Monthly Archives: April 2005

Quote of the day–John Lott

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Doug Weil is wrong to assert that there is a positive relationship between a country’s level of gun ownership and murder or other crimes. Such results are only possible when a very selective set of comparison countries is used. In many countries, such as Finland, New Zealand, Switzerland, and Israel, citizens own guns as frequently as Americans, yet in 1995 Switzerland’s murder rate was 40 percent lower than Germany’s, and New Zealand’s was lower than Australia’s. Finland and Sweden have very similar murder rates but very different gun ownership rates. Israel, with one of the highest gun ownership rates in the world, has a murder rate 40 percent lower than Canada’s. When one studies all countries rather than just a select few, there is no relationship between gun ownership and murder. The televised debate that Weil refers to was sponsored by Handgun Control, they picked the participants, and they insisted that I be the only academic allowed to defend my study at that forum. He apparently forgets about the independent academics who flew to Washington at their own expense to support the integrity of my research. My data set has been made available to academics at 36 universities. No one has had any trouble replicating my results. Anyone who would like to see what Black and Nagin did (e.g., selectively throwing away 86 percent of the sample) should look at the January 1998 Journal of Legal Studies or see my soon to be published book (More Guns, Less Crime).

 John R. Lott, Jr.
 3/27/98
 Referring to an article entitled:
 Carrying Concealed Guns is Not the Solution
 by Douglas Weil, Sc.D.
 March 26, 1998
 From http://www.intellectualcapital.com/issues/98/0326/iccon.asp

Kim’s Horizon Air interview

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Daughter Kim called about 30 minutes ago.  The interview went well.  She said she was really nervous though.  I used to go through that airport twice a week for several years. Barb had told me Sarah had called to talk to Kim and I remember Sarah.  I wasn’t sure if she would remember me though.  It’s been four years (almost to the day) since I last went through there.  I remember chatting with Sarah at the ticket counter just before I left for Seattle.  I said the computer business was sort of shaky right then and I could get laid off any time.  She told me to let her know if I needed a job.  I smiled and laughed.  I was laid off the next day and I haven’t been back through that airport since.  Barb related this story to Kim last night when she went shopping with Kim for some clothes to wear to the interview.

One of the first things Sarah and Kim talked about was me.  Sarah wondered how I was doing.  She wondered if Kim was my daughter and figured it must be so when she saw the email address (Kim used joehuffman.org as the domain).  Kim brought Sarah up to speed on where I was working and why I wasn’t going through the airport twice a week anymore.  They are interviewing 10 people and will be hiring two.  The odds aren’t too bad.  I figure Kim has a 50-50 chance considering her looks and her personality.  Kim is still very, very excited.  I’m happy for her.

Quote of the day–Madeleine K. Albright

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Of course, small arms are not the root cause of conflict in these and other regions. We cannot ease every tension or prevent every fight. But we can help make bad situations better by doing more to ensure that arms do not fall into the wrong hands. We can help governments that want help to keep dangerous weapons off their streets. And we can make it harder for the forces of extremism and hate to get the weapons they need to carry out their destructive designs.

U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright
Remarks on the Occasion of Receiving the
International Rescue Committee Freedom Award
New York, New York, November 10, 1998
[That philosophy is working well in the Sudan right now, huh?  And it worked well for Germany when they passed the Weapons Control Act of 1938 keeping guns out of the hands Jews. –Joe]

It’s rare for me to rant

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But Henry pushed my buttons one too many times.  See also his blatherings with Rolf.  Now I need to take a walk before I will be able to go to sleep.  And I have an 8:00 meeting with the Department of Homeland Security tomorrow too.  I hope I can sleep when I get back from my walk.  If I had my chemistry set here in Richland I would be tempted to detonate some reactive targets just for stress relief.

Airport security is still a joke

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Another report is soon to be out and the results are as expected:

WASHINGTON — Screening at U.S. airports is no better now than before the 9/11 terrorist attacks, according to a member of the U.S. House of Representatives who was briefed Friday about an investigation conducted by the Government Accountability Office and one by the Homeland Security Department. 

“A lot of people will be shocked at the billions of dollars we’ve spent and the results they’re going to see,” said Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., chairman of the House aviation subcommittee.

Improving the ability to find dangerous materials has been a top goal of the U.S. Transportation Security Administration since it took over the security task at about 450 airports in early 2002. More than 45,000 people were hired.

Oregon Rep. Peter DeFazio, the ranking Democrat on the aviation subcommittee, also was briefed on the two reports, which are to be released within a month.

…

The TSA, which did not immediately return telephone calls Friday seeking comment, has said in the past that the tests used to measure screener performance are much more rigorous than they were before the Sept. 11 hijackings.

Since then, screeners have been much more aggressive about seizing prohibited items. Each month, screeners confiscate about a half-million objects from passengers, including, on average, 160,000 knives, 2,000 box cutters and 70 guns.

Although they will claim they just need more money for training and better equipment the real problem is that it’s an unsolvable problem from this approach.  There are better solutions available but they are politically unacceptable.

Kim gets an interview at Horizon Air

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Daughter Kim called a few minutes ago and was very excited.  She has an interview with Horizon Air tomorrow morning.  If she gets the job she will spend three weeks in Seattle, starting on May 1, for training.  She will miss Boomershoot but I told her I hoped that happens.  She hung up after saying she wanted to get off the phone so she could jump up and down and scream.

Who’s insane?

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At the NRA convention last week one news organization managed to take a few Ted Nugent quotes out of context and make him sound a bit on the extreme side:

HOUSTON (AP) – With an assault weapon in each hand, rocker and gun rights advocate Ted Nugent urged National Rifle Association members to be “hardcore, radical extremists demanding the right to self defense.”

Speaking at the NRA’s annual convention Saturday, Nugent said each NRA member should try to enroll 10 new members over the next year and associate only with other members.

“Let’s next year sit here and say, ‘Holy smokes, the NRA has 40 million members now,'” he said. “No one is allowed at our barbecues unless they are an NRA member. Do that in your life.”

Nugent sang and played a guitar painted with red and white stripes for the crowd at Houston’s downtown convention center.

He drew the most cheers when he told gun owners they should never give up their right to bear arms and should use their guns to protect themselves if needed.

“Remember the Alamo! Shoot ’em!” he screamed to applause. “To show you how radical I am, I want carjackers dead. I want rapists dead. I want burglars dead. I want child molesters dead. I want the bad guys dead. No court case. No parole. No early release. I want ’em dead. Get a gun and when they attack you, shoot ’em.”

Of course almost every gun rights activist knows the NRA is the gun owners organization most likely to hand over our rights on a silver platter to victim disarmament crowd and cannot considered radical.  And even though I disagree with the philosophy of only associating with NRA members the world would be a safer and better place if the anti-freedom biogots of the world like Henry Boitel were in the mental wards rather than the Ted Nugents as Henry suggests would be appropriate.

Quote of the day–Sammy “The Bull” Gravano

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Gun control? It’s the best thing you can do for crooks and gangsters. I want you to have nothing. If I’m a bad guy, I’m always gonna have a gun. Safety locks? You will pull the trigger with a lock on, and I’ll pull the trigger.

We’ll see who wins.

Sammy “The Bull” Gravano
Washington Times, 9/3/99

Pink smoke in the news

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As I said the other day I helped Barb’s sister-in-law in making some pink smoke.  It was on the Chicago local ABC news today.  One of Katy’s friends Anne left a comment on my blog and both she and Katy are in the video with the pink smoke.  That video will probably disappear in just a few days and I can’t seem to find a way to save it.  So view it now if you are so inclined. 

NBC news has a slide show and video with purple smoke and Katy also.  The text is here.

Other articles include:

Boomershoot is less than two weeks away

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There are only nine shooting positions still avaiable.  I have the remainder of the target bodies (cardboard boxes) on order and they should arrive by next weekend.  Barb and I rented a motor RV for the kids to retreat from the rain and wind (assuming the weather is typical Boomershoot weather) in and for us to sleep in while there.  We probably will make it available to the press during the day too.

The event is now a Lewiston Pistol Club event instead of a Palouse Practical Shooters Club event.  You should see those changes on the web site soon.

Home life. James turns 21

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Yesterday was a very long day for me.  I woke up at 3:30 but didn’t have to get up until 4:15 (Mountain Time) to catch the 6:00 AM flight out of Albuquerque.  Martin (co-worker from PNNL) and I had dinner and then talked for four hours the night before so I didn’t get much sleep that night.  Then the airport security was all screwed up (they should just get rid of passenger screening) and no one but law enforcement and TSA was allowed in the ‘sterile’ area (gate area) of the airport when I arrived.  Even flight crews had to wait while the dogs and people searched the area.  Some TSA person had left a door unlocked Friday night and they had to search for people, explosives, and weapons.  Our plane left the gate about 40 minutes late, and touched down in Salt Lake City just as our connecting flight to Pasco was scheduled to leave the gate.  They didn’t hold it for us and we sat in the terminal for over three hours for the next flight.  Not as bad as it could have been, but it took another hunk out of my precious weekend time at home.  By the time I drove home it was after 15:00.

Barb, Xenia, and I picked up James about 16:30 to go to dinner and a movie in Pullman.  While waiting for our food to arrive he realized he had forgotten to sign up for classes the night before.  He barely had an appetite.  He was very concerned he wouldn’t be able to get some of the classes he wanted.  After dinner we did some war driving for a bit but didn’t find anything open and finally went home to get Internet access.  James signed up for classes and things looked good for the most part. He didn’t get one instructor he wanted but everything else looked good.  We had cake and icecream and James opened his presents.  Then we went to see Sahara since we had missed the start of Phantom of the Opera. I liked the movie. It stretched your credibility a bit much in places but it was okay.

Happy 21st birthday James.

I didn’t get to bed until 23:00 or so (Pacific Time) but I slept well and didn’t get up until after 9:00 this morning.  I feel so much better now.

Quote of the day–Greg Hamilton

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If it ever becomes times to shoot someone, do they need to be shot a little? Or a lot?  If that time comes you should shoot early and often — until the threat is over.  If you shoot a “set”, such as a double tap, you may stop shooting too soon.

Greg Hamilton
Self Defense Instructor
February 5, 1997

Katy called me asking how to make a pyrotechnic device

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Katy once got upset hearing, from the other room, the sounds of a dynamite shoot video.  So when I got this call from her the other day asking how to make a particular type of pyrotechnic device I was just a little bit surprised.  I always figured she just tolerated me because I was married to her husband’s sister.  I keep the guns and explosives away from her and try not to bring the topics up in her presence.  But she called me Tuesday and asked, “How can I make pink smoke?”  Not exactly in my domain of expertise but not all that far out either.  I told her I would research it for her and that I was pretty sure I could help her.  But what did she want it for?  How much smoke did she need?  How soon did she need it, etc.?  She has to have it by Monday because the local television crews were going to be there to film it.  Huh?  She explained–she and others think the Pope should allow women to be priests.  The conclave (did I get that right?) will release smoke to announce a new Pope has been selected.  Katy and friends want to release pink smoke as a form of protest.  Okay, that’s a reasonable enough request.  It’s probably not illegal even inside the city limits of Chicago.  And certainly, if done halfway right, no one will get hurt which is far more important to me that not offending the sensibilities of the city of Chicago.

I did the research and found a safe way for them even with their short time frame–but it will be violet instead of pink.  Pink is doable but they didn’t have the time and expertise to pull it off.  Katy thanked me then sent an update this morning:

Joe,

Just had to tell you the latest before I run off to work!
I said “local”
Well….now it is national, CNN is coming! They want to see pink smoke!
Maybe international-maybe the boys in the Vatican in Rome will see us in Chicago.

WOC national contacted Skylighter and that is what we will use.
It won’t be pink but violet and violet is the color of stoles we wear! 

Thanks for your contact

Let us hope it is bright and shining on Monday.

Katy

So if CNN shows violet smoke on Monday you can thank, or curse, me for enabling them.

I don’t know whether to be embarrassed or proud

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A resolution from the Idaho State Legislature has me a bit confused.  I suspect it started out ‘straight’ and amendments got added to make fun of it.  But I just don’t know for certain.  A sample: 

  5        WHEREAS,  the  State of Idaho recognizes the vision, talent and creativity
  6    of Jared and Jerusha Hess in the writing and  production  of  "Napoleon  Dyna-
  7    mite"; and
  8        WHEREAS,  the scenic and beautiful City of Preston, County of Franklin and
  9    the State of Idaho are experiencing increased tourism and economic growth; and
 10        WHEREAS, filmmaker Jared Hess is a native Idahoan who was educated in  the
 11    Idaho public school system; and
 12        WHEREAS,  the  Preston  High School administration and staff, particularly
 13    the cafeteria staff, have enjoyed notoriety and worldwide attention; and
 14        WHEREAS, tater tots figure prominently in this film thus promoting Idaho's
 15    most famous export; and
 16        WHEREAS,  the  friendship  between  Napoleon  and  Pedro   has   furthered
 17    multiethnic relationships; and
 18        WHEREAS,  Uncle Rico's football skills are a testament to Idaho athletics;
 19    and
 20        WHEREAS, Napoleon's bicycle and Kip's skateboard promote better air  qual-
 21    ity  and  carpooling  as alternatives to fuel-dependent methods of transporta-
 22    tion; and
 23        WHEREAS, Grandma's trip to the St. Anthony Sand Dunes highlights  a  long-
 24    honored Idaho vacation destination; and
 25        WHEREAS,  Rico  and Kip's Tupperware sales and Deb's keychains and glamour
 26    shots promote entrepreneurism and self-sufficiency in Idaho's small towns; and
 27        WHEREAS, Napoleon's artistic rendition of Trisha  is  an  example  of  the
 28    importance of the visual arts in K-12 education; and
 29        WHEREAS,  the schoolwide Preston High School student body elections foster
 30    an awareness in Idaho's youth of public service and civic duty; and
 31        WHEREAS, the "Happy Hands" club and the requirement  that  candidates  for
 32    school  president  present  a  skit is an example of the importance of theater
 33    arts in K-12 education; and
 34        WHEREAS, Pedro's efforts to bake a cake for Summer illustrate the positive
 35    connection between culinary skills to lifelong relationships; and
 36        WHEREAS, Kip's relationship with LaFawnduh is a tribute to e-commerce  and
 37    Idaho's technology-driven industry; and
 38        WHEREAS,  Kip  and LaFawnduh's wedding shows Idaho's commitment to healthy
 39    marriages; and
 40        WHEREAS, the prevalence of cooked steak as a primary food group pays trib-
 41    ute to Idaho's beef industry; and
 42        WHEREAS, Napoleon's tetherball  dexterity  emphasizes  the  importance  of
 43    physical education in Idaho public schools; and
 44        WHEREAS,  Tina  the  llama,  the  chickens with large talons, the 4-H milk

                                           2

  1    cows, and the Honeymoon Stallion showcase Idaho's animal husbandry; and
  2        WHEREAS, any members of the House of Representatives or the Senate of  the
  3    Legislature  of the State of Idaho who choose to vote "Nay" on this concurrent
  4    resolution are "FREAKIN' IDIOTS!" and run the risk of having the "Worst Day of
  5    Their Lives!"

From Periodic Journal of my wandering.

Update: I fixed the link to the bill.

Kim called at midnight

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A couple minutes before midnight (Mountain Time) Kim called to ask if Othello was on highway 26 going the right direction.  She didn’t remember it going the other direction.  It was there and she was on the right road going the right direction.  She just needed to stay on 26 until she gets to Colfax.  Colfax is “home territory” and close enough that Barb can rescue her if necessary.

She should be home by now.

Kim is on her way home from Seattle

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Hi Dad. The pass was bare and dry.  No problems at all.  I got a late start but I would have been stuck in traffic if I had left earlier anyway.  I was wondering… Does I-90 turn into highway 36?  Or is it 26?

Groan.  I-90 goes until it turns into Chicago.  And she needs to turn off I-90 at Vantage to get on highway 26.  She accepts my correction gracefully and goes on:

Is Wenatchee between home and the Tri-Cities?  Because I saw a sign and wondered if that would be a quicker way to get home.

Wenatchee is way north of where she wants to go.  I reply, “No, that is Washtucna you are thinking of.“

Oh, that’s right.  Okay.  Well, I’m doing just fine.  Love you Daddy.  Bye.

I’m over a 1000 miles away from my namesake (Kimberly Joe versus Joseph Kim), who has no concept of impending doom, and now I’m supposed to sleep?  At least we have two kids in reserve who probably will live to see their 25th birthdays.