I found this story this morning about a feisty woman who tracked down and caught one of the men who had just robbed her house, and then her friends held him down in the woods while the woman issued a nasty beating.
Now, I could care less about the man's boo boos on his face, or the fact that he got a severe ass kicking from a woman, but I like to point out that this is actual vigilantism and not self defense. The woman and her friends got in a car and intercepted the man, who was no longer a threat, on the other side of the woods from her house and kicked his ass.
Since this coverage is local news, I won't judge them as it's a good story, but CNN found it newsworthy enough to post the entire five minute interview with the woman, so I have no problem hammering them. Had this been a story about a citizen gunning down an armed robber in the local Kroegers in obvious self defense, he or she would have been labeled as a 'vigilante' who 'took the law into his own hands.' This woman really did take the law into her own hands by searching for and catching this man who was not a threat and beating his face in, and she gets labeled as something of a hero. Watch the video. She catches a home intruder and assaults him, and she gets five minutes of airtime on CNN for it.
That is a blatant double standard, not to mention inaccurate.
I wonder if she would have received the same treatment if she had shot him to death in her house. Would she still be looked at as the smiling young hero who "h[eld] man for police," and would the deceased scumbag be branded as someone who "may have picked the wrong. . home to break into?"
Probably not.
With that said, good for her.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Movie Guns XXXV
This has been a long time in the making, but it's here at last.
I picked this movie because it's the currently the only DVD that I had on hand with decent picture quality, and because it's a badass movie. I actually have the director's cut, so the ending is different but still cool.
The film is Payback starring Mel Gibson as Porter: a rundown thief who is trying to get back the money that he stole. Somehow Porter is the 'good guy' of the movie despite him actually being kind of a scumbag.
Originally I thought this would be a short post, but was pleasantly surprised when going through the film that there were more guns than I had planned. The whole thing has a downtrodden and dreary theme to it, like the script came out of some cops-and-robbers comic book (makes sense considering it's a remake of the film Point Blank); I really can't explain it. There is little in the way of high-tech weaponry, as most of the guns are revolvers. Even the cops carry revolvers, which is odd considering that the time period is in the present.
So let's get started.
I'm going to cover a flashback part in the film first since technically it's the first thing that happened. Porter and his partner Val (Greg Henry) steal $140k from some Triads, and after they count the money Porter is betrayed by his wife and Val, and she shoots him in the back with this Colt Python:
Porter survives his wounds, and once he's back on his feet he goes and buys a Smith & Wesson Model 27 from a pawnshop with money he stole from someone's wallet. The pawnbroker hands Porter the gun with the hammer back and his finger in the trigger guard:
That would have instantly ended the sale if it were me interested in that gun.
Porter goes to his wife's apartment, and when he comes smashing into the room he does a Hollywood type room clearance:
Wandering around with your finger inside the triggerguard of a cocked handgun while it's next to your face is about the most dangerous thing you can do with it outside of just putting it to your head and pulling the trigger.
The next morning a lowlife drug dealer comes by the apartment to sell Porter's wife some heroine. Porter beats the guy down and takes his S&W Model 6906 from him:
The drug dealer gives Porter the source of the heroine, and when Porter goes there to check it out he comes across two dirty police detectives; one of which has this unknown revolver in a crossdraw holster:
Moving on, Porter finally catches up to Val at his apartment where he is enjoying a sadist moment with a hooker. A most interesting scene that defies explaination. Here Porter is threatening Val with the S&W 27 and telling him to get the money:
Val used the money he stole from Porter to buy his way into an organized crime syndicate called the Outfit. He goes to see his boss to let him know about his problem with Porter, but before he goes into the office he gets searched for weapons which turns up a Beretta 92, a Walther PPK, and a S&W Model 49 Bodyguard that he had in an ankle holster, respectively:
Porter found the location of Val through a call girl, Rosie (Maria Bello), that he used to protect, and Val figures this out and goes to pay her a visit. When she answers the door, Val is holding his Beretta 92 in the absurd gangster grip that gun guys love to mock:
When she leads Val into the bedroom, her big ass dog (named Porter) does what it's supposed to do and protect his master. He jumps on Val and bites at his neck. . . .
Which buys Rosie enough time to get to her weapon:
After a quick chat, Porter uses a pillow to silence the execution shot on Val:
I'll leave the details out of the rest of that altercation in the name of not spoiling the entire movie, but Porter goes back outside and gets his gun back from the two cops. The cop that has the gun opens the cylinder and dumps out all of the rounds before he hands it back, and Porter grabs it with an open newspaper that not only conceals it, but keeps his fingerprints off of it. He goes back to Rosie's apartment and drops the gun, which now has the cops fingerprints on it, next to Val's body, and then places the stolen badge from earlier in Val's hand:
Getting near the end now, Porter catches a cab, but instead of it being a real cabbie it ends up being the low level drug dealer and his bodyguard. He wants to take Porter to the Outfit for a reward, so he holds him at gunpoint with another S&W Model 27 which is promptly taken away:
The bodyguard stops the cab and pulls a sawed off Remington 870 which is unloaded considering he has to rack a shell into the chamber to emphasize the danger:
Porter uses the drug dealer as a human shield and manages to escape out the other end of the cab. He kills a couple of the Triads from the back of their SUV, and then when the driver backs over him he starts to shoot through the bottom of the truck. I lost count of the number of shots fired from the Model 27, but he is also firing a Beretta 92.
The Hooker from earlier (Lucy Liu) is firing down through the floor at Porter with a pearl gripped Walther PPK:
The driver steps out with a Sig P228 but gets blasted for his troubles:
The hooker and Porter, as the only survivers, have another standoff which sees both of them as having empty weapons.
This is where the director's cut differs from the original movie. Porter has the Outfit deliver his money in a book bag at the train station. The place is crawling with Outfit henchmen, and Porter finds them one-by-one and takes them out. Two of them in the restroom are carrying GLOCK 17s, and Porter is seen here dumping them in the trash after killing their owners:
Another henchman had a supressed Ruger Mk II hidden in his lunchbox:
There is a brief shootout at the end, but I couldn't get any good shots, so I'll leave it for your viewing enjoyment.
This is a strange movie in that it has you rooting for the bad guy who is working against other bad guys. Even the good guys are bad. It definitely fits its title, and I love the tough use of revolvers throughout. The gun handling could have been better, but the overall use of them was entertaining.
I've had some requests for Movie Guns lately, but have yet to find any of the requested movies in stores. Just know that I am looking, and will get to them sooner or later.
P.S. I've noticed that since I started paying for a Photobucket account the frames in my Movie Guns posts don't have the caption and aren't clickable. If anyone has any idea of how to fix that please let me know.
I picked this movie because it's the currently the only DVD that I had on hand with decent picture quality, and because it's a badass movie. I actually have the director's cut, so the ending is different but still cool.
The film is Payback starring Mel Gibson as Porter: a rundown thief who is trying to get back the money that he stole. Somehow Porter is the 'good guy' of the movie despite him actually being kind of a scumbag.
Originally I thought this would be a short post, but was pleasantly surprised when going through the film that there were more guns than I had planned. The whole thing has a downtrodden and dreary theme to it, like the script came out of some cops-and-robbers comic book (makes sense considering it's a remake of the film Point Blank); I really can't explain it. There is little in the way of high-tech weaponry, as most of the guns are revolvers. Even the cops carry revolvers, which is odd considering that the time period is in the present.
So let's get started.
I'm going to cover a flashback part in the film first since technically it's the first thing that happened. Porter and his partner Val (Greg Henry) steal $140k from some Triads, and after they count the money Porter is betrayed by his wife and Val, and she shoots him in the back with this Colt Python:
Porter survives his wounds, and once he's back on his feet he goes and buys a Smith & Wesson Model 27 from a pawnshop with money he stole from someone's wallet. The pawnbroker hands Porter the gun with the hammer back and his finger in the trigger guard:
That would have instantly ended the sale if it were me interested in that gun.
Porter goes to his wife's apartment, and when he comes smashing into the room he does a Hollywood type room clearance:
Wandering around with your finger inside the triggerguard of a cocked handgun while it's next to your face is about the most dangerous thing you can do with it outside of just putting it to your head and pulling the trigger.
The next morning a lowlife drug dealer comes by the apartment to sell Porter's wife some heroine. Porter beats the guy down and takes his S&W Model 6906 from him:
The drug dealer gives Porter the source of the heroine, and when Porter goes there to check it out he comes across two dirty police detectives; one of which has this unknown revolver in a crossdraw holster:
Moving on, Porter finally catches up to Val at his apartment where he is enjoying a sadist moment with a hooker. A most interesting scene that defies explaination. Here Porter is threatening Val with the S&W 27 and telling him to get the money:
Val used the money he stole from Porter to buy his way into an organized crime syndicate called the Outfit. He goes to see his boss to let him know about his problem with Porter, but before he goes into the office he gets searched for weapons which turns up a Beretta 92, a Walther PPK, and a S&W Model 49 Bodyguard that he had in an ankle holster, respectively:
Val decides to handle the situation on his own, so he tells the Triads that is was Porter who stole their money (leaving out the part about his own involvement), and the Triads catch Porter in an alleyway. While they hold Porter down on the hood of a car, one of them pulls a balisong and flips it open:
I don't know who makes it, but the guy looks like he knows how to handle judging by his flipping skills.
The two dirty cops from earlier are looking to take Porter's money once he gets it back, and they show up just in time to stop him from getting castrated with the balisong, but then they beat on him to make their point about who the money is going to. Little do they know that Porter swipes one of their badges during the beating, which comes in handy a little later:
The two dirty cops from earlier are looking to take Porter's money once he gets it back, and they show up just in time to stop him from getting castrated with the balisong, but then they beat on him to make their point about who the money is going to. Little do they know that Porter swipes one of their badges during the beating, which comes in handy a little later:
Porter found the location of Val through a call girl, Rosie (Maria Bello), that he used to protect, and Val figures this out and goes to pay her a visit. When she answers the door, Val is holding his Beretta 92 in the absurd gangster grip that gun guys love to mock:
When she leads Val into the bedroom, her big ass dog (named Porter) does what it's supposed to do and protect his master. He jumps on Val and bites at his neck. . . .
Which buys Rosie enough time to get to her weapon:
A baseball bat?!?! I guess whores aren't permitted to own effective personal protection in this movie.
Val shoots the dog and takes the bat away from Rosie, but the human Porter walks in and shoots him with his Model 27 before he can do Rosie further harm:
Val shoots the dog and takes the bat away from Rosie, but the human Porter walks in and shoots him with his Model 27 before he can do Rosie further harm:
After a quick chat, Porter uses a pillow to silence the execution shot on Val:
I don't know how effective that would be in real life, especially considering it totally muffles the shot from that .357 magnum. No mention of what happens to the round when it passes through the floor into the apartment below!
Now Porter goes to see Val's boss to get his money. The dirty cops are waiting for him before he goes into the building, and Porter hands them his Model 27 to hold because he knows that he will be searched. Inside the Outfit bosses office, he uses a roll of pennies to knock out the two guards, and he takes their weapons; one of which is a H&K P7M8:
Now Porter goes to see Val's boss to get his money. The dirty cops are waiting for him before he goes into the building, and Porter hands them his Model 27 to hold because he knows that he will be searched. Inside the Outfit bosses office, he uses a roll of pennies to knock out the two guards, and he takes their weapons; one of which is a H&K P7M8:
I'll leave the details out of the rest of that altercation in the name of not spoiling the entire movie, but Porter goes back outside and gets his gun back from the two cops. The cop that has the gun opens the cylinder and dumps out all of the rounds before he hands it back, and Porter grabs it with an open newspaper that not only conceals it, but keeps his fingerprints off of it. He goes back to Rosie's apartment and drops the gun, which now has the cops fingerprints on it, next to Val's body, and then places the stolen badge from earlier in Val's hand:
That's a pretty slick way of getting two dirty cops off your back!
Porter goes to the residence of another Outfit boss and shows that he is not immune to the gangster grip:
Porter goes to the residence of another Outfit boss and shows that he is not immune to the gangster grip:
Getting near the end now, Porter catches a cab, but instead of it being a real cabbie it ends up being the low level drug dealer and his bodyguard. He wants to take Porter to the Outfit for a reward, so he holds him at gunpoint with another S&W Model 27 which is promptly taken away:
The bodyguard stops the cab and pulls a sawed off Remington 870 which is unloaded considering he has to rack a shell into the chamber to emphasize the danger:
That someone has to rack the slide on film to show that the damn gun is loaded is so stupid. Almost all gun owning Americans either own a pump shotgun or are intimately familiar with them, so you would think that the movie industry would go for realism sometime instead of going for the cliche' "you must pump the gun to show the audience that it's loaded" move. The next movie that I see that does this will immediately get turned off. Not to be nitpicky, but learn how the thing works! That goes for 1911s too! You listening Hollywood?
Now, back to the movie.
While Porter and the two idiots are having a Mexican standoff in the cab (no offense to Mexicans), the Triads pull up next to them and hang out the windows with, from left to right: a Walther P5, a M3 Greasegun, a GLOCK 17, and another M3 Greasegun:
Now, back to the movie.
While Porter and the two idiots are having a Mexican standoff in the cab (no offense to Mexicans), the Triads pull up next to them and hang out the windows with, from left to right: a Walther P5, a M3 Greasegun, a GLOCK 17, and another M3 Greasegun:
Porter uses the drug dealer as a human shield and manages to escape out the other end of the cab. He kills a couple of the Triads from the back of their SUV, and then when the driver backs over him he starts to shoot through the bottom of the truck. I lost count of the number of shots fired from the Model 27, but he is also firing a Beretta 92.
The Hooker from earlier (Lucy Liu) is firing down through the floor at Porter with a pearl gripped Walther PPK:
The driver steps out with a Sig P228 but gets blasted for his troubles:
The hooker and Porter, as the only survivers, have another standoff which sees both of them as having empty weapons.
This is where the director's cut differs from the original movie. Porter has the Outfit deliver his money in a book bag at the train station. The place is crawling with Outfit henchmen, and Porter finds them one-by-one and takes them out. Two of them in the restroom are carrying GLOCK 17s, and Porter is seen here dumping them in the trash after killing their owners:
Another henchman had a supressed Ruger Mk II hidden in his lunchbox:
There is a brief shootout at the end, but I couldn't get any good shots, so I'll leave it for your viewing enjoyment.
This is a strange movie in that it has you rooting for the bad guy who is working against other bad guys. Even the good guys are bad. It definitely fits its title, and I love the tough use of revolvers throughout. The gun handling could have been better, but the overall use of them was entertaining.
I've had some requests for Movie Guns lately, but have yet to find any of the requested movies in stores. Just know that I am looking, and will get to them sooner or later.
P.S. I've noticed that since I started paying for a Photobucket account the frames in my Movie Guns posts don't have the caption and aren't clickable. If anyone has any idea of how to fix that please let me know.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
A Royal ass chewing
I would love for Mr. Hannan to come here and roll some heads. I have yet to hear any politician say something like this to Obama, but it needs to be said.
Like fresh air!
(H/T Patrick)
Like fresh air!
(H/T Patrick)
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Our government the snakepit
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton tells Mexico that the US shares the blame for the mess South of our border. It's all our fault, see.
So let me get this straight. We train the Mexican military and police here at US bases with US Soldiers, give them US equipment like night vision goggles, encrypted radios, helicopters, C-26 planes, automatic weapons, destructive devices, and millions of dollars so they can fight the bad people, and then we have Hillary and McCaffrey telling the world that the drug cartels are buying this shit from US gunshows and it's all our fucking fault?!?! Letting the Mexican government blame us for their incompetence?!?!
How bout' telling those dipshits to look at the plank in their own eye before pointing the finger at the only people who have been helping them thus far!
This is the excuse our corrupt and incompetent government is giving the world right before they make a move to take our rights. Awesome.
It's all one big gigantic lie, and our government is expecting us to pick up the tab. Typical.
Update: I'm finding more and more blasphemy from our Secretary of State, such as this:
Now, I agree that we need to stop the flow of thousands of gaudy handguns and some semi-automatic rifles to Mexico; they're hard enough for US citizens to find at gunshows as it is, but let's put ourselves in the shoes of a Mexican drug kingpin in charge of a multi-billion dollar narcotics industry.
Your sitting there on your genuine ivory throne with a gold plated Magnum Research Desert Eagle wondering how to outfit your army of twenty thousand narco-killers with military hardware. You could pay a few thousand of your guys a nice salary to sneak across the border and convince Sally soccer moms to buy a dozen semi-auto AK-47 clones for $700 apiece and then have them smuggle them back into Mexico where you will have to pay $200 apiece to have the rifles modified for full auto fire (spanish). Not very economical, but it could work in the short term. You could call one of your several high ranking henchmen who are down in Guatemala brokering a deal on a shipping container of fragmentation grenades and see if he can get a sweet deal on a shipment of a couple of thousand select fire AK-47s while he's there, considering they don't need modification and the going rate on the world market is $100. Now, if only you could get M2 Browning Machine Guns, anti-tank rockets, mortars, night vision, body armor, encrypted radios, helicopters, and some Special Forces training. What to do what to do. I KNOW!! You can pay thousands of Mexican Special Forces soldiers who were trained in the US at top-of-the-line facilities and were issued all of this gear that you want to desert their job that pays them beans to be fodder in front of your current narco-killers and have them come work for you! Brilliant!!
Far fetched? I think not. These cartels didn't get this powerful by being stupid, and riping off the same government that they're fighting by buying out their troops is the smart play, and you don't think those soldiers will turn in that night vision and their automatic weapons before going to work for a drug syndicate, do you?
Update: I told you so!
And look at this "arsenal of shotguns" that FOX News is reporting:
This is the "iron river" of arms flowing by the hundreds into Mexico that the Obama administration is destined to stop via "assault thingy" legislation.
Why does anybody neeeeed more than one barrel anyways?
Those fully automatic bolt action rifles and double barrel shotguns are capable of tremendous rapid fire. All the drug militias have to do is pour these assault style bullets down the barrel and launch a barrage of shrap-nel at the Mexican police! They don't stand a chance!
Mexican officials have in the past, particularly under the Bush administration, complained that Washington never acknowledged the extent that the U.S. demand for drugs and weapons smuggling played in fueling the violence.It's all our fault.
"These criminals are outgunning the law enforcement officials," she said, referring to guns and military-style equipment like night vision goggles and body armor that the cartels are smuggling into Mexico from the United States."Outgunned?" You know, I keep hearing that from the media, the Mexican government, the US government, but I just don't believe it. Something about the Mexican military and police being armed with H&K G3s, H&K MP5s, Barrett M82A1s, Galils, and WARSHIPS makes me have to call bullshit! The Mexican government has a fucking AIR FORCE!! And now we have our Secretary of State saying that it's the United States' fault that the cartels have night vision and body armor; the same stuff that we've been selling to the Mexican government for years?!?! Don't take my word for it, take former drug czar Gen. Barry McCaffrey's word for it:
"As a result, the U.S. government has stepped up military assistance to the Mexican military and police, mostly through transfers of free military equipment. Gen. Barry McCaffrey, the White House drug policy director, traveled to Mexico in March 1996 smoothing the way for an agreement between the two governments which has resulted in Mexican soldiers beginning to train at Ft. Bragg and other American bases, and in the gift of 73 "surplus" helicopters, four C-26 surveillance planes, night vision goggles, radios and other military equipment. In addition, the White House has requested $9 million in military aid for Mexico for fiscal year 1998 (up from $3 million in fiscal year 1996) for the purchase of new weapons from U.S. arms manufacturers.That was in 1996, but what does Gen. (Retired) McCaffrey have to say now:
The outgunned Mexican law enforcement authorities face armed criminal attacks from platoon-sized units employing night vision goggles, electronic intercept collection, encrypted communications, fairly sophisticated information operations, sea-going submersibles, helicopters and modern transport aviation, automatic weapons, RPG’s, Anti-Tank 66 mm rockets, mines and booby traps, heavy machine guns, 50 cal sniper rifles, massive use of military hand grenades, and the most modern models of 40mm grenade machine guns.Emphasis all mine.
So let me get this straight. We train the Mexican military and police here at US bases with US Soldiers, give them US equipment like night vision goggles, encrypted radios, helicopters, C-26 planes, automatic weapons, destructive devices, and millions of dollars so they can fight the bad people, and then we have Hillary and McCaffrey telling the world that the drug cartels are buying this shit from US gunshows and it's all our fucking fault?!?! Letting the Mexican government blame us for their incompetence?!?!
How bout' telling those dipshits to look at the plank in their own eye before pointing the finger at the only people who have been helping them thus far!
This is the excuse our corrupt and incompetent government is giving the world right before they make a move to take our rights. Awesome.
It's all one big gigantic lie, and our government is expecting us to pick up the tab. Typical.
Update: I'm finding more and more blasphemy from our Secretary of State, such as this:
The cartels have better night vision than the US supplied Mexican Army? Good to know that our gear sucks. I wonder if the F5 Tigers that the US provided to Mexico are inferior to the fighter jets that the cartels don't have? If the cartels steal one, will Hillary go back to Mexico and point the finger at US citizens for allowing the NRA to provide assault style aircraft to narco-terrorists?The United States needs to stop the flow of guns, body armor and night-vision goggles to the cartels, Clinton said.
"When you go into a gunfight or are trying to round up these bad guys and they have military-style equipment that is much better than yours, you start out at a disadvantage. Since we know the vast majority of that comes from our country, we are going to help stop it from getting there in the first place."
"I think that the fact that the Obama administration is seized with the importance of this issue is a clear indication that they understand that, to defang the drug syndicates in Mexico, we have to eliminate two of their most powerful sources -- bulk cash from the United States into Mexico and illicit weapons."So the US government is going to do that by giving the corrupt Mexican government more bulk cash and illicit weapons just like we've been doing for decades? What could possibly go wrong? And don't tell me that Obama is going to just send a hundred agents and $700 million dollars to the border and say that we're helping Mexico. The US government is going to shovel money and arms into that country like we've always done, and then bitch about the easy access to this stuff when the cartels wind up with the gear.
Now, I agree that we need to stop the flow of thousands of gaudy handguns and some semi-automatic rifles to Mexico; they're hard enough for US citizens to find at gunshows as it is, but let's put ourselves in the shoes of a Mexican drug kingpin in charge of a multi-billion dollar narcotics industry.
Your sitting there on your genuine ivory throne with a gold plated Magnum Research Desert Eagle wondering how to outfit your army of twenty thousand narco-killers with military hardware. You could pay a few thousand of your guys a nice salary to sneak across the border and convince Sally soccer moms to buy a dozen semi-auto AK-47 clones for $700 apiece and then have them smuggle them back into Mexico where you will have to pay $200 apiece to have the rifles modified for full auto fire (spanish). Not very economical, but it could work in the short term. You could call one of your several high ranking henchmen who are down in Guatemala brokering a deal on a shipping container of fragmentation grenades and see if he can get a sweet deal on a shipment of a couple of thousand select fire AK-47s while he's there, considering they don't need modification and the going rate on the world market is $100. Now, if only you could get M2 Browning Machine Guns, anti-tank rockets, mortars, night vision, body armor, encrypted radios, helicopters, and some Special Forces training. What to do what to do. I KNOW!! You can pay thousands of Mexican Special Forces soldiers who were trained in the US at top-of-the-line facilities and were issued all of this gear that you want to desert their job that pays them beans to be fodder in front of your current narco-killers and have them come work for you! Brilliant!!
Far fetched? I think not. These cartels didn't get this powerful by being stupid, and riping off the same government that they're fighting by buying out their troops is the smart play, and you don't think those soldiers will turn in that night vision and their automatic weapons before going to work for a drug syndicate, do you?
Update: I told you so!
Clinton also said Wednesday that the White House will seek an additional $80 million to help Mexico buy Blackhawk helicopters.Wanna bet that in ten years when the cartels have control of several of these Blackhawks that Mexico will blame it on lax US laws?
And look at this "arsenal of shotguns" that FOX News is reporting:
This is the "iron river" of arms flowing by the hundreds into Mexico that the Obama administration is destined to stop via "assault thingy" legislation.
Why does anybody neeeeed more than one barrel anyways?
Those fully automatic bolt action rifles and double barrel shotguns are capable of tremendous rapid fire. All the drug militias have to do is pour these assault style bullets down the barrel and launch a barrage of shrap-nel at the Mexican police! They don't stand a chance!
Economic hater
This is one of the best rants I've heard so far this year. A taste:
(H/T to Tam)
"Now you want to call me greedy? Are you fucking kidding me? After you fucked this place up? You want to tell me that capitalism failed? What capitalism? You've socialized/centralized almost half of the GDP. Now, you want to use me and the paycheck I've earned year after year to deflect attention from the basic fact that you have been shoving debt on people who couldn't hope to find within themselves the character to take responsibility for repaying it? They get a pass and I get... what... a sharp stick in the eye?" - AustrianOouch!
(H/T to Tam)
More 'prominent' news on the Mexican drug fiasco
Top-shelf reporting courtesy of CNN's hard working journalists, which struggle night and day to bring you unbiased facts on the the drug war in Mexico. Let me sum this up for you:
Relax, I took that out of context. That's what they should be saying, or at least doing cursory research into where machine guns, mortars, M72 LAWs, or hand grenades are coming from, but that's not going to happen.
The same big box news agencies that give excellent coverage of Iraq, celebrity sex scandals, and the day to day occurrences of our awesome government that is in no way corrupt will also continue to bring you the exact same information on illegal arms smuggling into Mexico as they did last year, all from the comfort of Washington. I mean, there's absolutely nothing that could be gained by sending investigative journalists to Mexico to find out where the cartels are getting the explosives to make IEDs or .50 caliber Browning Heavy Machine Guns. Why do that when they can count on the expert advise from such prominent places such as the Brady Campaign, which has a crack team of, like, a dozen people that have knowledge of such things because the person the group was named after was shot with a .22.
Those who have not been shot have no authority on this subject, so CNN does not need to consult with anyone else.
President Obama on Tuesday vowed to invest the resources. . .blah blah blah. . ."We are going to continue to monitor the situation". . .blah blah. . .praised the efforts of Mexican President Felipe Calderon to counter drug cartels. . .blah blah, blah blah blah, blah blah. . . illegal guns and cash do not flow from north of the Rio Grande to the cartels in Mexico.Wait, WHAT!!!
Relax, I took that out of context. That's what they should be saying, or at least doing cursory research into where machine guns, mortars, M72 LAWs, or hand grenades are coming from, but that's not going to happen.
The same big box news agencies that give excellent coverage of Iraq, celebrity sex scandals, and the day to day occurrences of our awesome government that is in no way corrupt will also continue to bring you the exact same information on illegal arms smuggling into Mexico as they did last year, all from the comfort of Washington. I mean, there's absolutely nothing that could be gained by sending investigative journalists to Mexico to find out where the cartels are getting the explosives to make IEDs or .50 caliber Browning Heavy Machine Guns. Why do that when they can count on the expert advise from such prominent places such as the Brady Campaign, which has a crack team of, like, a dozen people that have knowledge of such things because the person the group was named after was shot with a .22.
Those who have not been shot have no authority on this subject, so CNN does not need to consult with anyone else.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
The one sided fight
Hello?!?!? Is there one single solitary journalist who gives one teeny tiny little shit about doing a balanced gun related post?
Associated Press Writer SUZANNE GAMBOA sure doesn't bother. She decides to drum up the tired "US gun shows are supplying guns to Mexico" canard, all the while skewing the facts and overall just writing on one side of the argument.
The caption on the page shows six hand grenades, six rockets, a M72 LAW, and at least one Short Barreled Rifle; none of these are purchased at gunshows without six months of paperwork, and that lying punk Tom Diaz sure as hell can't register any of those in DC. These are real military weapons that so far the media could care less about finding the source of. That would require not only work, but possibly an unbiased opinion; and let's face it, journalists don't really want to risk life and limb discovering that machine guns and RPGs are actually coming from the corrupt Mexican government when it's way easier to just blame it on US firearm laws. Click on the caption to see 40mm grenades, silencers and other such things that are difficult or impossible to get here.
That should be all it takes to discredit this piece, but I will go further because the sixty freaking seconds that it takes to show that Tom Diaz is a liar is just too much for "authorized journalists."
Tom Diaz states that he bought a .50 caliber rifle and had it registered in DC:
There was no mention whatsoever of the discussion on military weapons that went down last week during the Senate Judiciary Committee "Law Enforcement Responses to Mexican Drug Cartels." That's because it refutes a lot of the garbage that we have been hearing about the cartels and their sources for weapon acquisition.
I could go further than that but to tell you the truth I don't care. This is the bullshit that passes as journalism these days. It's a good thing we have "pushy" bloggers to point out all of these biased lies so they don't go unanswered.
Associated Press Writer SUZANNE GAMBOA sure doesn't bother. She decides to drum up the tired "US gun shows are supplying guns to Mexico" canard, all the while skewing the facts and overall just writing on one side of the argument.
The caption on the page shows six hand grenades, six rockets, a M72 LAW, and at least one Short Barreled Rifle; none of these are purchased at gunshows without six months of paperwork, and that lying punk Tom Diaz sure as hell can't register any of those in DC. These are real military weapons that so far the media could care less about finding the source of. That would require not only work, but possibly an unbiased opinion; and let's face it, journalists don't really want to risk life and limb discovering that machine guns and RPGs are actually coming from the corrupt Mexican government when it's way easier to just blame it on US firearm laws. Click on the caption to see 40mm grenades, silencers and other such things that are difficult or impossible to get here.
That should be all it takes to discredit this piece, but I will go further because the sixty freaking seconds that it takes to show that Tom Diaz is a liar is just too much for "authorized journalists."
Tom Diaz states that he bought a .50 caliber rifle and had it registered in DC:
You can see a picture of it here (picture 38). There's one problem with that: .50 BMG rifles are not authorized for registration, and thus ownership, in DC. I mean, Armalite is not even on the list. So Tom Diaz is a bald faced liar.Tom Diaz, an analyst at the Violence Policy Center, a gun control group, said cartels use military-style weapons such as the Armalite AR-50, a .50-caliber sniper rifle.
He brought one to a recent congressional hearing — with the help of two police officers — and said he found the weapon on the Internet, bought it for $3,200 from a Maryland "kitchen table" dealer and had it registered in the District of Columbia, all in about six hours.
There was no mention whatsoever of the discussion on military weapons that went down last week during the Senate Judiciary Committee "Law Enforcement Responses to Mexican Drug Cartels." That's because it refutes a lot of the garbage that we have been hearing about the cartels and their sources for weapon acquisition.
I could go further than that but to tell you the truth I don't care. This is the bullshit that passes as journalism these days. It's a good thing we have "pushy" bloggers to point out all of these biased lies so they don't go unanswered.
Monday, March 23, 2009
No sir, no bias here
The "Tea Party" protests have been a huge success, but you wouldn't know it from watching the news.
Tea Party in DC? Not the first bit of coverage by NBC4 Washington. Anti-war protest in DC? Don't worry, they're all over it.
This is why bloggers are so damn pushy these days.
Tea Party in DC? Not the first bit of coverage by NBC4 Washington. Anti-war protest in DC? Don't worry, they're all over it.
This is why bloggers are so damn pushy these days.
Pushy?
That's what Christopher Elliot, author of this CNN article, calls consumers who blog about their shopping experiences.
So what the hell is the difference between a consumer remarking about a shopping experience online or to their friends and family? I suppose that would make me "pushy" for blogging about the Bass Pro Shops deboggle here in Virginia.
It's plain to see that mainstream news doesn't care for bloggers anyways, but that's because us pushy bastards are doing all the heavy lifting these days.
So what the hell is the difference between a consumer remarking about a shopping experience online or to their friends and family? I suppose that would make me "pushy" for blogging about the Bass Pro Shops deboggle here in Virginia.
It's plain to see that mainstream news doesn't care for bloggers anyways, but that's because us pushy bastards are doing all the heavy lifting these days.
Movie Guns status
I've been trying to get one out for a couple of weeks now, but my home PC has been all jacked up. When I would try to crop or paste an image I would get an error message and the whole thing would crash. Now the problem seems to have corrected itself, so I worked on a new post this weekend. I should have all the images captured this evening, and I will try to get it out this week.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Pro gun angst
DC Mayor Adrian Fenty and windbag Eleanor Holmes Norton bicker over losing their unconstitutional hold on gun rights in order to get an unconstitutional House seat for DC.
Best line:
These idiots can not pick and chose which rights they think should be subject to meddling and which rights are steadfast and un-changeable.
Best line:
Norton said in a statement. "Perhaps the Mayor has not had time to read the bill, but I have repeatedly emphasized orally and in my written statements that the bill usurps entirely all D.C. mayoral and council jurisdiction over D.C. gun legislation in the future and gives the District’s jurisdiction over guns exclusively to the Congress of the United States, where the NRA has had no trouble maintaining a majority."Compare and contrast to my spin:
Norton said in a statement. "Perhaps the Mayor has not had time to read the bill, but I have repeatedly emphasized orally and in my written statements that the bill usurps entirely all D.C. mayoral and council jurisdiction over D.C. abortion legislation in the future and gives the District’s jurisdiction over abortion exclusively to the Congress of the United States, where the NARAL has had no trouble maintaining a majority."One right is specifically enumerated in the founding document of US law, reaffirmed by the Supreme Court, but subject to the interpretations of politicians; the other right is manufactured of whole cloth by the Supreme Court but is unconditionally protected by the same politicians because it is US law.
These idiots can not pick and chose which rights they think should be subject to meddling and which rights are steadfast and un-changeable.
Bow negligence
A New York man fires his bow at a fence, but the arrow didn't stop in the wood. Instead it kept traveling into a neighbors yard and stopped in a woman's abdomen.
Yeah, ouch.
There are several glaring issues in this article, the first of which is that the man is charged with criminal possession of a weapon.
Is bow ownership frowned upon in New York too? Do you have to have a bow license or something? It wouldn't surprise me in the least considering the lunacy of the politicians that run that state.
Second, does an arrow become deadly when it reaches thirty inches in length? It's like Associated Press Writer COLLEEN LONG is trying to overstate the deadliness of the arrow. I mean, it's common sense that people shouldn't have access to arrows of that size. Why does anyone need a full thirty inches? How about twelve?
Third, the offending arrow is made of carbon and aluminum, which should definitely be illegal, except to say that his were only capable of going 300 yards. I heard somewhere that carbon arrows were only designed to kill, and that they may be capable of piercing a 'bulletproof' vest. Aluminum arrows can easily penetrate a car door, so it would have no problem penetrating an engine block. With this breakthrough technology combining the two materials, that arrow should easily be able to punch through light armor, so let's give it a proper label, something along the lines of "anti-armor" or "anti-material" (It must be able to puncture fabric).
Such devices are uncivilized.
Yeah, ouch.
There are several glaring issues in this article, the first of which is that the man is charged with criminal possession of a weapon.
Is bow ownership frowned upon in New York too? Do you have to have a bow license or something? It wouldn't surprise me in the least considering the lunacy of the politicians that run that state.
Second, does an arrow become deadly when it reaches thirty inches in length? It's like Associated Press Writer COLLEEN LONG is trying to overstate the deadliness of the arrow. I mean, it's common sense that people shouldn't have access to arrows of that size. Why does anyone need a full thirty inches? How about twelve?
Third, the offending arrow is made of carbon and aluminum, which should definitely be illegal, except to say that his were only capable of going 300 yards. I heard somewhere that carbon arrows were only designed to kill, and that they may be capable of piercing a 'bulletproof' vest. Aluminum arrows can easily penetrate a car door, so it would have no problem penetrating an engine block. With this breakthrough technology combining the two materials, that arrow should easily be able to punch through light armor, so let's give it a proper label, something along the lines of "anti-armor" or "anti-material" (It must be able to puncture fabric).
Such devices are uncivilized.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Can I see your "special privates?"
More brilliance from DC Mayor Adrian Fenty - during President Obama's inauguration, the DC mayor granted Police Chief Cathy Lanier the powers to appoint "special privates" that shall "possess all the powers and privileges and perform all the duties of the privates of the standing police force of the District."
Don't worry your pretty little heads over this; it doesn't mean that mere citizens can finally protect themselves and their communities, it was only meant to allow cops that were not from DC to provide security for the inauguration.
Don't worry your pretty little heads over this; it doesn't mean that mere citizens can finally protect themselves and their communities, it was only meant to allow cops that were not from DC to provide security for the inauguration.
Brilliant crime fighting anti-gang initiative in DC!
DC Mayor Adrian Fenty and DC Police Chief Cathy Lanier have come up with an awesome way to fight gangs on the streets: ban them!
How smart is that!! This whole time the solution to gang violence has been right under their noses. Fortunately, this will have no impact whatsoever on freedom of assembly, and citizens can rest assured that DC Police will not use this new law to harass people for "certain behaviors in certain areas" because DC courts will still continue with the revolving door type justice! Even if you lose, you win!
What could go wrong?
How smart is that!! This whole time the solution to gang violence has been right under their noses. Fortunately, this will have no impact whatsoever on freedom of assembly, and citizens can rest assured that DC Police will not use this new law to harass people for "certain behaviors in certain areas" because DC courts will still continue with the revolving door type justice! Even if you lose, you win!
What could go wrong?
The UK saving itself one advertisement ban at a time
And it's a good thing too! The sight of Angelina Jolie firing a pistol is just too much for teenage boys to handle. I know that I want to go out and purchase a new firearm after seeing them in movies.
And then we have this:
I do note that the UK has always had a lower homicide rate than the US, but Associated Press Writer RAPHAEL G. SATTER would have you believe that the lower rate is because of silly shit like the banning of a movie ad. Funny he didn't mention the fact that homicides committed with firearms in the UK doubled after they took everyone's guns away.
Weird.
And then we have this:
I guess censorship does work!The ruling underlined Britain's sensitivity to gun crime.
There were 59 firearm-related homicides in England and Wales in 2006-2007, compared to the more than 10,000 gun-related killings reported by the FBI in the United States in 2007.
I do note that the UK has always had a lower homicide rate than the US, but Associated Press Writer RAPHAEL G. SATTER would have you believe that the lower rate is because of silly shit like the banning of a movie ad. Funny he didn't mention the fact that homicides committed with firearms in the UK doubled after they took everyone's guns away.
Weird.
Some in Congress are listening
Sixty five House Democrats publicly oppose a new "assault thingy" ban by letting the AG know in a letter. I suspect that there would be more if push came to shove.
Good.
This opposition is after Montana's Democratic Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester wrote in opposition to a new ban and persuaded DoD to reverse it's policy change on scrapping military brass.
Good.
This opposition is after Montana's Democratic Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester wrote in opposition to a new ban and persuaded DoD to reverse it's policy change on scrapping military brass.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
In more ways than one
Joshua Rhett Miller says to "Get ready for a gunfight" in his FOX News article today regarding US Attorney General Eric Holder's recent comments on the reinstatement of the "assault weapons ban", but I don't think he realizes that he may be closer to the mark than he thinks.
The article itself isn't half bad, but I can't shake the notion that his "gunfight" statement was either an attempt at causing fear, a failed attempt at humor, or just downright ignorance as to the folks who are just bristling with militancy toward such a ban.
The article itself isn't half bad, but I can't shake the notion that his "gunfight" statement was either an attempt at causing fear, a failed attempt at humor, or just downright ignorance as to the folks who are just bristling with militancy toward such a ban.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
A great way to cut military recruitment in half
By making it impossible for them to receive health insurance when they leave active service.
Why is it that the majority of Democrats can't stand the military?
Update: Here's more on this issue. It seems that the Obama administration could care less about the US government's stated obligation to take care of Veterans who have service related injuries or illnesses. The US government's responsibility to providing medical care for service is a vital part of an enlistment contract, and this will surely cause hangups in recruiting despite the increase in VA funding.
On the other hand, the problems within the deplorable medical insurance for those on active service - known as Tricare - isn't very well known. You would think that those who enlist would ask about that, but they never seem to.
Why is it that the majority of Democrats can't stand the military?
Update: Here's more on this issue. It seems that the Obama administration could care less about the US government's stated obligation to take care of Veterans who have service related injuries or illnesses. The US government's responsibility to providing medical care for service is a vital part of an enlistment contract, and this will surely cause hangups in recruiting despite the increase in VA funding.
On the other hand, the problems within the deplorable medical insurance for those on active service - known as Tricare - isn't very well known. You would think that those who enlist would ask about that, but they never seem to.
911 doesn't always give you the response you want
. . .like when a lunatic holds everyone hostage for a half an hour while police wait outside.
And I'm not holding my breath on the make and model of "assault-style weapon" thingy that he allegedly used; no doubt when it turns out to be a High Point carbine or an SKS we will hear about how they became legal to own when the "assault weapon ban" was allowed to expire by none other than George Bush.
On the other hand, at least the hostages survived. Things didn't turn out quite so well for these hostages, and that's after 911 was summoned.
And I'm not holding my breath on the make and model of "assault-style weapon" thingy that he allegedly used; no doubt when it turns out to be a High Point carbine or an SKS we will hear about how they became legal to own when the "assault weapon ban" was allowed to expire by none other than George Bush.
On the other hand, at least the hostages survived. Things didn't turn out quite so well for these hostages, and that's after 911 was summoned.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Just what Germany needs
More gun control to fix everything.
"We will get it right this time!! Trust us!!"
And who would have thought that bondage porn could make someone so damned violent?
"We will get it right this time!! Trust us!!"
And who would have thought that bondage porn could make someone so damned violent?
When shotguns go buck wild
The FBI said Montowski told them that Lanum handed her the shotgun and asked her to kill him, but she refused. The affidavit says Lanum pointed the gun at police, his finger on the trigger, and refused commands to drop the weapon. A trooper fired through the driver's side window, Lanum's shotgun discharged, and police fired several times.Freaking vigilante shotguns that discharge all the freaking time!! If they're so daggone out of control then we need to extend the Lautenberg Amendment to cover them; you wouldn't want violent shotguns to get access to firearms, now would you?
The power of the internet
It seems that the Mexican drug cartels are now using the "Internet Loophole" (my term) to order .50 sniper rifles.
Sheesh. If it was only that easy.
Sheesh. If it was only that easy.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Vetting Wikipedia
Those of you who stop by Legion's Fate every now and then know that I have taken personal issue with the claims made by the mainstream media regarding the flow of weapons from the US into Mexico.
Now I'm sure that the cartels in Mexico are acquiring semi-auto rifles from the US in some amount, but the claims of every media outlet, as well as the ATF (who are driving the media's claims) border on the absurd. The story goes that these cartels are sneaking across the border into the US and paying soccer moms $100 to straw purchase full auto AK-47s, RPGs, M60s, .50 caliber M2 Heavy Machine Guns and smuggle them into Mexico. Those of us who are knowledgeable in the US firearms market and US firearms law know that this is patently untrue.
My investigations have led me to believe that this whole fiasco is the result of one tall tale telling ATF Special Agent who has led a retarded media to the cool waters of ignorance to drink.
My argument is that the cartels may be buying semi auto AK and AR copies from the US to some extent, but that the bulk of the weapons are coming from South American countries who have as standard issue all of the weapons that the ATF and Mexican government says the cartels are using, or the Mexican government itself. I'm sorry, but these weapons are just not available in sufficient quantity in the US to outfit an army of 100, much less the army of 100,000 that the cartels are known to have. They are, however, readily available from foreign countries for prices a fraction of the cost lower than that here in the states, and many of these failed socialist foreign countries wouldn't hesitate for a second to sell a truckload of grenades to some druglord.
But CTone, what the hell does any of this have to do with Wikipedia? I'm glad you asked.
I'm an advocate of Wikipedia. While you can't take anything said there as the absolute truth unless you check a secondary source, it does provide a handy base of information to start a search. Since anyone can change any article, there are sometimes crazy things posted (like what happened with the Chuck Norris page), but it does give those who are knowledgeable a means to make the information correct.
So there I was, this past Monday, reading through one of the many fraudulent stories about soccer moms buying RPGs at gunshows when I happened upon the Wikipedia entry for the Mexican Drug War. Seeing that the article lacked a great deal of fact, I created an account and proceeded to edit the page, adding a few legitimate references to round things off. Two days later the information I had added was removed by what I can only determine as a moderator of some sort named BatteryIncluded, who you may notice is knowledgeable in Viking Biological Experiments, Mars Science Laboratory, and Paragliding, but not Small Arms. It is also apparent that he (or she) is not knowledgeable in economics either, and neither am I for that matter, but I digress. As I am just learning the voodoo that is Wikipedia editing and don't want to step on any toes, I find my way into the discussion tab under the entry and proceeded to make my case.
I was informed that my argument on the price and availability of select fire AK-47s and RPGs and such was "interesting," but that I had not "[brought] forth any references," (which I quickly provided) and then I was provided dissent to my argument with exactly one link to a news report written in Spanish. I translated the linked page to English and showed that it reaffirmed my point, and I provided more information with references.
Boy, open forums for the exchange of ideas sure are great, huh!?!?
Not so much.
I was rewarded for all of my work with "The published reports by the FBI, ATF and DEA disgree with your opinion."
That's it. No linkage, no reference, not even a single solitary quote from a discredited ATF agent.
Now how is a website like Wikipedia supposed to keep any hope of correctness if the other person doesn't even bother to read the information provided? How do I know that my information wasn't read? Because when I noted that US regulations like the NFA, GCA, and FOPA kept prices of select fire AK-47s high, and also made them rare, BatteryIncluded responded to my point with:
I have provided a substantial rebuttal of facts, complete with legitimate and respected references, that is totally void of Spanish and not written by some idiot reporter late on a Friday afternoon, but I am asking my readership to take a stroll over there and provide some facts of your own.
This issue is important as it has a political impact on public opinion and US firearms law, and Wikipedia is used worldwide, and it would be a shame to let truthful information get trumped by media hysteria.
If anything, do it for the children!
Update: It seems he had a change of heart. I'm pulling together my sources to come up with something closer to the truth.
Maybe Wikipedia is not so bad after all.
Now I'm sure that the cartels in Mexico are acquiring semi-auto rifles from the US in some amount, but the claims of every media outlet, as well as the ATF (who are driving the media's claims) border on the absurd. The story goes that these cartels are sneaking across the border into the US and paying soccer moms $100 to straw purchase full auto AK-47s, RPGs, M60s, .50 caliber M2 Heavy Machine Guns and smuggle them into Mexico. Those of us who are knowledgeable in the US firearms market and US firearms law know that this is patently untrue.
My investigations have led me to believe that this whole fiasco is the result of one tall tale telling ATF Special Agent who has led a retarded media to the cool waters of ignorance to drink.
My argument is that the cartels may be buying semi auto AK and AR copies from the US to some extent, but that the bulk of the weapons are coming from South American countries who have as standard issue all of the weapons that the ATF and Mexican government says the cartels are using, or the Mexican government itself. I'm sorry, but these weapons are just not available in sufficient quantity in the US to outfit an army of 100, much less the army of 100,000 that the cartels are known to have. They are, however, readily available from foreign countries for prices a fraction of the cost lower than that here in the states, and many of these failed socialist foreign countries wouldn't hesitate for a second to sell a truckload of grenades to some druglord.
But CTone, what the hell does any of this have to do with Wikipedia? I'm glad you asked.
I'm an advocate of Wikipedia. While you can't take anything said there as the absolute truth unless you check a secondary source, it does provide a handy base of information to start a search. Since anyone can change any article, there are sometimes crazy things posted (like what happened with the Chuck Norris page), but it does give those who are knowledgeable a means to make the information correct.
So there I was, this past Monday, reading through one of the many fraudulent stories about soccer moms buying RPGs at gunshows when I happened upon the Wikipedia entry for the Mexican Drug War. Seeing that the article lacked a great deal of fact, I created an account and proceeded to edit the page, adding a few legitimate references to round things off. Two days later the information I had added was removed by what I can only determine as a moderator of some sort named BatteryIncluded, who you may notice is knowledgeable in Viking Biological Experiments, Mars Science Laboratory, and Paragliding, but not Small Arms. It is also apparent that he (or she) is not knowledgeable in economics either, and neither am I for that matter, but I digress. As I am just learning the voodoo that is Wikipedia editing and don't want to step on any toes, I find my way into the discussion tab under the entry and proceeded to make my case.
I was informed that my argument on the price and availability of select fire AK-47s and RPGs and such was "interesting," but that I had not "[brought] forth any references," (which I quickly provided) and then I was provided dissent to my argument with exactly one link to a news report written in Spanish. I translated the linked page to English and showed that it reaffirmed my point, and I provided more information with references.
Boy, open forums for the exchange of ideas sure are great, huh!?!?
Not so much.
I was rewarded for all of my work with "The published reports by the FBI, ATF and DEA disgree with your opinion."
That's it. No linkage, no reference, not even a single solitary quote from a discredited ATF agent.
Now how is a website like Wikipedia supposed to keep any hope of correctness if the other person doesn't even bother to read the information provided? How do I know that my information wasn't read? Because when I noted that US regulations like the NFA, GCA, and FOPA kept prices of select fire AK-47s high, and also made them rare, BatteryIncluded responded to my point with:
"PS: due to its durability, low production cost and ease of use, the AK-47 remains the most widely used assault rifle in the world - so much so that more AK-type rifles have been produced than all other assault rifles combined. (Reference: AK-47). So much for your expensive and rare asumption."The obvious problem in this statement is that US firearms regulations have absolutely nothing to do with production costs of foreign made weapons that were last imported into the US in 1968, but have everything to do with supply. The less supply, the more the demand, and the higher the cost, but BatteryIncluded would know all of this because I had already said it twice; he or she just didn't bother to read it (we wouldn't want something as trivial as fact to interfere with someone's opinion, now would we?)
I have provided a substantial rebuttal of facts, complete with legitimate and respected references, that is totally void of Spanish and not written by some idiot reporter late on a Friday afternoon, but I am asking my readership to take a stroll over there and provide some facts of your own.
This issue is important as it has a political impact on public opinion and US firearms law, and Wikipedia is used worldwide, and it would be a shame to let truthful information get trumped by media hysteria.
If anything, do it for the children!
Update: It seems he had a change of heart. I'm pulling together my sources to come up with something closer to the truth.
Maybe Wikipedia is not so bad after all.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Your definition of "arsenal" may vary
The arsenal in accused gunman Terry Sedlacek's room included two 12-gauge shotguns, a rifle and a box of 550 .22-caliber bullets, according to court documents filed Tuesday.This ridiculous statement brought to you by the Associated Press!
So three longarms is an arsenal, huh? And I guess this answers all of our questions as to whether the media will make someone out to be a terrorist gun nut for the possession of a box of .22 rimfire.
Why this holds any weight with the story of the gunman who killed a pastor in an Illinois church with a single pistol is anyone's guess. I do note that the gunman's three magazines all held only ten rounds each, showing that the "people shouldn't have high capacity magazines" argument is pretty stupid. Also of note is that Sedlacek's GLOCK pistol jammed, and that he had the audacity to carry out his attack without the proper Firearms Owners Identification Card.
Spree shooter in Alabama
In the news this morning is the story of the gunman who killed nine people yesterday in Samson, Alabama.
The reporter is saying that he had an automatic weapon, which is very unlikely, but if I were to take a guess I would say it was a semi auto type rifle like an SKS or a High Point carbine. One of the victims said that the rifle jammed at one point. Either way, the gunman fired a bunch of rounds out of the window of his car, and eventually chose to end his own pathetic life instead of being gunned down by the police.
There is another report right now of a school shooter in Germany who killed eleven kids in a high school yesterday. Unfortunately, he didn't end his own life, so police are still looking for him.
Why these people can't decide to quietly end their own lives out in the woods somewhere is the question of the day.
Update: CNN is claiming that eleven are dead in the Alabama shooting, including the gunman, and that he used a "semiautomatic weapon," but then they say "He fired a 30-round burst with what appeared to be an M16 rifle, grazing Police Chief Frankie Lindsey with a bullet." A 30 round burst would be from an automatic rifle, not a semiautomatic.
Update: ABC news reports that the gunman shot the Geneva Police Chief, but that the Chief's vest stopped the bullet. The reason I point that out is that either the Chief was wearing the ceramic rifle plates that are standard issue for the US military, or the round hit something first which caused the bullet to fragment. The .223 Remington cartridge will easily puncture a standard kevlar police vest as they are only designed to stop standard handgun cartridges, but that does not mean that the gunman was using "armor piercing bullets."
Update: CNN is reporting that the gunman in Germany was killed by police. Good.
Update: I might have missed it from the above linked articles, but the Alabama gunman's name was Michael McLendon.
Update: McLendon had a Bushmaster AR and a Russian SKS, but there seems to be some confusion as to their rate of fire:
The reporter is saying that he had an automatic weapon, which is very unlikely, but if I were to take a guess I would say it was a semi auto type rifle like an SKS or a High Point carbine. One of the victims said that the rifle jammed at one point. Either way, the gunman fired a bunch of rounds out of the window of his car, and eventually chose to end his own pathetic life instead of being gunned down by the police.
There is another report right now of a school shooter in Germany who killed eleven kids in a high school yesterday. Unfortunately, he didn't end his own life, so police are still looking for him.
Why these people can't decide to quietly end their own lives out in the woods somewhere is the question of the day.
Update: CNN is claiming that eleven are dead in the Alabama shooting, including the gunman, and that he used a "semiautomatic weapon," but then they say "He fired a 30-round burst with what appeared to be an M16 rifle, grazing Police Chief Frankie Lindsey with a bullet." A 30 round burst would be from an automatic rifle, not a semiautomatic.
Update: ABC news reports that the gunman shot the Geneva Police Chief, but that the Chief's vest stopped the bullet. The reason I point that out is that either the Chief was wearing the ceramic rifle plates that are standard issue for the US military, or the round hit something first which caused the bullet to fragment. The .223 Remington cartridge will easily puncture a standard kevlar police vest as they are only designed to stop standard handgun cartridges, but that does not mean that the gunman was using "armor piercing bullets."
Update: CNN is reporting that the gunman in Germany was killed by police. Good.
Update: I might have missed it from the above linked articles, but the Alabama gunman's name was Michael McLendon.
Update: McLendon had a Bushmaster AR and a Russian SKS, but there seems to be some confusion as to their rate of fire:
Actually, they're not all that high powered, not when you compare them to the average hunting rifle that country bumpkins across the nation use. Powerful enough, I guess. Neither the SKS nor the Bushmaster come in full auto, and do not constitute an "assault weapon" by any standard. It's possible that McLendon could have modified them to fire on automatic, but that is unlikely unless he had access to a machine shop and possessed the know how."He opened up on us with an AK-47," said Geneva Police Chief Frankie Lindsey, who was wounded in the shoulder. "That's what it looked like. It could have been an M-16, but it was an assault rifle, automatic. And he burst about 15 to 18 rounds on our vehicle, all at once."
****
It was later determined that McLendon was armed with two high powered assault rifles, a Soviet-made SKS and a Bushmaster. He also had at least one . 38 caliber pistol, police said. He fired more than 200 rounds, police said at a news conference today.
Monday, March 9, 2009
More on citizen violence
It seems that Maryland do-gooders have no fear in apprehending bank robbers as long as the robber is unarmed.
Now, what would the outcome have been if the robber had a gun? No such citizen bravery would have been seen. And what would have been the outcome if the robber was armed, but so were the citizens? I would imagine that, considering that this story is coming from NBC4 in Washington, that the author would be castigating the same citizens for being "vigilantes."
Tell me I'm wrong.
Now, what would the outcome have been if the robber had a gun? No such citizen bravery would have been seen. And what would have been the outcome if the robber was armed, but so were the citizens? I would imagine that, considering that this story is coming from NBC4 in Washington, that the author would be castigating the same citizens for being "vigilantes."
Tell me I'm wrong.
Upstanding citizen shoots masked mugger in DC
If by upstanding citizen you mean someone who has been proven to be upstanding by having a badge, because in DC it takes a special kind of citizen to be able to slay a Slay. (love that pun!!)
They should have called it "Take Back the Night"
Because holding peace rallies under any other name is not only going to be ineffective, it's going to result in violence.
Virginia the nanny state
Thanks to that prick Tim Kaine, my state is about to get a dose of bannitfurthechildren. Just what this state needs!
What if the gun didn't jam?
The gunman strode toward the Rev. Fred Winters shortly after 8 a.m. Sunday in the church, exchanged words with him, then fired a .45-caliber semiautomatic pistol until it jammed. Churchgoers then wrestled him to the ground as he brandished a knife, Trent said.So the churchgoers used violence to apprehend the gunman, but only after the pistol jammed. Do you think they would have been able to stop him if the man's gun didn't jam? What would have been the reaction of the churchgoers then?
Two worshippers tackled the gunman as he pulled the knife, and all three were stabbed — the gunman suffered "a pretty serious wound to the neck" while one worshipper had lower back wounds, Trent said.
Churchgoers knocked the gunman between sets of pews, then held him down until police arrived, said member Don Bohley, who was just outside the sanctuary when the shooting began.
Protective violence from good people stopped the predatory violence. I wonder what kind of small protective device would have allowed any one of those churchgoers to stop the attack immediately?
Friday, March 6, 2009
Armed Israeli cabbie stopps terrorist
Hot Air covers this report of a bulldozer attack by a Palestinian terrorist that was stopped by shots fired from a cab driver, with the fatal shots coming from a police officer.
Update on the California courtroom stabbing
From my post yesterday, the guy who stabbed a judge in a courtroom had a six inch knife that he made while in prison, and it looks like he smuggled it in inside of a knee brace.
There's a ton of stupidity going on here as there's questions of "how he got the knife," as well as a boatload of blame going everywhere but where it really should go: on those responsible for searching his murderous ass before he got to the courtroom. One spokesman from the Sheriff's Dept. actually blames the law for the incident.
First, it's pretty obvious from the pictures that he didn't "get" the knife; he made it with his own hands. I guess someone else could have made it for him, but he certainly didn't have it smuggled in by some guard who bought it from Gander Mountain.
Second, why the knee brace wasn't properly searched for a weapon is a good question. The guy was on trial for murder, so you would think that the officer(s) searching him would be thorough.
Third, and the point that I made yesterday, is that even in the most controlled environments, with armed police presence just a few feet away, and with an attacker already in restraints, an attacker is still able to cause severe harm or death to someone. It only takes seconds.
The idea of a sterile, 'safe', "Gun Free," "Drug Free" environment is fantasy even under the best conditions, so expecting schools, stores, office buildings, or hospitals - which have no armed cops a few feet away, no controlled searches of those entering, no restraints - don't have a chance in hell of stopping someone from doing harm by putting up signs or making violence illegal. It will not stop an attack.
Do you think this had any impact whatsoever on Paradiso:
Do you think it would stop a crazy gunman at the door of your nearest Wal-Mart?
There's a ton of stupidity going on here as there's questions of "how he got the knife," as well as a boatload of blame going everywhere but where it really should go: on those responsible for searching his murderous ass before he got to the courtroom. One spokesman from the Sheriff's Dept. actually blames the law for the incident.
First, it's pretty obvious from the pictures that he didn't "get" the knife; he made it with his own hands. I guess someone else could have made it for him, but he certainly didn't have it smuggled in by some guard who bought it from Gander Mountain.
Second, why the knee brace wasn't properly searched for a weapon is a good question. The guy was on trial for murder, so you would think that the officer(s) searching him would be thorough.
Third, and the point that I made yesterday, is that even in the most controlled environments, with armed police presence just a few feet away, and with an attacker already in restraints, an attacker is still able to cause severe harm or death to someone. It only takes seconds.
The idea of a sterile, 'safe', "Gun Free," "Drug Free" environment is fantasy even under the best conditions, so expecting schools, stores, office buildings, or hospitals - which have no armed cops a few feet away, no controlled searches of those entering, no restraints - don't have a chance in hell of stopping someone from doing harm by putting up signs or making violence illegal. It will not stop an attack.
Do you think this had any impact whatsoever on Paradiso:
Do you think it would stop a crazy gunman at the door of your nearest Wal-Mart?
The Terrorizer
Wow, another story of a middle schooler arrested for bringing a gun to school. It's almost as if the signs aren't working.
We're gaining ground
I happened upon this story about how a revolver was found in an Atlanta middle school - I know, impossible, right - and how a search of a suspected youth's home turned up this:
A subsequent search of Busby's home turned up an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle and a Mini-14 assault rifle, as well as 200 rounds of ammunition, Baker said in a statement.So we finally got some traction from the media on getting AR15's off of the stupid "assault thingy" bandwagon, but it looks as though the Ruger Mini-14 is still hung up under the bus.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Mexico is "lying through it's teeth" on US firearms trafficking
Seen at Clayton Cramer's Blog, CNN's Lou Dobbs and Bill Tucker say that Mexico may claim that US weapons are flowing across the border to feed the drug cartels, but they don't provide any serial numbers for the weapons confiscated; meaning that the weapons are probably coming from the corrupt Mexican government or elseware.
That truth would be an embarrassment to Mexico, for sure, and is probably why they failed to mention it.
Note that this is the first time that any news source has brought this to light, thus reaffirming what I've been saying all along.
(Found at Snowflakes in Hell)
That truth would be an embarrassment to Mexico, for sure, and is probably why they failed to mention it.
Note that this is the first time that any news source has brought this to light, thus reaffirming what I've been saying all along.
(Found at Snowflakes in Hell)
A dangerous problem
I've posted about similar attacks over and over again, and I still say don't let police into your house without a warrant.
In this particular attack, the police imposters forced their way into the home and spent twenty minutes robbing everyone at gunpoint. My thoughts on this are that if police are supposed to have a warrant to come breaking into your home, and if you are the kind of person who has nothing illegal in your home, or have done nothing to cause police to break down your door, then it is reasonable to treat anyone who breaks down your door as a deadly threat, regardless if they are in a uniform or not. Where I see a potential problem for the non-criminal home owner, like myself, is that it's not that uncommon for real cops to come busting into your home by accident or negligence.
The question then would be how would you be treated if you gunned down a state, local, or federal police officer that mistakenly picked your house and came smashing through your door?
The Ryan Frederick case doesn't quite fit the scenario because the Chesapeake PD smashed into the house stated on the warrant, but if the Cory Maye case is any indicator, it doesn't look good. It's definitely not fair for the homeowner to have to make the choice between either protecting his or her family from what could be a predator in a police uniform or going to prison because the law doesn't allow a cop to be killed regardless if they made a mistake.
In this particular attack, the police imposters forced their way into the home and spent twenty minutes robbing everyone at gunpoint. My thoughts on this are that if police are supposed to have a warrant to come breaking into your home, and if you are the kind of person who has nothing illegal in your home, or have done nothing to cause police to break down your door, then it is reasonable to treat anyone who breaks down your door as a deadly threat, regardless if they are in a uniform or not. Where I see a potential problem for the non-criminal home owner, like myself, is that it's not that uncommon for real cops to come busting into your home by accident or negligence.
The question then would be how would you be treated if you gunned down a state, local, or federal police officer that mistakenly picked your house and came smashing through your door?
The Ryan Frederick case doesn't quite fit the scenario because the Chesapeake PD smashed into the house stated on the warrant, but if the Cory Maye case is any indicator, it doesn't look good. It's definitely not fair for the homeowner to have to make the choice between either protecting his or her family from what could be a predator in a police uniform or going to prison because the law doesn't allow a cop to be killed regardless if they made a mistake.
We need to stop the flow of armored vehicles to Mexico
The REAL Iron Pipeline:
Now, for those who think carrying a gun is for the paranoid:
Now for your daily dose of obfuscation:
And here's your daily dose of stupid:
With laws like this, there's no way a drug dealer can get ahold of steel and a welder to make his own armored ride. Besides, if the Mexican drug cartels can just ride around in armored vehicles with impunity, then the Mexican government would be forced to stop selling them those RPGs and M72 LAWS.
Whew! I feel safer now.
The drug violence in Mexico has gotten so bad that booming numbers of Mexican and American professionals are having their cars fitted with armor plates, bulletproof glass and James Bond-style gadgets such as electrified door handles and push-button smokescreens.What could possibly go wrong with electrified door handles and smoke screens? It's not like they would be a danger to kids in parking lots or motorists on the highway. I guess if you have the bucks for all this stuff, than to hell with everyone else's safety.
Now, for those who think carrying a gun is for the paranoid:
"I feel we need to be in a cocoon that is impenetrable," said a businessman who runs factories in Texas and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, and has gotten two Chevrolet Suburbans armored since October 2007.Maybe you should try crawling up inside a US Senator's head. I hear they're pretty impenetrable.
Now for your daily dose of obfuscation:
Customers get not only armor plating but tires that will run when flat and bulletproof glass, which bursts into a spider web pattern but won't break, even when shot with an AR-15 assault rifle, a weapon of choice among drug smugglers.But I thought they were "patrol rifles?" Tomato, tomahto. Whatever, right Michelle Roberts?
Other customers buy a package that will turn a Ford F-150 pickup or SUV into something out of a Batman movie: A button releases a cloud of white smoke for escaping a pursuing car.Or for putting pesky tailgaters into the guardrail.
If the assailant makes it through that, the driver can release spikes to flatten the pursuer's tires.If you haven't already killed all of the occupants of the tailgating vehicle by obscuring the road, then some tire spikes will ensure that the vehicle ends up a flaming wreck burning at the base of the nearest tree.
And finally, if the attacker makes it to the car, electrified door handles can give him a non-lethal jolt.Great for keeping the neighbors kids from stealing your new Chris Isaak CD too!
And here's your daily dose of stupid:
Under a 2004 regulation, U.S. companies need an export license from the Commerce Department to ship a car that has been armored out of the country. The rule is aimed at preventing drug dealers and other criminals from acquiring such vehicles.What a fantastic concept! We should license everything to keep them out of the hands of criminals! I'm glad my tax money pays for the salaries of such brilliant men and women to make such common sense laws on everyone's behalf!
With laws like this, there's no way a drug dealer can get ahold of steel and a welder to make his own armored ride. Besides, if the Mexican drug cartels can just ride around in armored vehicles with impunity, then the Mexican government would be forced to stop selling them those RPGs and M72 LAWS.
Whew! I feel safer now.
"Disposable silencer"
CHICAGO – Marni Yang practiced at a gun range and bought a book titled "How to Make a Disposable Silencer" weeks before killing the pregnant woman she believed had taken her place in the life of a former Chicago Bears player, a prosecutor alleged Wednesday.You mean to tell me that she had the nerve to not pay the $200 tax stamp like everyone else?
Why, there ought to be a law or something.
A look inside a Gun Free Zone
Correct me if I'm wrong, but prisoners are supposed to be unarmed in court rooms, right? The Deputies were even warned by Paradiso's brother.Paradiso's mother, Debra, stood up and started yelling, leading the judge to call a recess. As jurors filed out, Paradiso left the stand and approached the judge from behind "with an unknown cutting instrument," Konecny said.
Karen McConnell, a county spokeswoman, said witnesses reported seeing Paradiso lift the judge and begin punching and possibly stabbing her when bailiffs ran to her aid and shots rang out.
If an animal such as this was armed with a "cutting instrument" in such a controlled environment, then what in the world makes anyone think we can ever disarm someone like him while he is free to roam the streets?
The idea of a "Gun Free Zone," or anything of the sort, it just absurd.
Now, raise your hand if you think Paradiso may have just bought himself another year on his oh-so-tough California sentence?
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Gee, ya think?
How Media Sucks Up to White House
This blatantly obvious piece of electronic fishwrap from NBC New York acknowledges the media's orgasmic frenzy over everything Obama, but waters down the whole thing as being somehow necessary because in order for the media to remain close to an administration, they have to be that way.
That wasn't the case with the Bush administration, now was it?
A better question would be that if the media really is the unbiased government watchdog that it used to be in a past life, then why doesn't it hold an administration accountable for not being open unless good things are said about it?
That whole thing is just a big excuse.
Once their man is no longer in office we will see big media get up off its knees and wipe their chin. Count on it.
This blatantly obvious piece of electronic fishwrap from NBC New York acknowledges the media's orgasmic frenzy over everything Obama, but waters down the whole thing as being somehow necessary because in order for the media to remain close to an administration, they have to be that way.
That wasn't the case with the Bush administration, now was it?
A better question would be that if the media really is the unbiased government watchdog that it used to be in a past life, then why doesn't it hold an administration accountable for not being open unless good things are said about it?
That whole thing is just a big excuse.
Once their man is no longer in office we will see big media get up off its knees and wipe their chin. Count on it.
NBC Washington never lets a shooting go to waste
A Starbucks employee shoots himself in the leg while at work, and NBC News uses this as an opportunity to take a shot at the repeal of DC's unconstitutional gun laws.
And "pops a cap?"
Objective, no?
I've got to tell you guys, that's already been tried, and it failed.
Maybe, just maybe, the guy was carrying a gun because DC is a haven for violent thugs.
And "pops a cap?"
Objective, no?
The barista's motive for carrying the weapon to work is unknown.What they are implying is that because one guy can't obey four simple rules, that the one million+ people that are in a city with a crime rate three times the national average should probably be disarmed.
I've got to tell you guys, that's already been tried, and it failed.
Maybe, just maybe, the guy was carrying a gun because DC is a haven for violent thugs.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
When seconds count. . .
. . .Police are thirty feet away! That didn't seem to stop the shooting:
But everything is OK folks; detectives were able to confirm that there had been a shooting. No doubt the guy bleeding out from the bullet hole in his leg in the parking lot was used to ascertain this undeniable truth. My point is that despite the fact that this went down at a freaking police station, the gunman still managed to shoot the boyfriend, and could have killed both of them afterwords, but instead chose to run off. Only by Motton's mercy did these two survive, and not by the actions of police.
This is not to say that the cops were incompetent, but it does point out that they cannot reliably respond to an immediate threat to your life, no matter how close they are to the attack.
THIBODAUX, La. – A man shot at his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend in the rear parking lot of the Thibodaux Police Department on Saturday night, according to police.And by "shot at . . .her new boyfriend," they really meant to say that Motton's bullets hit him - as in shot.
But everything is OK folks; detectives were able to confirm that there had been a shooting. No doubt the guy bleeding out from the bullet hole in his leg in the parking lot was used to ascertain this undeniable truth. My point is that despite the fact that this went down at a freaking police station, the gunman still managed to shoot the boyfriend, and could have killed both of them afterwords, but instead chose to run off. Only by Motton's mercy did these two survive, and not by the actions of police.
This is not to say that the cops were incompetent, but it does point out that they cannot reliably respond to an immediate threat to your life, no matter how close they are to the attack.
McGruff the Crime Dog takes one on the chin
Very strange:
McGruff, who was actually District officer Tyrone Hardy in costume, was handing out flyers to kids in northwest Washington Saturday when bus driver Shawn Brim, 38, stopped, got out and adjusted his mirrors and then cold-cocked McGruff in the head with a closed fist, according to a police report.
Stupidity will not get you invited to Christmas dinner
Glancing this morning at The Free Lance Star, I noticed this post about two genuine idiots and one curious kid.
I'll let you read the other one on your own. Bottom line is that there are four safety rules for handling firearms:
1)Treat every gun as if it were loaded.
2)Never point a gun at anything you don't intend to shoot.
3)Keep your finger straight and off the trigger until you're ready to fire.
4)Know your target and what is beyond it.
- and two of these simple rules have to be broken at the exact same moment for someone to get hurt or killed. The dad failed this simple lesson, and his son paid the price. Darwinism only works on the idiot(s), and unfortunately a curious kid that tried to do the right thing got hurt.
The other kid should have been taught these simple rules if he were to be left in the house alone with firearms. Maybe a little more instruction on what constitutes a threat would have been nice too, so he doesn't end up going for daddy's pistol because he heard the big bad wind blow outside.
Fortunately, all three are going to be OK.
In the first shooting, which happened about 5:30 p.m., a father was explaining to his son the importance of not handling a loaded weapon, said 1st Sgt. Liz Scott of the Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office, when he accidentally fired the gun.Well, at least the gun didn't do it by "discharging," as what seems to happen when cops negligently shoot someone.
I'll let you read the other one on your own. Bottom line is that there are four safety rules for handling firearms:
1)Treat every gun as if it were loaded.
2)Never point a gun at anything you don't intend to shoot.
3)Keep your finger straight and off the trigger until you're ready to fire.
4)Know your target and what is beyond it.
- and two of these simple rules have to be broken at the exact same moment for someone to get hurt or killed. The dad failed this simple lesson, and his son paid the price. Darwinism only works on the idiot(s), and unfortunately a curious kid that tried to do the right thing got hurt.
The other kid should have been taught these simple rules if he were to be left in the house alone with firearms. Maybe a little more instruction on what constitutes a threat would have been nice too, so he doesn't end up going for daddy's pistol because he heard the big bad wind blow outside.
Fortunately, all three are going to be OK.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Gooey armor
Ace of Spades links to an article at the Telegraph about a gel type substance that hardens when hit at high velocity. The gel, called D3O, will be tested to see if it will stop bullets when integrated into Soldier's helmets.
I'm kicking myself in the ass right now because I thought of this years ago when I was a kid. My parents had bought me one of those Stretch Armstrong figures that are made of something that's probably similar. If you've ever owned one of those things then you know what I'm talking about; you can manipulate the figure and stretch him all day, and he will feel flexible. Punching him, however, would break your hand because the gel stuff inside hardened up.
Even as a kid I though it would make for some pretty cool armor. Too bad I didn't act on it or I could be reaping the big bucks instead of working my ass off.
I'm kicking myself in the ass right now because I thought of this years ago when I was a kid. My parents had bought me one of those Stretch Armstrong figures that are made of something that's probably similar. If you've ever owned one of those things then you know what I'm talking about; you can manipulate the figure and stretch him all day, and he will feel flexible. Punching him, however, would break your hand because the gel stuff inside hardened up.
Even as a kid I though it would make for some pretty cool armor. Too bad I didn't act on it or I could be reaping the big bucks instead of working my ass off.
More on Bass Pro's carry policy
I posted my brother's post at The High Road to let them know of the issue and one commentor, Docgmt, there said that he was disarmed of his concealed piece at the exact same store:
Bass Pro Shops needs to clarify whether they allow open carry and concealed carry. I, for one, won't be shopping there if they don't.
"Bass Pro asked if I was armed as I walked in the door I went to the BPS during the grand opening in Ashland and they stopped me at the door and asked if I had a weapon. I did not lie to them I had a CCW and they locked it up until I was leaving the store. Have not been back since."From what my brother has told me, a Google search turns up plenty of these incidents at Bass Pro Shops. One would imagine that a large store that sells firearms would know the law and not disarm their patrons.
Bass Pro Shops needs to clarify whether they allow open carry and concealed carry. I, for one, won't be shopping there if they don't.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Bass Pro Shops and Open Carry policy, Hunter0811
This is C-tone's brother sharing an experience from this past Friday the 27th.
An update for anyone that shops at Bass Pro Shops concerning their policy on Open Carry. This past Friday I rode over to the Bass Pro in Ashland Virginia, walked through their greeters and 30 yards into the store before an employee followed behind me asking for a permit. I informed her that a permit was not necessary in the Commonwealth of Virginia and that my form of carry was completely legal. It was brought to my attention that no loaded and/or unlocked firearms were permitted in their facility, so I calmly walked back to her check point and unloaded my CW so that she may put a trigger-lock on it. I attempted to honor this policy despite that this makes it impossible to openly carry my firearm anywhere but my hands and that for all intensive purposes, this would scare more customers than a loaded firearm properly secured in a holster. I was thanked for my patience by having the muzzle of my own weapon waved in my face as this poorly instructed employee attempted to lock the trigger of my firearm, at which point I corrected her for this mistake and asked for my firearm back. Once retrieved it was returned to my vehicle, and I went in to purchase what I rode an hour to pick up. This is my last trip to Bass Pro Shops, until such a time as they can rethink their policy and train their employees to do such simple tasks in a safe manner. Their store has the legal right to limit firearms on their property and I honor that despite my personal beliefs. This doesn't excuse dangerous, poorly educated, and poorly trained employees. Also note that their policy isn't properly marked and enforced at the door. I was barely noticed by an employee that was looking for such rights being exercised. I open carry because it is practical and legal for me, not because I need to flaunt or make people uncomfortable. People like this are why it draws so much negative attention. Having had this issue, I have done a basic Google search and found that many others have had these issues at other Bass Pro Shop locations. I don't appreciate this stupidity, but it's something to watch for.
I am also typing up a formal complaint for their management, and will keep you all updated as to how they respond to/handle this.
For all those interested, the store location is 11550 Lakeridge Parkway, Ashland Virginia, 22305.
Hunter0811
Update : I received a response early this morning from the store manager, that reads as follows.
"Seth,
An update for anyone that shops at Bass Pro Shops concerning their policy on Open Carry. This past Friday I rode over to the Bass Pro in Ashland Virginia, walked through their greeters and 30 yards into the store before an employee followed behind me asking for a permit. I informed her that a permit was not necessary in the Commonwealth of Virginia and that my form of carry was completely legal. It was brought to my attention that no loaded and/or unlocked firearms were permitted in their facility, so I calmly walked back to her check point and unloaded my CW so that she may put a trigger-lock on it. I attempted to honor this policy despite that this makes it impossible to openly carry my firearm anywhere but my hands and that for all intensive purposes, this would scare more customers than a loaded firearm properly secured in a holster. I was thanked for my patience by having the muzzle of my own weapon waved in my face as this poorly instructed employee attempted to lock the trigger of my firearm, at which point I corrected her for this mistake and asked for my firearm back. Once retrieved it was returned to my vehicle, and I went in to purchase what I rode an hour to pick up. This is my last trip to Bass Pro Shops, until such a time as they can rethink their policy and train their employees to do such simple tasks in a safe manner. Their store has the legal right to limit firearms on their property and I honor that despite my personal beliefs. This doesn't excuse dangerous, poorly educated, and poorly trained employees. Also note that their policy isn't properly marked and enforced at the door. I was barely noticed by an employee that was looking for such rights being exercised. I open carry because it is practical and legal for me, not because I need to flaunt or make people uncomfortable. People like this are why it draws so much negative attention. Having had this issue, I have done a basic Google search and found that many others have had these issues at other Bass Pro Shop locations. I don't appreciate this stupidity, but it's something to watch for.
I am also typing up a formal complaint for their management, and will keep you all updated as to how they respond to/handle this.
For all those interested, the store location is 11550 Lakeridge Parkway, Ashland Virginia, 22305.
Hunter0811
Update : I received a response early this morning from the store manager, that reads as follows.
"Seth,
I am sorry, that is unacceptable. Can you tell me who it was that stopped you and I will rectify immediately. We have folks coming in here all of the time. You are right. It is your right and my right to carry arms. I will fix.
Thanks,
GB
Greg Bulkley
General Manager
Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World
Hanover County, Virginia"
Notify me if you would like to see the draft sent directly to the manager.
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