Russia modernizes missiles in response to US plans

This news article from Newsvine talks about Russia's recent response to the build-up of anti-ballistic missile systems in Eastern Europe.

We come out with better ABM system and they develop and test newer missiles. Not only are we headed back into the Cold-War, we're still fighting the damn Islamic-Radicals.

If only we could develop cold-fusion or some other form of technology to get us out of the position where we need oil and we could get the oil money flowing into Russia and reduce our interests in the Middle East. I know that's overly simplistic, but doesn't it seem like we're headed to hell-in-a-hand-basket? It's bad enough that America is enamored with Barack "Osama's" promises of change. Sure, I'm not totally thrilled w/ McCain, but I'm not going to let my country dissolve into a socialist cult.

Obama Kids: Sing for Change (Pyongyang Remix)

To Hell with the TSA!

I could list a number of articles from the web about how lame the TSA is and how poorly they've done with tests and such. First it was limiting anything that could be use as a melee weapon. Then we had to put everything into stupid plastic bags.

Now, they've told us what kinds of bags we can and can't use. I am so sick of them. Does anyone really feel safer in an airport or on a plane because of the TSA?

Losing our Guns

On one of the forums I browse, I recently saw this following passage in the member's signature:

At Thermopylae 1,000,000 Persians lost 20,000 yet failed to disarm just 300 Spartans. 80,000,000 lawful Americans would resist even harder. That we promise.

I would like to think so, but unfortunately I don't think there will be anyone we would be able to fight against. The process to take our guns away has been and will continue to be an ongoing process.

I think the only way we will be able to keep our rights to own guns is through helping those who aren't hard set against guns to understand our Constitutionally established rights (arguably), electing politicians whom will protect our rights, and through fighting every piece of anti-gun legislation that comes up for vote.

These kinds of "quotes" do no service to preserving our rights. The issue is not to fight if we have to, but whom will we be fighting?

Guns Don't Kill Kids...

Blog post with some good info

Cashman Gunshow Dec 15-16th

This weekend is another "Crossroads of the West" gun show here in Las Vegas. I went to the same show in October. From their website, it looks as though they have four shows here a year.

I'd never been to a gun show before the one in October. I've been to a few trade shows before. Two Macworld conventions - one in Boston and one in NYC and an Outdoor Retailer show in Utah. Those trade shows had glitz and glamor, but it wasn't really the scene where you could really buy something for yourself. You could get a lot of free products, but it was more about showing off the stuff for the upcoming year.

This gun show is more a massive flea market, with the coolest toys you can ever imagine. There's a lot of silly junk as well, but you know what they say about "one man's junk..." Not much glitz or glamor here, but that's alright with me.

I went by myself the first time. I found an online coupon that saved me a buck on the entry cost. When I got there I was buzzing with excitement. There were folks in the parking lot returning to their cars with rifles, pistols, gun cases, and ammo pulled in heavy duty carts. It was awesome and I hadn't even been inside yet. There were families, old folks, young folks, almost anyone you could imagine.

Unfortunately, inside I wasn't able to take any pictures. It was mayhem. I set up my cruising path and drooled over the tables and tables of guns and accessories. I bought some really good beef jerky, some ammo, a mag or two and then I finally decided to pick up my Glock 30. I'd been dreaming of getting one ever since I decided to relegate my Kahr PM9 to "pocket-backup".

There was a huge line since the national background check system had been off-line. I stood in line behind a guy that was buying an XD40 and another who was buying his first Colt AR-15. I can't remember off hand, but I got a pretty good deal. I was given a special option to pay with a personal check rather than have to pay an additional surcharge to use my credit card.

The gentleman buying the XD40 was in his 50's and was buying his first handgun. He had his son and grandson visit him in line and they were off looking for different ammo, so perhaps his son had guns and turned him into a proud gun owner. I said he'd be very happy with his XD40. I told him I had an XD45ACP. I said that the only thing I've heard that comes remotely close to criticism is that they aren't "from" America. Thinking that Springfield Armory made them, he thought they were American. I didn't push it. He'll be happy.

This weekend, my wife is coming with me. We'll probably buy more jerky, some ammo, perhaps a mag or two, and maybe a few odds and ends. I'd really like her to be less mystified with gun culture. I'd really like to see her a shooter as well. I might bring my brother-in-law as well. He's been out shooting with me as well and might enjoy the scene.

I'd really like to buy some stuff off my wish list, but that'll have to wait.

Pearl Harbor Day

USS Shaw under attack

My wife and I were headed to the Post Office today to mail a shipment of Christmas presents off and on the way in I noticed the flag was flying half-mast. I wondered why, and thought it might have something to do with some of the recent rampage-shootings.

While weighing in our packages, the woman working there gave me the date for a form I was doing and said "December 7th, Pearl Harbor Day". I felt bad because I had forgotten - not that it was today, but the date in general. I'm sort of in vacation-mode now and lose track of days sometimes.

I'd like to say thank you to all of the service men and women who died and served that day. I've been to Hawaii a few times, but never to the memorial in Pearl Harbor. I think I should do that my next trip out.

I am of the "younger generation", but I don't want to forget and I want my kids to always remember the incredible sacrifices my grandparent's generation gave for our country. So, thank you to all.

Latin Quotes?

What is up with all of the Latin quotes on gun forums?

"Mao periculosam libertatem quam quietam servitutem"
("Rather a dangerous liberty than a peaceful servitude")
Thomas Jefferson
"Una salus victus nullam sperare salutem"
(The one hope of the doomed is not to hope for safety)
Virgil

Does using quotes from a different language make people feel like they are smarter than they actually are? Does Latin remind them of their childhoods in ancient Rome? Wow, you must be not only a learned scholar, but a Spartan warfighter too. I'm so happy for all you.

All I see is a bunch of armchair internet commandos posing as intellectual warriors... Latin quote = I'm SMART, I'm SMART!
Whatever.

Man with guns arrested at HACC

I found this link on one of the forums I frequent and was equally appalled by the lack of due process.

Posted by Tom Bowman/The Patriot-News June 20, 2007 12:57PM

A man armed with a 9 mm pistol who police said talked about Virginia Tech was arrested yesterday inside Cooper Student Center at Harrisburg Area Community College.

The man approached a student and said he had guns in his car, Harrisburg Police Chief Charles Kellar said.

"It would be worse than Virginia Tech if someone broke into my car. I have guns in the car," Dauphin County First Assistant District Attorney Fran Chardo quoted the man.

John Sakkas of Lemoyne said he heard about a man with a gun at Cooper Student Center during his 8 a.m. speech class today.

The student told an armed HACC security guard that the man had a pistol, and the guards called Harrisburg police, then watched him until police arrived, said HACC spokeswoman Tracy Mendoza.

City police searched the man, found the 9 mm loaded handgun in his backpack, then took him to the police station, Mendoza said.

Kellar said the man had a concealed weapons permit and was legally allowed to carry a pistol. Police searched his car and found a second pistol there and another firearm in his home.

Police talked with Chardo about charging the man. Chardo said what the man said would not qualify as a terroristic threat because there has to be an intent to terrorize another person.

"Because of the statement I was greatly concerned about this fellow," Chardo said. "I contacted the sheriff and had his license to carry a firearm revoked. And I asked police to commit him under Section 302 of the mental health procedures act and that was done. He is now ineligible to possess firearms because he was committed involuntarily."

Chardo said the law says a person cannot possess a firearm if they have been adjudicated incompetent or involuntarily committed for inpatient mental health care. (continues)

What has me worried is how quickly your rights can be stripped away from you with out any checks or balances or appeals.

Of course we don't want another VATech, but we can't let one or two people have control over Constitutional rights that are usually handled by the Supreme Court. This is bullshit!

Liko Kenny kills officer then is shot by passer-by

Bode Miller's cousin kills officer, then is killed by passer-by

Tucson, Arizona | Published: 05.13.2007

FRANCONIA, N.H. (AP) — A cousin of skiing star Bode Miller fatally shot and ran over a police officer, then was killed by a passer-by who grabbed the officer's gun.

Attorney General Kelly Ayotte said Liko Kenney shot Cpl. Bruce McKay four times, then ran over him with his car after a traffic stop Friday night.

Gregory Floyd, who was driving by with his son, grabbed McKay's gun, then shot the 24-year-old Kenney when he refused to put his gun down, Ayotte said.

"This once again reminds of us of the difficult and dangerous work that is done everyday by the law enforcement of this state to protect each of us," Ayotte said at a news conference in Concord. (continues)

What a stunning story. What catches my attention the most is the brave citizen who stopped Kenney from doing any more damage. Even though Kenny didn't seem like a public enemy, he was obviously unbalanced. Regardless of his history with the police, you can't justify killing a cop, another human being, for those kinds of altercations. I hope Floyd is able to get the best lawyers to protect him from the victim's family.

As terrorism plots evolve, FBI relies on Agent John Q. Public

By Josh Meyer, Times Staff Writer
May 12, 2007

WASHINGTON — The FBI has hailed the breakup of an alleged plot to kill soldiers at Ft. Dix, N.J., as a major success story. But federal authorities acknowledge that the case has underscored a troubling vulnerability in the domestic war on terrorism.

They say the FBI, despite unprecedented expansion over the last 5 1/2 years, cannot counter the growing threat posed by homegrown extremists without the help of two often unreliable allies. One is an American public that they lament is prone to averting its attention from suspicious behavior and often reluctant to get involved. The other is a small but growing army of informants, some of whom might be in it for the wrong reasons — such as money, political ax-grinding or legal problems of their own.

Such dependence on amateurs is "not something that we would like. It's something that we absolutely need," said Special Agent J.P. Weis, who heads the FBI's Philadelphia field office and the South Jersey Joint Terrorism Task Force, which conducted the Ft. Dix investigation.

Weis and other FBI and Justice Department officials acknowledged they probably never would have known about the six men and their alleged plans had it not been for a Circuit City employee who reported a suspicious video.

And, they said, an FBI informant was instrumental in gathering evidence to file criminal charges by infiltrating the men's circle for 16 months as they allegedly bought and trained with automatic weapons, made reconnaissance runs and discussed plans.

Weis and others said the bureau had to rely on the public and on informants in domestic counter-terrorism investigations because of the changing nature of the global jihad and the threat it posed within the United States. (continues)

So, how does the public change from being reluctant to take part in our collective security while balancing the process of observing from digressing into McCarthy-ism?

Things I gotta think about

The Virginia Tech shootings have had me thinking about a lot...

• psychological screening before handgun purchases
• what psychological tendencies do mass murderers have?
• safety vs. liberty
• the constitution
• what are violent crime rates
• handgun ownership in other countries
• historical tracking of violent crimes
• violent crime prevented by self-defense
• most effective means of self-defense
• violent crime in cities with gun bans
• state of Americans today
• class 3 vs. semi-auto rifles w/ hi-cap vs. long arms vs. handgun crimes
  

Japanese Gun Laws

I was always under the impression that it was illegal to own guns in Japan. I found this interesting article that very clearly provides folks with information about the lengthy process of obtaining a license for gun and ammunition ownership. The article clearly states that gun ownership is for hunting and sports competitions only.

Alternate link.