From Kim du Toit’s forum:

If I could only have one gun it would be aimed at the guy who said I can only have one gun.

Blake reports that HB 2225 (the guns in bars measure) failed in sub-committee.

Bill Gertz:

Recurrent intelligence reports say al Qaeda terrorist Abu Musab Zarqawi has obtained a nuclear device or is preparing a radiological explosive — or dirty bomb — for an attack, according to U.S. officials, who also say analysts are unable to gauge the reliability of the information’s sources.

Alphie was mentioned on MSNBC. Excellent! Too bad his server didn’t cooperate.

Since November, I don’t recall any stories detailing:

The number of casualties in Iraq.

The Homeland Security Threat Advisory thing being elevated.

Don’t recall many unemployment figures of note.

Stories about John Kerry or George Bush going hunting.

WMDs!

The deficit.

The trade deficit.

And before someone says But Uncle, that media criticism is unfounded, I think it’s worth pointing out that I get most of my news from blogs.

The NRA reports that a host of anti-gun bills are to be voted on in Illinois:

The Illinois House of Representatives will vote this Tuesday, April 26, on two bills that seek to ban firearms. The first, HB 1098, introduced by Representative Elaine Nekritz (D-57), seeks to ban all .50 caliber rifles and ammunition. The second, HB 2414, introduced by Representative Edward Acevedo (D-2), seeks to ban certain semi-automatic rifles and shotguns, as well as .50 caliber rifles. These bills will do nothing to address the problem of violent crime, and would serve only as another attack on our Right to Keep and Bear Arms. Proponents of this legislation have even stooped to exploit our nation`s concerns over terrorism in order to advance their anti-gun agenda.

Doug Grow of the Star Tribune:

Dhennin, a retired Anoka County sheriff’s deputy, and Sinner, a University of Minnesota grad student in public health, proved that you can buy just about anything you want in Minnesota.

Did he get a machine gun?

For Saturday’s excursion, Dhennin and Sinner, shopping on behalf of Citizens for a Safer Minnesota, an organization devoted to sane gun restrictions, were out to buy an assault rifle. Citizens for a Safer Minnesota wanted the rifle for a couple of reasons: 1) to show how available these weapons are; 2) to use the weapon as visual evidence about why it wasn’t such a good idea for the feds to allow a limited ban on assault weapons to fade away in 2004.

No, they are an anti-gun group. I bet they did not buy an assault rifle but probably a gun that looks like an assault rifle.

Dhennin and Sinner had no particular weapon in mind when they went to the Education Building at the State Fairgrounds for the Minnesota Weapons Collectors Association gun show.

“A candy store for terrorists,” is how Dhennin, a hunter and gun lover, described the weaponry available at the show.

They sell box cutters there? Or fertilizer? Or Ryder trucks? No terrorist attack here has been committed with guns that I know of.

Dhennin has been dismayed at the proliferation of assault rifles since the demise of the tepid federal ban.

The proliferation? I’d guess there was an initial spike in sales and then the manufacturers stopped making post ban models.

Dhennin and Sinner didn’t merely want to buy an assault rifle. They wanted to see whether they could make their purchase with no questions asked.

Gun show loophole in 3, 2, 1

Licensed gun dealers must do a background check before selling customers assault rifles or handguns.

Private dealers, though, apparently don’t need to bother with messy red tape.

There is no such thing, legally, as a private dealer. There are individuals who may sell guns in lawful commerce, kind of like if I sold you a handgun.

So, what did they buy?

Dhennin and Sinner approached a so-called private dealer who was displaying a Ruger Mini 14, a .223-caliber rifle, with a fold-up stock, pistol grip and magazines with a 30-round capacity. (According to a video, a expert can go through four magazines — 120 rounds — in 45 seconds with this weapon.)

Dhennin negotiated the price down from $550 to $500 before making the purchase and moving on to what Dhennin described, tongue-in-cheek, as the gun show “library.” This was a display area filled with pamphlets and literature about weaponry.

Kinda funny. See, the ruger mini-14 was specifically excluded from the assault weapons ban. Then, the guy buying the gun bought a book on how to convert it to a machine gun. The article then notes:

Selling fully automatic assault rifles is still illegal

Yes, it is (provided it was made after 1986) but if it’s not fully automatic, then it’s not an assault rifle.

Long time readers know that SayUncle often gets Google News alerts that are nothing more that VPC press releases.

Paul Graham has an essay about a related phenomenon, the “press hit.”

One of the most surprising things I discovered during my brief business career was the existence of the PR industry, lurking like a huge, quiet submarine beneath the news. Of the stories you read in traditional media that aren’t about politics, crimes, or disasters, more than half probably come from PR firms.

Pretty interesting read.

Yes, it happened exactly as Phelps recounts. Heh.

Also, it turns out that the .gov does make some bling bling selling confiscated knives.

On the road so blogging will be limited. But last night I had dinner and a few beverages with The Everlasting Phelps. Talked about guns, libertarians, gizmos, and lots of other stuff. Good guy.

In my early morning stupor to get to the airport, I grabbed my wallet and other stuff I usually carry with me. Since it was 4 in the morning, I wasn’t thinking and also grabbed my pocket knife. Now, it is the newest member of the TSA’s knife shop. The .gov could make a ton selling those things.

And, as with every time I travel, my bag was one of those searched so I got the courtesy your papers and effects have been searched without a warrant, without probable cause, and unreasonably notification in my bag. It’s always a nice surprise to get to the hotel and discover that your constitutional rights were violated.

Also, the TSA folks aren’t too bright. As I approached the line where the metal detectors are, I was handed a yellow piece of paper. This paper indicated that because I was the last person in line, that I would be searched in private. Seems like a made up criteria to me. If you’re a terrorist, get in line first. Any way, I approached the metal detector with my yellow sheet. They had the little plastic bins set out to put your watch, lap top, and other stuff to scan. This is the point where I volunteered the info that I had a pocket knife. Big mistake. They wanted it. I asked if there was a place to store it until I returned and there wasn’t. They suggested I could put it in my car. Of course, I’d miss my flight if I did that. I should have just kept my mouth shut and dropped it in my carry on. They’d have never found it.

Back to the plastic bins. There were three bins set out. I put my lap top in the first; watch and change in the second; yellow piece of paper in the third. They never searched me but the guy behind me (who happened to be standing next to the yellow piece of paper) was pulled into the private cubicle. Poor guy but there’s how to get out of being searched.

Rest assured, had I been pulled into the private cubicle, I’d have told them to fuck right off. If you get the yellow piece of paper, pawn it off on some other poor sap.

I love flying.

Blogging may be light today and tomorrow.

Pretty funny.

Heh.

Via Tom.

The Minutemen project has been, at least to me, interesting. Below is some interesting reading on them.

It resulted in drop in illegal border crossing and the Confederate Yankee notes:

The drop in attempted illegal border crossings and number of volunteer-related apprehensions speaks volumes of the success of the MinuteMan Project, but perhaps the best testimony so far was this two-way radio conversation in Spanish overheard by MMP volunteers between drug dealers in the mountains near Sierra Vista, AZ:

“We’ve got to get down, to get our loads down!” [Meaning drug loads]
Reply: “We can’t, man – those f***ers are everywhere!”.

Obviously, Minuteman Project volunteers are not only succeeding in helping an underappreciated and underfunded Border Patrol, but a besieged Drug Enforcement Agency as well.

Additionally, the government is after the Minutemen:

I have received word via E-Mail from Sandra Miller that The Miracle Valley Bible College in Hereford, Arizona has just been fined $750 per day by James E. Vlahovich (Director, Cochise County Planning Department) for offering and providing housing/camping facilities to volunteers of The Minuteman Project. I am sure this will break soon on more familiar news sites, as MMP Director Jim Gilchrist will surely be discussing this in press interviews today.

The program has been successful but a few incidents have tarnished the effort, such as making a border crosser pose for a picture and some guy pointing a gun at some other border crossers.

There’s other alleged law breaking going on, but not the kind you think:

American Civil Liberties Union activists shadowing the Minuteman Project at the U.S.-Mexican border in Arizona are actively aiding and abetting aliens attempting to enter the country illegally, said a spokesman for the volunteer civilian force.

Grey Deacon told Joseph Farah’s nationally syndicated “WorldNetDaily RadioActive” audience yesterday that ACLU monitors sent to the border to watch Minuteman activity and report civil-liberties abuses to authorities have begun flashing lights, sounding horns and warning off illegals and their “coyote” human smugglers from entering territory patrolled by the volunteers.

And, of course, the pictures of the ACLU volunteers smoking weed.

If the Democrats want an issue for 2008, the lax border security under the Bush administration is it. And Schiavo. And federalism. And big spending. And big government. And the creepy, almost surreal seriousness with which the right is sucking up to those that are farther to the right and ignoring the moderate right (and libertarian right). Ask Der Commissar.

Blogging for Bryant sets the record straight regarding who they are not:

Let me end this rumor right here. No one involved with this blog is associated with the Ed Bryant for U.S. Senate campaign as pointed out in our first post. My name is Jay Bush and I am a former Bryant staffer, but not associated with Ed’s campaign in any capacity (though I do plan on volunteering). I worked in Ed Bryant’s congressional office in Washington for three years. I have also worked on some state campaigns for the Tennessee Republican Party. Currently, I’m a law student and clerking at a small Nashville firm.

Jay Bush sound familiar? You may recognize that name if you’ve ever seen Bush Beans commercials. Roll that beautiful bean footage.

He also notes another political blog that is pushing Van Hilleary for Senate. The blog, View from Here, levels quite a bit of criticism at Bryant and at Blogging For Bryant, most of it unsubstantiated, inflammatory rhetoric (as a bonus, the post references Monica Lewinsky).

B4B notes that the author of this blog is Jennifer Coxe, spokeswoman for Hilleary’s failed 2002 gubernatorial campaign.

If blogs are an indication, the Republican Primary could get a bit ugly. I stand by my endorsement of Not Hilleary.

Adam has more. As does Matthew.

Tennessee political blogs just got more interesting.

WBIR reports that Gov. Bredesen wants to take our revenue surplus and give raises to state employees:

In his budget for fiscal 2006, Bredesen has proposed about $44 million for a one percent pay raise for state employees, and earmarked the same amount for a one time one percent bonus. If state revenue stays strong, the governor would like to double the pay increase.

The governor could give everyone in the state a raise by cutting our ridiculous sales tax of 9.25%. Some quick math based on those numbers:

1%X = $44M
X= 4,400,000,000.00

Ok. Looks like the budget for salaries is (at a SWAG) about $4.4B. Per the Census, the Median salary in TN is about $36K. The article states that state employees earn about 20-25% less than average. So, to be generous since governments tend to be top heavy, we’ll call it $30K. So:

$4.4B / 30,000 = 146,667 state employees.

Seems like a lot to me. Of course, my math was quick and riddled with assumptions.

Anyway, cut the sales tax and we all get raises. Spending this surplus is why Tennessee will (in the future) be crying about fiscal crisis and budget woes. Whoever brings up income tax next time should be sacked.

This weekend marks junior’s start of mobility. She, almost instantly, started to crawl. I mean really crawl. Before, she’d crawl a little, maybe 2 feet to get a toy or something. Now, she’s clearing entire rooms. Had to childproof cabinets and attach things that might fall to walls.

She’s not the fastest thing on the planet so the dogs don’t yet have to worry about being chased. But she is going. Mom and dad were so proud.

Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius signed into law a bill that makes it legal to carry a firearm anywhere in the state as long as it’s unloaded and in an enclosed container.

I think the governor is putting on her pro-gun face prior to an election year. She did, after all, veto concealed carry legislation for Kansas.

Per this language quiz, I speak:

50% General American English
45% Dixie
5% Yankee
0% Midwestern
0% Upper Midwestern

I was shocked to learn I speak any Yankee.

Been a bit of back and forth on this issue of whether or not FOID cards actually register anything. Ravenwood notes that the Chicago authorities have already used FOID card information to confiscate guns.

Today 5:43 p.m. EST, Alan Korwin of GunLaws will be on Fox News to discuss Arizona’s new high school marksmanship class.

KOSCIELSKI’S GUNS AND AMMO UPDATE:

Dave reports that the outlook isn’t good. Koscielski’s reports that even gun groups aren’t getting involved in helping them. Their deadline has been extended to May. Try calling the NRA or other pro-gun groups to see if they’ll get involved.

Gunlawnews has the latest on the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act.

Also, bought a gun mag this weekend. Barrett had an ad in the magazine and it stated they would not sell to California government agencies. Good for Barrett.

The only thing better than one Virtual Bartender is two Virtual Bartenders.

Here’s a good resource for completing your 80% complete AR15 lower receiver. Good stuff, with pics.

The NRA had a convention this weekend. Let’s look at how the press covered it:

The AP:

While gun-control groups acknowledge the NRA’s influence in government, those activists say the NRA is out of step with most Americans.

“Unfortunately it’s because they have a ton of money and they do a very good job with their propaganda,” said Eric Howard, a spokesman for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

Guess they didn’t get the memo that most Americans have a favorable view of the NRA. And, of course, the Brady Campaign is the king of propaganda and lies. Despite the NRA’s rhetoric on guns, they (unlike the Bradies) have never lied about them to my knowledge.

Houston Chronicle:

With nearly 4 million members and millions of dollars to donate to political campaigns, many lawmakers and other observers say the NRA is the most powerful lobbying group in Washington.

I thought that was the AARP? KVIA comments that Political left verbal target for NRA at convention. The Houston Chronicle notes some jabs at liberals too. Actually, they’re targets are people who are anti-gun. The NRA has supported people like Reid and Dean.

And the latest political bogeyman, Tom DeLay, was there. That’s what everyone is telling us. Apparently, DeLay went there to seek shelter.

DeLay also noted the gun debate is overheated and gun folks should be nice to anti-gun folks. And DeLay went there to duck his ethics controversy. Apparently, this ethics controversy also afflicts every other member of Congress.

Leave our guns alone. This quote’s pretty funny:

But Eric Howard, a spokesman for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, said he doesn’t think the NRA speaks for most Americans when it comes to gun control in the United States.

“It’s an organization that refuses to take any reasonable measure to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and children,” he said.

Really? You mean like supporting background checks and hosting a program to teach kids about guns? I think Eddie Eagle has saved more children than the Brady Bunch.

And the LA Times, being surprisingly non-hysterical about the assault weapons ban, notes that the industry has changed a lot since the expiration of the assault weapons ban:

The 60,000 people expected this weekend at the National Rifle Assn. convention will find that a cottage industry has sprung up since they last met.

Gun companies are offering to beef up firearms by adding high-tech accouterments and high-capacity ammunition clips — accessories that were outlawed in certain combinations until Congress let the assault weapons ban expire in the fall.

And this is unbelievable because it appears in the LA Times:

Critics of the gun industry say assault weapons are too powerful to allow civilians to own them. They say they can be deadly in the wrong hands, believe they helped fuel gang violence in recent years and say there is no reason that hunters need to carry such potent firearms.

But thousands are sold each year — there are about 2 million circulating in the United States — and they hold a special allure for some gun aficionados.

That’s partly because of their practical attributes. They are lightweight and increasingly accurate, which helps in shooting competitions. Because many are built to military standards, they are considered durable and able to withstand harsh weather conditions.

NRA spokesman Andrew Arulanandam said the public had no reason to be concerned with changes in the marketplace of weaponry, and he dismissed the devices as cosmetic.

“None of these affect the performance capability of a firearm,” he said. “They only affect the way the firearm looks.”

Irony is sometimes funny:

A state senator sponsoring a constitutional amendment aimed at “solemnizing the relationship of one man and one woman” is accused in a divorce case of cheating on his wife.

He denies the allegations. It’s a good thing because ‘fessing up to it would Sen. Jeff Miller a, you know, hypocrite.

Gunscribe on the city of Lincoln’s recent ban on smoking:

Keno is big business for 30 licensed locations in Lincoln, many of them bars and nightclubs. Keno players are a dedicated lot and do not like to have their games and concentration broken because they have to step outside for a smoke. Under contractual license agreement the city of Lincoln recieves (sic) fourteen cents of every Keno dollar played. Figures for January, the first month of the ban indicate that the gross revenue is down nearly five hundred thousand dollars over the previous January. At fourteen cents on every dollar that represents a one month loss of about a seventy thousand dollars in income the city has come to depend on for Librairies (sic) and Park projects.

That tax revenue is going to neighboring communities. Heh.

M.D. Harmon says Sen. Strimling proves again he needs to find another hobby. This article is well worth the read.

A panel reporting to the President has vowed to revamp the tax code:

Breaux said the recommended options could include an overhaul similar to the sweeping legislation passed in 1986 or perhaps even a “new tax system,” likely featuring a consumption tax, such as a sales tax, or perhaps a flat tax, where all income is taxed at one rate.

The advisory panel issued a strong statement Wednesday calling the current tax code “unstable and unpredictable” and in a “dismal condition,” harming businesses, individuals and the U.S. economy.

“Our tax laws have been compared to an overbuilt and dilapidated house with conflicting architectural styles and a crumbling foundation, a sick patient who is about to expire, and a factory that has been littered with so much garbage that it can no longer operate productively,” the panel said.

The Carnival of Cordite is up.

And my Buy a Gun day purchase is one of these. Yup, a high velocity air rifle for target shooting and suitable for small game hunting. Also, plenty powerful for bunnies, birds, squirrels and other varmints that have messed with my garden.