Michael Silence is all-Fred-all-the-time in an effort to get Fred Thompson to run for prez. I share Tam’s sentiment:

Fred Thompson, former Senator from TN, is no libertarian, but compared to McCain or Giuliani (or Dubya, for that matter) he looks like Ronald Reagan. Pro-trade, pro-business, fairly hawkish, and socially conservative; if you liked the Eighties GOP, presumably you could vote for Fred and get seconds.

You know, from back when Republicans were cool and not when they were just Democrats who cater to the God Squad?

I mentioned Tennessee’s pending dog laws here. The charming bizgrrl is none too happy with one of them:

In her ten years of existence she [pupster – ed] has escaped 3 or 4 times. I cannot imagine being arrested for such a misdeed. Neither of us have never been arrested for anything. I think this is just a step too far.

I suppose my next step is to ask what problem resulted in the introduction of this bill. And, hey, if dogs then why not cats? They can do damage too. I jest. Just because there is a bad bill does not mean we need to make it worse.

It does seem excessive. But Cats can do damage.

The Roanoke Times:

A state that eagerly puts sex offender data online complete with an interactive map could easily do the same with gun permits

Then, they post a list of them noting:

You can search to find out if neighbors, carpool partners, elected officials or anyone else has permission to carry a gun

I’m sure someone will post addresses and phone numbers of the editorial staff of the paper. They always do.

Update: list seems gone now.

Update: List is there.

Update: Unsurprisingly, someone found the reporter’s address and posted it in comments at The Roanoke Times’ blog. Even more unsurprising is that the comments have disappeared.

See here. I actually know three ways. I used to work in a prison and, when bored, we’d sit around and figure this stuff out. Of the three ways, one is the method in that video; one involves possibly breaking your wrist and it only works on S&W handcuffs; and the third is, well, I carry a key with me.

I can also start a fire using a commercial dryer; make a nasty alcoholic beverage out of fruit juice; light a smoke using an outlet and a pencil; and make a tattoo gun out of a Sony Walkman motor.

You never know.

Sharp as a marble:

Floppy disks? Why not put the *&#!% things on an 8-track?

Round up of stupidery*:

Helmke:

The 2-1 decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in Parker v. District of Columbia striking down the District of Columbia’s handgun law is judicial activism at its worst. By disregarding nearly seventy years of U.S. Supreme Court precedent, two Federal judges have negated the democratically-expressed will of the people of the District of Columbia and deprived this community of a gun law it enacted thirty years ago and still strongly supports

The NYT takes dictation from Helmke.

Sugarmann: Court to DC: Handguns for All!

The WaPo uses words like dangerous and radical. And my fave: this radical ruling will inevitably mean more people killed and wounded. What media bias?

Good times, good times.

* Yes, I’m making up words. Their comments aren’t quite stupid because they’re intentional. But they are hackery.

Met Bitter and Sebastian this weekend. Charming couple. Sebastian was rather quiet, which surprised since he won’t shut up on his blog. Apparently, the couple met via the comments section here at SayUncle. SayUncle: matchmaker.

Speaking of charming couples, Glenn and Helen were there. Helen discusses meeting other bloggers.

As an added bonus, the insta-couple bought me lunch.

There was much discussion of Parker and gun rights.

Since Sebastian is gone, he has a stripper pinch-hitting for him.

Gun blogger ColtCCO has moved. And has also started blogging again. And was on the TeeVee.

Doing them today. Feh. Waste of a nice, warm Sunday. Fuckers.

Update: Wow. First time I’ve gotten a refund in years and years. I was amazed and didn’t know why. Then it occurred to me that I did spend the first half of the year unemployed. Guess that explains it.

On the Hughes amendment:

If it does, I defy you to show how a different result would obtain if you subsituted “fully-automatic weapon” for “pistol,” “1986″ for “1976,” and “Congress” for “the District.” Make these mechanical changes and voila, the Hughes Amendment is history, any post-1986 assault weapons (real ones, not just the phony ones Clinton banned in 1994) are legal in every state that allows them, and your M-16 is worth only a trifle more than my AR-15.

Guess who:

The 2-1 decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in Parker v. District of Columbia striking down the District of Columbia’s handgun law is judicial activism at its worst. By disregarding nearly seventy years of U.S. Supreme Court precedent, two Federal judges have negated the democratically-expressed will of the people of the District of Columbia and deprived this community of a gun law it enacted thirty years ago and still strongly supports.

“This ruling represents the first time in American history that a Federal appeals court has struck down a gun law on Second Amendment grounds. While acknowledging that ‘reasonable restrictions’ to promote ‘the government’s interest in public safety’ are permitted by the Second Amendment, the two-judge majority substituted its policy preferences for those of the elected representatives of the District of Columbia.

Bleat, bleat.

Lies in bold.

John Lott says of the recent Parker decision This is actually a very high risk gamble.

It is, indeed. We could lose at the Supreme Court. Game over.

We could win. Everyone rejoices.

Further, even a win might not be a win. I simply cannot see the Supreme Court overturning 73 years of federal gun laws. The lifting of some regulations just doesn’t seem to be politically feasible with the gun hysteria we see.

The ban on machine guns: In 1934, the $200 tax essentially prohibited all but the wealthy from obtaining them. In the 1980s, the tax was just a nuisance. In 1986, new transfer was banned. These weapons do relate to the preservation and efficacy of a well-regulated militia. There is enough meat to eliminate the ban. But the court simply will not do it, I don’t think.

Regulation of destructive devices: These are not banned but regulated. Are they arms that relate to the preservation and efficacy of a well-regulated militia? Most certainly, as soldiers carry grenades. Again, I can’t see the court overturning that.

Suppressors: though gaining in popularity due to convenience and the recent market for inexpensive models, it would be easy to paint these as weapons for murderers a la your favorite hitman movie.

NFA in general: The DC opinion does say registration is conducive to a well-regulated militia. And only NFA weapons are registered.

Background checks, felons, etc.: A non-issue, generally, as these are seen as acceptable in today’s opinion.

That said, I think they could rule that there is an individual right to arms but that the state has a vested interest in regulating that right with a view to prevent crime and general mayhem.

At the federal level, I don’t see much happening if the Supremes pick it up. But, at the state level, there could be some major issues. Particularly in places like Cali, NY, Mass and Chicago.

Don’t go opening your gun shop in DC yet. You can rest assured that there will be a stay on this ruling while appeals are filed.

Interesting times.

In DC, circuit court has ruled that the second amendment means what it says. Individual rights. Woot! Volokh has some analysis. So does Kerr.

Here’s the opinion.

I’m still reading.

Insty has more.

Update: Heh:

We note that the Ninth Circuit has recently dealt with a Second Amendment claim by first extensively analyzing that provision, determining that it does not provide an individual right, and then, and only then, concluding that the plaintiff lacked standing to challenge a California statute restricting the possession, use, and transfer of assault weapons. See Silveira v. Lockyer, 312 F.3d 1052, 1066-67 & n.18 (9th Cir. 2003). We think such an approach is doctrinally quite unsound.

Update: Now, the DC and the Fifth circuit hold an individual rights view. Other circuits hold the collective rights mythology. Looks like such a split will have to be decided by the supreme court.

Update: For those not familiar, here’s background info.

Update: They address the grammar of the second amendment and conclude what anyone with a basic grasp of English would conclude. Even references to commas.

Giggle: The District’s argument—as strained as it seems to us—is hardly an isolated view.

Shocking: The people means, err, the people.

Update: They get Miller right. Dissent is pretty weak. Well, I couldn’t make it past the first few pages due to all my giggling about states being people on page 63. Is Parker a state?

Update: Another good line (from Chris in comments):

just as the First Amendment free speech clause covers modern communication devices unknown to the founding generation, e.g., radio and television, and the Fourth Amendment protects telephonic conversation from a “search,” the Second Amendment protects the possession of the modern-day equivalents of the colonial pistol.

Update: One more interesting bit:

Reasonable restrictions also might be thought consistent with a “well regulated Militia.” The registration of firearms gives the government information as to how many people would be armed for militia service if called up. Reasonable firearm proficiency testing would both promote public safety and produce better candidates for military service.

Since I posted about foundling wheels, a friend brought this cartoon to my attention.

In the People’s Republic of Illinois, an elderly couple converted the Volkswagen to run on vegetable oil. Apparently, that requires a license and payment of a fuel tax at either the gas or diesel rate:

The agents informed the Wetzels that they were interested in their car, a 1986 Volkswagen Golf, that David Wetzel converted to run primarily from vegetable oil but also partly on diesel.

Wetzel uses recycled vegetable oil, which he picks up weekly from an organization that uses it for frying food at its dining facility.

“They told me I am required to have a license and am obligated to pay a motor fuel tax,” David Wetzel recalled. “Mr. May also told me the tax would be retroactive.”

Since the initial visit by the agents on Jan. 4, the Wetzels have been involved in a struggle with the Illinois Department of Revenue. The couple, who live on a fixed budget, have been asked to post a $2,500 bond and threatened with felony charges.

More:

According to the Wetzels, May told them during his Jan. 4 visit that they would have to pay taxes at either the gasoline rate of 19½ cents per gallon or the diesel rate of 21½ cents per gallon.

A retired research chemist and food plant manager, Wetzel produced records showing he has used 1,134.6 gallons of vegetable oil from 2002 to 2006. At the higher rate, the tax bill would come to $244.24.

“That averages out to $4.07 a month,” Wetzel noted, adding he is willing to pay that bill.

Via David.

Poker hand from last night. Loose table. I’ve not hit a hand all night except the very first hand I played. I get absolutely nothing playable for an hour and a half. Creates the image that I am a much tighter player than I really am. I am a bit bored and decide it’s time to play a hand no matter what it is. I get:

5♥4♣

Crappy hand. I’m first to act. I raise it up to six times the big blind. Two callers and the button raises it to 12 times the big blind. It comes to me. I move my whole stack in the middle. The callers fold. The button thinks for a long time and says You’ve not played all night. You must have me beat. He folds and flips his cards over:

A♦K♦

Stupid play on my part, really. But it worked out. Remember kids: Don’t play poker when bored.

Mike emails this story. Long and short: Two guys driving down the street and notice a man shooting at people. Two guys (who happen to have concealed weapons permits) turn around and draw down on the man (who is black – important later) and tell him to stop. Two men viewed as heroes.

But wait, there’s more: Turns out the original shooter also had a permit. He says his car was rammed and six men approached him, one with a gun. So, he was firing at them. He has been charged with reckless endangerment. Notes on this fellow:

He had a handgun carry permit.

He called the police.

That indicates he’s not a criminal and I don’t think his intent was criminal. But it was rather cowboy to shoot across traffic. And he did hit a bystander’s car.

Mediaverse thinks there’s a racist element to it, noting:

The brothers are being called heroes because they did something. Roberson, who did something too, is being called a “gunman,” a criminal. No, he should be called a hero too.

What did he do so differently than the Webbers?

Probably because he endangered others by firing across traffic. As a permit holder, you are responsible for any shot you fire. You can’t go shooting across traffic. I’ve seen no indication in the story that the assailant he was shooting at actually fired shots. I think his crime here is being a bit overzealous.

Not too bad. It doesn’t acknowledge that machine guns can, in fact, be lawfully owned but the transformation of a Fudd mini-14 gun into an EBR is effective:

Seems there’s a couple of dog bills up for a vote in Tennessee. The first increases the penalties of spectators from $50 to $2,500 plus up to a year in jail. Another bill increases owner liability in the event of a dog attack and increases penalties for dogs running loose.

Good.

Ben notes that Sarbanes Oxley is killing jobs. Well, it’s doing wonders for accountants and auditors. Now, Sarbanes admits as much. Remember, it’s more important for congresmonkies to do something. Not necessarily something good.

Who really needs a titanium spork?

Via tam.

Cali court suppresses search resulting from NFA inspection.

Despite my past comments, rendezvous is apparently not gay. It is, however, still hard to spell.

What do you call a black man flying an airplane?

Read the rest of this entry »

I think I have a fan at the New York Times. This is the second time they’ve linked me up. First time was here.

Also, I was contacted earlier in the week by foxnews.com about gun blogs and the Zumbo affair. She wanted me to call her. I said I’d be happy to talk to her via email as phone calls weren’t exactly conducive to my secret identity and, when you have an email copy, you can be assured of providing proof when someone misquotes you; uses something out of context; or Dowdifies you. Never heard back from her. And we know how I feel about talking to the press.

Today, for the first time in probably three years, I wrote a check.

Seen in Blount County yesterday: Hillary 08.

I’m not the only one:

Kevin accepts his apology.

SAAM says welcome back.

Update: link fixed. My copy-and-paste-fu is weak.

Update 2: We’re winning: Astroturf blog The Gun Guys opines as stupidly as he usually does. Via Rustmeister. As far as I know, all he does is preach to the converted and get laughed at by pro-gunners.

Nothing to talk about today. So, I’ll ask you:

What’s the best music download site? I don’t like Napster because, even though it’s a monthly fee, I don’t actually own the tune.

I hate itunes because Apple does what it always does which is to modify the MP3 files so that they’re proprietary and, therefore, generally fucking useless in other applications. That’s why I’ll never own anything ever created by Apple.

Update: Maddox agrees that apple sucks. And what is with the whole quicktime, itunes install. It really attaches its retarded self to the whole operating system.