Anyone know why video on my computer would suddenly have a blue tint? Tried Windows Media Player and Real. Both now, for some reason, play video with a blueish tint to it. I can use the color settings to get rid of it but it doesn’t save that setting so each video requires it. Can’t think of anything I’ve done other than installing an old computer game.
Update: All fixed now. Stupid proprietary video card software.
Kudos to John Jay Hooker. He has rid himself of the annoying Firefox popup (mentioned here and here). Kudos to Mr. Hooker for the quick response.
Jon Stewart has (and I’ve often concurred with) raged against the media machine. Notably, he called the hosts of Crossfire hacks and dicks after he made a good point about the media failing to do its job. And The Daily Show’s coverage of blogs last week was excellent in its promotion of blogs and slamming the media coverage of blogs. Stewart, through humor and satire, cleverly berates the media establishment. Unfortunately for him, he’s guilty of doing the same thing they do. I’ve covered this before, noting:
Stewart assailed the media for their complacence in the media/corporate/political establishment, which is a good thing. He’s done that on his show before. He also called them both partisan hacks. And he was right.
However, Stewart was tossing rocks from his glass house. A while back, Kerry got some sand in his vagina or something and stopped doing media events because he didn’t want to address his Vietnam service (this marked the first time that I know of where he didn’t want to talk about his Vietnam service). Then, Kerry appears on Stewart’s show and, instead of tossing rocks, Stewart lobbed softballs. The Crossfire folks pointed this out. Stewart relied on his standard defense that his show is a comedy show, it follows puppets making prank calls, and that if the media wants to compare itself to his show then the media has some serious issues.
Bullshit, Jon. I’ve seen you on your show ask difficult questions and I’ve seen you drill your guests. I’ve seen you drill the media. Those are good things. The fact is Stewart gives certain folks a pass and these folks tend to be liberal. It’s your show, do what you want. I’ll still watch because it’s funny. The fact remains that you make fun of the Bush administration for all sorts of things (they probably deserve it) but the only thing you make fun of Kerry for is his boring, monotonous voice.
And he’s played hack again. The other night, I caught an episode of The Daily Show that dealt with Florida’s law that eliminates the duty to retreat with respect to self defense law. The coverage was exactly like I was reading the hysterical and misleading ramblings of the Violence Policy Center, the Brady Campaign or Oliver Willis. TDS referred to shooting first and asking questions later and how the police would be unable to investigate shootings. Both of these are completely unfounded. Additionally, they noted the NRA rep stating that they’d like to see more states adopt the same law. TDS, acting as though it was utter crazy talk, never pointed out that this law actually brings Florida in line with the majority of states in the country. The piece was misleading and anti-gun (though the Speedo Holster bit was quite funny other than Stewart asking his audience if the gun scared them more than the large guy in Speedos).
And all this is done given the TDS’s recent (and well-founded) attack on the media for not checking facts and asking tough questions.
Don’t get me wrong, I like TDS. It’s funny, entertaining and ruthlessly brutal. But it’s hypocritical to do the same things you criticize others for and rely on the we’re fake news bit when called on it.
The Supreme Court has ruled that shipping wine across state lines is OK. This was important to me because Kevin, one of the Brutal Huggers (who are now back from their four month hiatus, apparently, but located here), Chris, Xrlq and Smijer all owe me beers over our little wager on the outcome of the presidential election.
But here in Tennessee, the ruling likely won’t mean much because:
Tennessee is among the 24 states that currently bar out-of-state shipments, but state officials said that because it bans wine shipments from all sources, it might not have to change the law so wineries are treated equally.
Xrlq seems happy to get out of paying up, since it would be illegal. I guess I could insist he drive 3,000 miles. And he has a good analysis of the ruling, which notes that it probably doesn’t apply to beer. Even if I call it barley wine.
So, it looks like no beer for me.
Ravenwood thinks the precedent applied here could be applied to guns:
Of course one of the reasons I’m so happy about this decision is not that I like to drink out of state wine. No, I’m thrilled because this logistical model was very close to the way firearms are sold between states.
Buying guns across state lines requires that you arrange the sale through a federally licensed dealer from your home state. So if you see a gun being sold in a magazine or online, you cannot buy it directly from the federally licensed dealer who is selling it because he lives in another state. Even if all the proper paperwork is filed, you must still route the transaction through a local dealer and pay any transfer fees that they apply.
I won’t hold my breath but sounds reasonable to me.
TriggerFinger notes that the ban is being heard today in the NY assembly:
Legislation is expected to be heard today (Tuesday May 17) in the New York State Assembly Codes Committee that will ban the .50 caliber rifle. The legislation (A4471), does allow for compensation by the state to current owners, but only at a “fair market value” (translated: whatever they feel like paying you and not to exceed $8,500). In addition, the law gives you only 30 days to dispose of your rifle and you must turn your rifle into the state police PERSONALLY.
I don’t mind the new words being submitted to Webster, but I do mind that they’re stealing words I made up* a long time ago:
The response from the “vocabularians” was so “ginormous” that the lexicographers let out a “whoot.” “Confuzzled?” You must be a “lingweenie.”
But then “lingweenie” — a person incapable of making up new words is kind of cool too. Here’s the list.
*Full disclosure, I actually stole that joke from a friend of mine.
Assuming dog years, that is. Today, politically incorrect dog turns three. Happy birthday, guy. Meanwhile, it’s about time to enroll politically correct dog in fat camp. He’s putting on the pounds in his old age.
Odd:
Man Who Used Vaccum (sic) Part As Gun Sentenced
A man who pretended a vacuum cleaner attachment was a gun during two robberies last year has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.
And the AP can’t spell Vacuum. Must be his third strike because that punishment seems so cruel and unusual.
David Codrea in email:
blogs are definitely the small furry mammals running around the feet of dinosaurs.
Heh.
Since the violent, first-person shooter Doom made its debut, violent crime has dropped.
The blogosphere is abuzz with the meme that Newsweek lied, people died. Sure, it’s catchy and all but it’s inaccurate. The more appropriate meme would be Newsweek used an unreliable source and people died.
It is quite sad that Newsweek’s defense consists of saying they couldn’t verify it was untrue.
Minnesota is looking to pass a law to issue handgun carry permits to law-abiding citizens. Again:
In a solid win for pro-gun forces, the Minnesota Senate passed a measure Friday that would allow nearly all law-abiding citizens to get permits to carry loaded handguns in public.
The 44-21 vote likely clears the way for the Minnesota House to pass the bill early next week and send it to the governor for his signature.
Lawmakers first passed the measure, alternatively called the conceal-carry bill or the Personal Protection Act, in 2003, but the state Appeals Court last month ruled that the way it was passed was unconstitutional.
During five hours of Senate debate, proponents of the bill, made up largely of Republicans and rural Democrats, prevailed in vote after vote.
Excellent.
It is here. One thing that annoys me is websites that say something to the effect of Best viewed with random browser, in 800X600, while standing naked, facing east and juggling chipmunks. I hate that crap with a passion. What is more annoying is that when you visit his blog using Internet Explorer and click a link, a pop up appears telling you to get a better browser. Don’t tell me how to surf or what to surf with. That is a major annoyance and I won’t be back until that thing is gone.
Update: Turns out the Firefox pop-up was a default setting for Mr. Hooker’s blog software. He has since addressed. Mr. Hooker’s fine blog is now proudly on my to read list. More here.
Toyota awards scholarships to high school students (a noble endeavor) but their press release says:
Theodoros Milonopoulos, a Toyota Community Scholar residing in Los Angeles, is a prime example of the dedication to community service exhibited by this year’s class. Through his leadership and effort in the area of gun control, the City of Los Angeles banned .50 caliber sniper rifles, plus reauthorized the Federal Assault Weapons Ban. Also, this Scholar – along with the Los Angeles Police Department – organized a rally where 2,000 crime guns were melted down.
Forgot where I saw it first, but this meme I found interesting. If you could only read 20 blogs for one year, which would they be? Now, this may offend some folks who don’t make the list but trust me, if you’re on the blogroll, I read you.
So many blogs are just parrot blogs. By that, I mean that so many blogs merely talk about and say the same thing that other bloggers talk about. Quite a few merely parrot bigger bloggers and add their own twist to saying the same thing. Must. Toe. Line. As such, my criteria is based largely on original content.
All the blogs on the right are fine blogs but if I had to pick 20, these are them. Some fine blogs were excluded merely because they don’t update frequently enough (and I mean you, you, you, you, and you). These are in no particular order (well, that’s a lie, they’re in the order that they appear on my bloglines feed but no order in terms of preference):
1 AnarchAngel – Good gun stuff and original content. A must read.
2 Heads Bunker – The gun how-to of the blogosphere, in my opinion.
3 The Geek – Hey, more politics than the other two but plenty of gun stuff too.
4 Of Arms and the Law – For the legal aspect of guns that you can’t seem to get anywhere else.
5 Smallest Minority – Kevin is a fine blogger and my only complaint is that he takes too much time off. But when he lets loose, he really lets loose.
6 The Ten Ring – Good, well-written gun stuff. Definitely a must read.
7 TriggerFinger – Guns, activism and attitude. TriggerFinger does a lot and exposes quite a bit of civil liberties related tomfoolery.
8 damnum absque injuria – My favorite smart-ass lawyer. Doesn’t matter which side you’re on, if you’re wrong, he’ll call you on it.
9 AlphaPatriot – Variety of topics, well-written, original, researched and plenty of good material.
10 Camp4U – For my behind the scenes look at the Tennessee legislature.
11 Meanderthal – A collection of liberals with ties to Tennessee and mostly without all the crazy.
12 Insty – He’s like the Yahoo! of the blogosphere. If it’s happening on blogs, he writes about it.
13 Lean Left – Comes in three flavors of liberal: Mild, moderate and extra-crispy. Good stuff and only occasionally hysterical.
14 Les Jones – Original content and good gun stuff. Needs to bring back Thursday gun links though.
15 Nashville Files – Always apprise of Tennessee issues, particularly gun stuff.
16 No Quarters – The best blogger you’re not reading. Good, original content with an eye toward freedom.
17 No Silence Here – Good stuff not seen elsewhere. Covers local issues I can’t get anywhere else.
18 South Knox Bubba – My inspiration for blogging. Good stuff with a liberal bent, without all the crazy. Well, OK, the occasional crazy. But entertaining nonetheless. And a good sense of humor.
19 Ravenwood – Right leaning, libertarianish stuff. A lot of original stuff that you don’t see elsewhere.
20 Kim du Toit – Sort of the central meeting point for gun blogs. Oh and did I mention he’s angry?
I think when you force someone to volunteer, it’s called something other than volunteering:
A proposal making its way through the General Assembly would require parents with children in kindergarten through grade 4 to ”volunteer” at least 12 hours a year. And they couldn’t just show up — they’d be expected to get involved in the teaching process by tutoring, chaperoning lesson-related field trips or helping students play educational games.
If the bill proposed by Sen. John Ford, D-Memphis, and Rep. Lois DeBerry, D-Memphis, is approved, though, it could become a rule without teeth. It’s unclear what, if anything, would happen to parents or schools who fail to comply.
One of the dumbest things I’ve heard in a while.
Police departments say the evidence is clear. Study after study indicates high-voltage Tasers are “less lethal” than other weapons, and that’s why they use them, officers say. Some departments defend their use by saying Tasers aren’t lethal at all.
But when a Taser is in the hands of a private citizen, that can be a different story. “They can be used as a deadly weapon,” Porter County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Brian Gensel said.
Civilians who buy these electrical guns should not expect the same freedom to use them that officers have. It’s illegal for civilians to possess and use the weapons in seven states and several major cities, including Chicago.
Yes, because the police are infallible in their use of Tasers.
On Tuesday, May 10, 2005, America became a true police state. Your U.S. senators voted — unanimously, with no discussion, and without even reading the bill — to create a national ID card.
The Real ID Act blackmails state governments into turning their drivers licenses into a draconian tool of the federal homeland security apparatus. If states refuse, their citizens lose such “privileges” as being allowed to board an airplane, enter a federal building, or apply for social security. President Bush is expected to sign the bill eagerly on Thursday.
I’d like to think that the general resistance to this act is unfounded and paranoid but I really can’t. I’d rather be cautiously paranoid than oblivious to what’s happening.
Tim Lambert accuses many different online personalities of being John Lott. Xrlq is unconvinced. While Lott has admitted to using an internet pseudonym (yeah, I’m one to talk), I remain unconvinced and that is mostly because in the comments at Xrlq’s, Tim keeps moving the goal posts.
Update: Lott has admitted to using only one pseudonym.
A bill to prevent people with learner’s permits from talking on a cell phone while driving is on its way to the Governor.
If you’re one of those people who knows someone who was killed or wounded by a pit bull or a gun, then feels the need to search the web because the tragedy has made you want to become some sort of an activist or something, and then you find my site in the process of researching; do me a favor. Don’t email me and tell me crap like pit bulls are killers (duh, all dogs are. They have pointy teeth for a reason) and that guns are bad (no gun ever killed anyone, a person had to pull the trigger). It’s a waste of your time and, more importantly, mine. When hysterical and angry about something, you’re not at your best in terms of convincing me of anything and I won’t even try to convince you because it’s pointless. And, to be honest, I don’t want to hear it.
Or as noted at Drug War Rant:
Well, there ya go. Victims are always right, after all. Suffering a tragedy bestows infallibility upon the victim — a kind of karmic reward for having lost something.
Which is why it makes so much sense to base law and policy on the hysterical ravings of angry, freaked-out victims. They and they alone possess the clarity of thought and the kind of wise, sober, carefully crafted ideas that make for good policy.
And anything you email me I will consider for print unless you tell me otherwise. Actually, even if you tell me not to and say something particularly stupid or hysterical, I might print it anyway. I’m just that sort of guy.
Having said all that and you decide you still want to email me, you can email me at:
Went to Wal-Mart to get a pocket knife. I got one of these. It is a fine knife and at a great price (though if you get it at the store, it costs more). The knife is lightweight and sharp as a razor. And the assisted opening essentially makes it a switchblade. Good product and I highly recommend it. I also have a CRKT M16 on the way.
Any way, as I was opening the package that the knife came in, I cut the Hell out of my finger. Not on the knife (here’s the irony bit) but on the plastic packaging. Ain’t that something? I smell a lawsuit.
Blake notes and rounds up this asinine decision:
U.S. Border Patrol agents have been ordered not to arrest illegal aliens along the section of the Arizona border where protesters patrolled last month because an increase in apprehensions there would prove the effectiveness of Minuteman volunteers, The Washington Times has learned.
I really hope this is not true but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was.
After the recent Atlanta courthouse shooting, more judges in Georgia are packing heat:
The sheriff of one county says since then officers have given guns to eight Superior and State Court judges.
Police say some judges have also asked for some firearms training.
State law allows judges to carry guns in court. And one judge says while a few of his colleagues have always carried weapons, more are now bringing their own guns to work.
Based on this article, it appears that some judges are who are not properly trained (i.e., don’t even pass the required test to obtain a handgun carry permit) are packing guns. I don’t have an issue with this, per se, but they should be trained before being strapped. They can get some of that training by taking a CCW course, like CCW holders are required to do.
Update: Several readers have informed me that in Georgia there is no training requirement for CCW. Just prints and a fee.
It’s kind of like that time when I accidentally fell down the stairs seventeen times. Really:
A Centre, Ala. man reportedly shot himself three times by accident while cleaning his gun on May 6. From Polk County police reports: Kole Eugene Maxwell, 18, of 10370 County Road, Centre, Ala., was transported to Polk Medical Center for several gun shot wounds to his right side. Police met with Maxwell at the hospital, where he said that he was cleaning his 9 mm pistol when it went off. According to reports, Maxwell would not or could not tell the officer what address he was at when the incident occurred. Police attempted to speak to the subject who had brought Maxwell to the hospital, though, the subject had already left. The scene was then turned over to investigators with the Polk County Police Department. Maxwell was treated and released from Polk Medical Center.
Via reader David.
Having not financially strapped the state enough, the senate has passed Pre-K. The KNS notes:
Under the plan, $25 million in lottery money would be dished out as grants to school districts willing to help pay for the cost of preschool classrooms in their district.
The tax on hope was pitched specifically for college tuition. I think secondarily money from the lottery was also for capital expenditures in public schools. It was not for Pre-K programs. Tennessee’s jackpot congress strikes again.
Remember, I do this to entertain me, not you.
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