being unfair to its European competitors and consumers by controlling such a large percentage of the fast-food chicken market in Europe. And to fix this inequity, the court ruled that KFC has to disclose to its competitors the “secret recipe” for making their chicken taste so darn good.”

Update: * It actually is made up. I thought that was clear.

Tennessee legislature is exempt from open records law.

Two more East Tennessee churches have been burned down.

One of the oft abused provisions of the law (by the police and bitter lovers) is that of confiscation of firearms in domestic violence cases and after bogus restraining orders. Howard Dickinson of New Hampshire has asked the legislature there to study the issue:

“A lot of these domestic violence charges are brought as a tactic in divorces,” said Rep. Howard Dickinson, a Center Conway Republican. “There is an excessive amount of paranoia when it comes to guns, and sometimes the guns have nothing to do whatsoever with the situation.”

State laws allow guns to be seized in a couple of ways. A judge has an option of taking guns and ammunition when he or she issues a domestic violence petition. In addition, police officers are obligated by law to take guns when they are called to a domestic violence assault and make an arrest.

Dickinson, who said he advises people to get around the seizure laws by hiding their guns at friends’ houses, is asking only that the Legislature study the existing laws, not immediately change them. He’s hoping that approach will calm some of the opposition he expects to face.

I think if someone is genuinely a threat that the police (using proper and legal methods) could pursue the confiscation route. However, in some cases, if the police come to your home for a variety of reasons, they ask if you have guns and take them. They do this whether it’s necessary or not.

Update: Matt has more.

Kudos are apparently being given to Gov. Schwarzenegger for signing fewer laws into law in a single year. That number is still high at 959. He rejected 311. I think that number is still a bit high. Of course, the CA legislature could take a cue from the US congress and just pass an assload of them at once. Maybe in California they actually read them?

No blood in the streets from the expiration of the assault weapons ban. And in Michigan, CCW hasn’t lead to blood in the streets either.

Les has my WECSOG diploma. Too funny. Since I have my WECSOG diploma, I should share my latest endeavor. AR15 folks are familiar with Magpuls. Essentially, a Magpul keeps magazines in a pouch from banging together (to prevent scuffs and such) and provides a positive grip surface when doing tactical reloads. But mostly, they’re just neat looking. They cost over $3 each but I just got 30 of them for free. I made my own out of a used bicycle inner tube. Get an old inner tube and cut off some 1.5 to 2 inch strips and stretch them over the base of the mag. Leave a little slack at the end for grip. Here’s a pic:

You could probably use two strips of tube and run one under the magazine floorplate to make it look more like a real Magpul. However, I imagine if you ever pulled one out of the pouch and it was stuck that you might end up with some bruised knuckles.

No plan has ever been taken down with tweezers or nail clippers, but try to take those on a plane. As part of the 3,000 page intelligence bill, lighters have now been banned on planes.

It wasn’t a very intelligent bill after all.

Not been reading much blogs the last few days but here’s some stories worth commenting on:

The NRA is getting a new president. She’s all about changing their image:

“The media wants to paint us all as a bunch of bubbas and rednecks, but it’s simply not true,” Froman said. “The image of the NRA needs to be corrected. The stereotype needs to be debunked.”

What the opposition thinks:

But some gun control groups said Froman must change the executive staff at the NRA before she can change the organization’s image.

“The real power at the NRA rests with its salaried CEO, Wayne LaPierre,” said Peter Hamm, spokesman for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. “Sandy Froman, as far as we can tell, is the sort of drink-the-Kool-Aid true believer.

“It would be easy to soften the NRA’s image because it can’t get much harder than it is.”

Pardon me, but you’re the one who regularly refers to all gun owners as extremists and stupid.

Most satisfying moment for Sauder: not renewing the Assault Weapons ban.

And did you know you can bring about world peace by banning assault weapons? Me neither. But that’s what this idiotic letter to the editor from Bernard Krisko says.

A reminder Kelo v. New London is heading to to the Supreme Court. Here’s a quick summary.

In (not so) Freeport, Tx, Eminent Domain is being used for the confiscation of private land to build a private yacht marina. A reader emails Scandal In Freeportwhich is keeping up with the Freeport case.

An editorial reminds cities that the use of Eminent Domain should be for well-defined public purposes.

And in New Jersey, it’s still OK to take from one private individual to give to another:

“What a wonderful Christmas present for the people of Sayreville,” Mayor Kennedy O’Brien said. “Five years of persistence and hard work have been vindicated in court.”

Yes, usurping the Constitution, breaking the law, and illegally taking someone’s property is a wonderful Christmas present.

It’s like they’ve got a deadline to meet or something.

John Brown has moved his blog here.

And Len has a co-blogger.

And Adam has moved to new digs here.

Happy New Year all. First post of the new year and all that. Did you miss me? Blogging resumes tomorrow.