When considering a bill that involved carry permits, Senator Harper indicated she had a carry permit, Sen. Kilby expressed surprise. Sen Harper then left no doubt about the matter.

Ben has video.

Is packing on the state capitol legal?

Brady Presser: Shockingly, they blame guns. Well, and try to score some $$$.

The NRA offers sympathies and refrains from commenting until facts are known.

Headline of the day: Advocates Of Gun Control Become Relevant Again. Sadly, he’s probably right. We gun nuts often say we’re one whackjob away from more gun control.

Yes, I know. VT prohibits students from packing heat. And a lot of pro-gun folks are pointing that out (see here). Yesterday, I said stand down. I figure today it’s OK to respectfully disagree. Be nice, people lost their children.

One CCW holder at VT is upset about being disarmed.

Jeremy Burnside (background here) is still hysterical. I mean, really? Coming here to my site to gloat about mass murder?

Update: Good for McCain. Must have been hard to beat down his inner nanny populist for a moment.

The press seems hard on the VT police over what is seemingly a delay in securing the school. I think, based on the info at the time, they made the right call. They had witnesses say it was a domestic shooting and assumed it was over.

The media doesn’t get guns:

Williams: With numbers like this, it must have been an automatic weapon

Other guy on the phone: No Brian, it could be a semi auto handgun, we know they can hold up to 16 rounds and he could have multiple magazines. He could also have some shoulder fired arms

ABC lies:

Lapse of Federal Law Allows Sale of Large Ammo Clips

High capacity ammo clips became widely available for sale when Congress failed to renew a law that banned assault weapons.

Why not just take dictation from the Brady Bunch? There was never a prohibition on the sale. There was only a restriction on manufacturing new ones. But there were plenty on the market. And ABC puts up a poll and the good guys are winning.

There are no stupid questions. Just stupid people:

Columbine, Amish school shooting, now this, and a whole host of other gun issues brought into schools — that’s not including guns on the streets and in many urban areas and rural areas. Does there need to be some more restrictions? Does there need to be gun control in this country?

The LA Times:

Monday’s deadly rampage at Virginia Tech sparked a largely one-sided response in the long-running debate over guns.

Gun control advocates said the shootings pointed to the need for tougher laws, while supporters of gun rights generally kept their heads down.

Out of respect for the dead, maybe? You know, not using the tragedy for political points before the blood is cold?

Update: Malkin has a round up.

33 dead.

So, it’s been a day and we don’t know who the shooter is. I find that odd. We know he was a student, male and Asian.

I wouldn’t be too hard on VT’s police for not locking down sooner. The original shooting fit the profile of a domestic dispute and that was backed up by witnesses. Seems there is a slight possibility that shooting may not even be related to the mass shooting.

As I’ve said before, in a mass shooting, the urge to barricade yourself in may be overpowering but you really should try to get out.

Reports on the radio this morning were that the guy chained doors shut. And that he shot people execution style. Another reason why compliance is not the best option.

Tragic. My thoughts and prayers go out to the victims.

Dr. Helen, who is an expert on violence of this sort, has more.

Take a little trip. It may help.

Imus and Zumbo?

the AP:

Virginia Tech campus police chief says at least 22 are dead after a shooting the university.

WTF is going on there?

Update: Timeline here.

Now: 21 killed and 21 wounded.

Update: Some news outlets are reporting this as two incidents (i.e., two shooters).

Update: Conflicting reports. Some say one shooter. Some say shooter is dead. Some say shooter is in custody. One report says both. Still no certainty as to the number of shooters.

Latest report are two shooters, no evidence they’re related. One shooter described as Asian wearing a vest ‘covered in clips.’

Latest: One shooter. Dead.

Update: Latest reports are the shooter used a handgun.

Update: Everyone says to me: see what happens in gun free school zones. I say: don’t dance in the blood of the dead. That’s what the other side does and we shouldn’t (update: See).

Latest: Apparently, it started in a dorm and spread to classrooms. Shooter reportedly stood in door ways blasting away.

Map of where the shootings occurred. Can’t tell distance from the graphic but it looks like the shooter covered a lot of ground.

Eyewitness accounts.

Update: Reports of a two hour time lapse between the shootings.

Update: R. Neal:

ATF says shooter killed himself, two 9mm handguns recovered. White male, connection to university unknown at this time.

Update: On the shooter, seen at Ace’s:

Apparently based on a picture of an Asian student being handcuffed on the ground. But this doesn’t seem to be the shooter, who we’re told was killed outright. The picture of the Asian student shows him clearly alive and bearing no obvious wounds.

Also, still some reports confused as to the number of shooters with one source still saying one shooter dead and one arrested.

Update: number of dead count keeps changing. Latest is 29 22, including shooter. I kinda wish this body count stuff would stop. Just wait until the counting is done then release the number.

Oh brother. A $400 haircut? How is that even possible?

Now I understand.

You can’t pack at the NRA convention. Seems the convention center and their insurance company have rules against that.

Terry Frank asks I wonder if Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam will continue to maintain his membership in Mayor Bloomberg’s anti-gun group after this publication. You’ll recall that Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam is a member of the Joyce Foundation funded Alliance of Mayors Against Guns. Past entries here. Seems the NRA did a story on Bloomberg’s law-breaking.

Sebastian on the gun nut demographic:

As I look out at the crowd at this meeting, I’m struck by the fact that most of them appear to be over 50, and I see maybe only a handful of us that are under 40. If this is a true reflection of the NRA demographic, we’re in a lot of trouble over the long term.

He says we’re in trouble, like Democrats. Now, as evidenced by the Gun Blogger Rendezvous, I’m one of the younger gun bloggers (at 35). I don’t think we’re in trouble. Because ever since I’ve been a gun nut, I’ve noticed the older crowd hangs out at the gun shows and shooting ranges. I’ve been a gun nut for a while and it’s not the same people. I think it’s just that they have a bit more time and money to devote to their hobby than some young, 20-year-old college kid can.

Still, take a kid shooting.

Update: More here.

Oleg links to this piece on Canon requiring employees to notify them if they have or intend to get a concealed handgun permit.

This time, he and his coalition are targeting the Tiahrt Amendment which proposes that NICS data is destroyed within 24 hours. Currently, there is essentially a backdoor gun registry. A full-fledged registry is illegal, under federal law, except for weapons regulated under the National Firearms Act (machine guns, short-barreled rifles, suppressors, etc.).

The Tiahrt amendment also prohibits the release of documents that can be kept on gun owners (such as if you buy 3 or more handguns in five days, your info goes to the ATF). And the bill also prohibits release of trace data to entities who are not police. This latter fact is apparently ignored by the anti-gunners who push the notion that this bill is anti-police. PGP has more.

HK makes an AR called the HK416. The Norwegians have ordered some. Civilians in the US still can’t get them. And that’s why I don’t buy anything from HK. Not even a hat.

Some Buy A Gun Day Purchases and other stuff:

S&W 29

Mini-MG replicas

FN FS2000

The big Buy a Gun Day round up is over at Cowboy Blob’s.

Sammie.

As for me, I ain’t bought a thing yet. Not had the time.

More fun with the Ford family. I have never read Thaddeus Augustus Matthews before but he has a very lively blog. This is an interesting read.

Hat tip to A.C.

Heh.

In comments here, DrawingDead writes:

There appears to be some dispute as to whether poker generally, and a home poker game specifically, is illegal in Tennessee. It’s certainly a valid question, especially for those of us who love to play, and have no ready access to a legal live game (absent driving or flying several hours for one). Given what I do for a living, I thought I’d put some of my training to use, and post this note here. While I don’t like the law, here’s what the statute on this says:

Certain portions not applicable to analysis have been omitted.

Tennessee Code Annotated § 39-17-501

“As used in this part, unless the context otherwise requires:

(1) Gambling is contrary to the public policy of this state and means risking anything of value for a profit whose return is to any degree contingent on chance, or any games of chance associated with casinos, including, but not limited to, slot machines, roulette wheels and the like.

. . .

(2) “Gambling bet” means anything of value risked in gambling;

(3) “Gambling device or record” means anything designed for use in gambling, intended for use in gambling, or used for gambling;

. . .

(6) “Profit” means anything of value in addition to the gambling bet.”

The statute goes on to note, in the specific comments of the Tennessee Sentencing Commission, more detail to the meaning of the statute’s language. Their interpretation seems pretty clear.

“This section contains the definitions for gambling offenses. The definitions are intentionally broader than those found in prior law. The commission intends to include any scheme by which value is risked upon a chance for greater value as a “gambling” offense. The definition of “gambling” includes lotteries, chain or pyramid clubs, numbers, pinball, poker or any as yet unnamed scheme where value is risked for profit.”

The Tennessee Courts have not often addressed the issue of poker as gambling within the meaning of the statutes on this point. Since 1899, there have only been four reported cases in which gambling on poker (not video poker machines, but actual live games) is considered. The statutes on permissible gambling have changed several times during the last hundred years or so.

The statute is more geared at preventing casinos and card rooms seeking to operate the games for a business. The primary punitive aspects of the law are geared toward operating a gambling enterprise. The law is truly designed to restrict these businesses from operating. The punishment for the players are only somewhat secondary, in my opinion.

In other words, the law really wants to prevent shady backroom casinos operating for a profit which, as you would all suspect, is due to the fact that none of these proceeds would be TAXED. Punishment for the players is just a deterrent trying to keep these folks away from the untaxed card games for fear of a fine and/or jail time.

Saying all of that, I’m not sure that local law enforcement is going to get that worked up about enforcing the law against a group of friends playing a weekly low stakes game. However, under a strict interpretation of the statute, the weekly home game for pennies and nickels would probably be illegal gambling.

So you all know, according to T.C.A. § 39-17-502, “ The offense of gambling is a Class C misdemeanor.

In other words, the “skill” versus “chance” distinction doesn’t mean much in Tennessee. As for my opinion, I believe that poker is largely a skill-based game. Certainly, there is a degree of chance, or pure gambling, involved.

However, I draw the distinction on this simple point. In a game like craps or roulette, the outcome of your bet (and whether you win or lose) is based SOLELY on the roll of the dice or the drop of the ball. In poker, you can win a hand based on your bets, with the worst hand if you are a skillful player. It’s hard to win a Pass Line bet on a bluff.

Thought I’d share it.

Yeah. Slow to load today. I think it’s a blogads script issue. Anyone else notice anything else out of whack?

Update: should be working now.

Sebastian:

The American Hunters and Shooters Association has paid people to stand outside the NRA convention with signs. I’ll try to get pictures later. This following up on the announcement that they will support Bloomberg’s coalition of anti-gun mayors. You might notice AHSA has bought ad space on that article as well, though it doesn’t come up every time. Keep reloading.

Apparently AHSA is also running an invitation only press conference. One wonders what it takes to get an invitation, but I’m guessing only sympathetic media are allowed in.

WATE:

The state Senate approved a proposal Wednesday make dog versus hog fights a felony Thursday.

Bill sponsor Sen. Douglas Henry contrasted the hog dog matchups with what he considers to be more fair fights. The 80 year old Henry told 51 year old Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey that a fight between the two lawmakers would be a fair fight.

Henry said the hog dog fights, meanwhile, are stacked against the swine and it was a form of torture.

People convicted of using swine in fights could be sentenced to up to two years in prison under the proposal.

The companion bill is scheduled for a vote in the House Agriculture Committee next week.

As someone familiar with hog hunting (though I don’t actually do it myself – me and politically incorrect dog are lovers and not fighters – get your mind out of the gutter), I wonder if there are actual fights or if this is a ban on training dogs to hunt? Hunters who hunt wild hogs with dogs usually have a captive hog or two that they use to train the dog to hunt with. The dog will be trained to run up to the hog, grab it by its snout or ears and hold it down. I’ve never known of actual hog v. dog fights, per se (which seems to imply gambling like cock and dog fights). Anyone know?

I’ve heard and used the phrase: I don’t gamble, I play poker. And there’s truth to it. But is the skill involved in poker enough to warrant a classification from game of chance to game of skill?

Apparently, there is some debate on that in the legal system in the UK.

Update: Some question on what is meant by poker. I mean card games (like Texas Hold-Em) and not video poker (which is 1 – obviously gambling and 2 – typically stacked against the player).

In Ohio, a sheriff is suing the state over a law requiring him to turn over lists of people who apply for concealed carry permits to journalists.

I find it odd that, all of a sudden, journalists have taken an interest in those that have concealed carry permits (i.e., the Roanoke Times and all). Really, what is the point? Because, honestly, it seems like they’re trying to out people in some sort of witch-hunt.

Phelps:

There is one place that I see this mentality over and over, and it is in the conspiracy theorist. This is where the Truthers fall completely flat. If you know one thing about the military man, know this: your average soldier is not amoral. In fact, he is more moral than your average man on the street. Soldiers have a right and a duty to disobey illegal orders. Any order to commit a warcrime is an illegal order.

Who is to blame?

Massachusetts the most violent North East state. The culprit: guns. Which is odd, since MA has some of the most strict gun control laws in the nation.

Vepr in 308. How’d you get that in MA?

It’s here. Check it out.

Nail gun injuries up 200%. You don’t need a nail gun. You can just use a hammer. These assault hammers are a threat to our children, the public safety, and, apparently, your fingers.

Ban them now. For the children.

No, not here. But here, here and here.