Tam’s blog is two. That’s a lot in blog years.

Seen in comments: The Protest Easy Guns videos have now disabled comments after people completely destroyed their arguments. Hmm, what does this remind me of?

One of the shows that the Mrs. records for Junior is Lou and Lou: Safety Patrol. The shows are short (like five minutes) and Lou and Lou run around with little badges declaring things to be safety violations. One such show was fire safety and another was putting on sunscreen when at the beach. Aside from the creepy nanny nature of the show that makes me want to tell the kids to mind their own business, it does teach kids important things. And it also could lead kids to shame their parents into things.

However, one episode taught kids about having a disaster preparedness kit (with adequate food, radio, batteries, etc.). And the same show taught kids to have a BOB, though they called it a Go Bag. I suppose with Katrina and 9-11, what used to be an activity of the survivalists is now rather mainstream.

To watch the video, go here and click the one that says Get Ready, Get Set, Emergency. I told the wife that one of the items they did not include in their kit was a carbine.

Note to GWB: Gonzales has resigned. Can you put someone who is pro-gun in charge?

Thanks.

This weekend’s lesson that Junior learned: Don’t squeeze kitties.

Seems Mike Pfleger (AKA Snuffy) is abusing his church’s non-profit tax status by putting up various billboards against guns that advocate legislation. Meanwhile, the IRS cracks down on the finances of churches who issue a pro-life message.

Ooh, Thompson.

The WaPo:

The government’s terrorist screening database flagged Americans and foreigners as suspected terrorists almost 20,000 times last year. But only a small fraction of those questioned were arrested or denied entry into the United States, raising concerns among critics about privacy and the list’s effectiveness.

And this is the same database some folks want to use to restrict gun rights without due process of law?

Finally, the local press has driven me to talk about the recent shenanigans in Knoxville. Seems the elected officials are calling for a do-over in light of a lawsuit by the News Sentinel that says the commissioners have done it wrong and potentially broken the law. It’s funny. I didn’t realize that Knoxville was being run by the quarterback and head of the cheer leading squad from back when I was in seventh grade. Seems Buffy and Tad are, like, totally talking about each other and stuff. And like, ya know, it’s all confusing.

Personally, I think if they broke the law, they should all be arrested. But then, they’re better than you and me so that won’t happen.

Bitter discusses writing letters to the editor. And leave some of that crazy gun nut talk out. You don’t want to scare the white people.

And, also, those Protest Easy Guns folks are gearing up for their protests in various cities. I’ve linked their schedule. And so have the folks at ar15.com. And I have alerted some Nashville folks about the one in Nashville. Now, when you go to these events, don’t scare white people. Show up, act and dress professionally, calmly and clearly make your case. Drive your opponents to PSH and avoid it yourself.

And you can go see all the protest easy guns videos here. You know, if you’re inclined to engage in Reasoned Discourse^tm.

In England:

Senior social workers have given warning of the dangers posed by a new government register that will store the details of every child in England from next year.

They fear that the database, containing the address, medical and school details of all under-18s, could be used to harm the children whom it is intended to protect.

[…]

The database, which goes live next year, is to contain details of every one of the 11 million children in the country, listing their name, address and gender, as well as contact details for their GP, school and parents and other carers. The record will also include contacts with hospital consultants and other professionals, and could show whether the child has been the subject of a formal assessment on whether he or she needs extra help.

Wow.

Could just be the increased ammo prices.

Fast draw demo.

against guns?

Laura Washington:

It looks like the petulant, gun-toting NRA stalwarts have won the first round.

I smell Reasoned Discourse^tm coming!

Last time, I used this space to ask where you stand on the issue of gun control. A torrent of e-mails later, it’s clear: Gun-control advocates were outgunned, four to one.

The gun lovers were legion, robust and vitriolic. Many of you told me to go places where the sun doesn’t shine and the temperature is way too hot. Yet, if you believe public opinion polls, that reaction is an anomaly. For instance, last April, ABC News polled adults nationwide, and asked: “Do you favor or oppose stricter gun control laws in this country?” Sixty-one percent favored them, 36 percent were opposed, and 3 percent were “unsure.”

CBS News asked, “In general, do you feel the laws covering the sale of handguns should be made more strict, less strict, or kept as they are now?” Two-thirds of respondents nationwide opted for “more strict.”

I don’t think you’re reading the same polls that I am. More:

What is the problem with the advocates of gun control? Why are their voices not being heard? They are consistently cowed and overmatched. Gun violence is out of control, yet the gun lovers are ascendant.

See, the gun controllers are righteous and pure. The fact their agenda is failing in the public arena must be the fault of the evil gun lobby.

Do you want to be standing in line for gas, popcorn or a gallon of milk and find yourself next to someone who’s packing heat?

Why not? When I’m in line, I am packing heat.

Still, despite the polls, it seems the gun control advocates have been outmatched. Abigail Spangler acknowledges as much. Spangler is the founder of ProtestEasyGuns.com, a Virginia-based group that has been spearheading a slew of anti-gun protests around the nation.

Gun control activists, she wrote me, “are TRYING HARD but they are seriously affected in state after state by lack of funding and contributions.” She recently met, she says, with the leader of Virginia’s only gun control group. “He says they may not even be able to afford any lobbyist at all soon in Virginia!”

And there it is. The begging. The idea doesn’t sell and they don’t know why. They just don’t understand why people aren’t passionate about restricting the law-abiding. And why people are passionate about their rights. They don’t grasp that their philosophy is a losing one that simply cannot stand to scrutiny. And since it is failing, they have to do it harder.

Keep your booger hook off the bang switch:

Update: And rule #2 as well. Of course, it is rather worth mentioning that such instances usually require violation of two of the four rules.

CarryConcealed.net.

Nokia has finally designed a cellphone for people living in or visiting Detroit

Heh.

Received via email from Tom.

I never get tired of linking to articles that tell us gun sales are up. 14% in the first quarter of 2007.

unpossible.

Update: even more unpossible!

For the responses to my sunglasses bleg. Now, I need to make a decision out of the many recommendations.

Here’s a video from what I was talking about here:

Via PGP.

6.8 SPC.

Like a few hundred thousand other people I have tired of the idiot contest between Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale and the Knox County Commission. It is too close to call and shows no sign of ending.

Over a few beers a friend of mine said the Harborgate, Lobstergate, P-Cardgate, and Finchgate scandals in Knox County government would make a great reality television show. What a great idea.

If the politicos cannot get their house in order I know someone who can.

Appearing this fall, Jesse James is the Mayor. A new reality TV show where Jesse James of “Monster Garage” takes over a town for a week as the Mayor.

I have a candidate for the first show. Knox County.

Protest Easy Guns has announced an October 5th protest in Nashville.

I need shades. I’m very hard on sunglasses and keep busting them. Of course, I also buy cheap sunglasses (not sure if that’s why they’re busting or if I buy cheap ones because I bust them). I once had a nice pair of Nikes that I spent about $90 on. Had them for years. But when the Mrs. and I went to Mexico a few years back, I jumped into the ocean and there they went. I’d been swimming with them quite a bit and they’d never done that before. Now, I’m more inclined to buy cheap ones and not because of ZZ Top. I dunno why. But, I’ve had three pair in the last month and about to get a fourth because the shades I bought last Saturday broke on Tuesday. So, what to get? Caveats:

I prefer the wrap around style (you know, kinda look like this).

I don’t really need any sort of tacticool gunny shades but haven’t ruled them out.

They need to be tough. As far as I can tell, the only thing breaking my shades is either 1) rattling around in the truck or 2) the sheer strain of being wrapped around my massive melon.

I don’t dig the big oversized styles.

Suggestions?

I don’t care who you are, that’s funny right there.

For the press. Heh: shooty v. no shooty.

We’re winning:

Has anybody seen the latest instalment of The Power Of 10?

The week of August 20th, 2007, Host Drew Carey posed a question about gun control to the contestant: what percentage of Americans believe that Americans should be allowed to own automatic weapons?

The answer was 41%. I watched the show and the audience applauded. If, as Drew notes from time to time, that the Poll was conducted of New Yorkers, man, am I impressed! The significance is that on the question of ‘automatic weapons’, the finding is not 1 or 2 percent or even 10 or 20 percent, but a thriving 41%.

And Drew, thank you for your service. I didn’t know you are a Marine.

Awesome.

First, here’s the story:

A Flushing man arrested last week for allegedly threatening his sister with a handgun was arraigned on a litany of gun charges after police found more than six dozen weapons in his home, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said.

Leos Tseng, 29, of 141-04 Laburnum Ave., was arraigned before Queens Criminal Court Judge Steve Paynter last Thursday on several charges of criminal possession of a weapon as well as menacing and resisting arrest stemming from his Aug. 6 arrest, according to the DA. A spokesman for Brown said Tseng was held on $500,000 bail and faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted.

Now, the guys at subguns.com say that at the press conference, all but a few of the weapons were Airsoft toys. Are the press and the police really going to leave that fact out of the story?

Update: Lots more info from SM in comments.