Never having experienced anything even remotely approximating the death of a loved one, I almost don’t feel I deserve to be able to critique the way Shields deals with his loss. I know what such traumatic grief does to people; who are we to judge how they cope? The trauma simply breaks some, transforming them into shadows of their former selves; others it unhinges, never to be the same again. Still more are infused with a zeal to ensure that no others are made to endure what they did. This is simultaneously the most noble and selfless way of coping, but also the most dangerous; after all, what has more potential for harm than a fanatic who’s wrong but can’t possibly see it?

And that is the man who Pete Shields is; honorable, kind, warm, eloquent, passionate, wounded, and very, very wrong.

Nathaniel of Tech Paladin
August 17, 2008
Book Review: Guns Don’t Die — People Do
[See also Confessions of a Former Gun Control Fanatic--it gave me a little thrill to see them describe themselves as a bigot. I think using that word in our battle to exterminate gun control is going to be exceedingly powerful.

I find it absolutely fascinating to hear the thought processes of people who are, and especially were, on the other side of the gun issue. It is easy for me to think of our opposition as evil because of the incredibly dangerous laws they want passed but, for the most part, they are not evil. They are bigoted but until they know you own a gun and many times even after they discover that they are nice people. I think that is important to remember--especially during the sentencing phase for their crimes.--Joe]

A reliable source recently told me that once the rule change stopping the punishment of people exercising their RKBA in national parks goes into effect there will be numerous lawsuits filed all over the country. The anti-gun bigots are hoping to get some judge, somewhere, to issue a restraining order to stop the implementation of the rule change. Then they will drag things out in court until a new administration is in the White House.

If those lawsuits are filed it is my hope* that on her second day in office (Vice) President Palin sends Federal Marshals to arrest those involved and directs the Attorney General to charge them with violation of 18 USC 241 and/or 18 USC 242.

How does a Congressman from rural Indiana, or Alabama, or any outsider, have the gall to tell the residents of Washington D.C. that they can't pass reasonable restrictions on guns to lower crime and reduce violence in their own communities?

Gun zealots continually preach about government's abuse of power. But that is exactly what the NRA and their puppets in Congress are doing.

The Gun Guys
September 10, 2008
The Gun Lobby’s War On Democracy and Local Control In D.C.
[Replace "gun" with "ni**er" and "NRA" with "NAACP" to see this in the proper light. These bigots appear to be unable to grasp the concept of individual freedom. In their small minds only government entities can have power. Power to oppress individuals is taken away from the local government and they can only think of it in terms of a power grab by the Federal government. I don't believe these people can be reasoned with. They can only be politically defeated and destroyed.--Joe]

American gun owners, who are increasingly becoming gun rights activists, are not the fools Democrats think they are.

Alan Gottlieb and Dave Workman
September 12, 2008
Democrats may as well tell gun owners the party is over
[I think it's time the Democrats were taught another lesson like the one they forgot from '94.--Joe]

However, they call their piston kit a "direct impingement gas piston system."  Anyone else see a problem here?  It may be nitpicking (and please correct me if I'm wrong) but "direct impingement" is exactly that one thing that a piston system is not.  When Stoner came up with his piston-less operation back in the day, he called it "direct impingement" to describe his system of channeling the gas back into the receiver where it "directly impinges" on the bolt carrier without an intervening piston rod or tappet.

The Apex of the Triangle of Death is cranking up the attack on Obama. The latest is this news release and brochure. There is also the website GunBanObama.com. Find lots of juicy tidbits like, "Just because you have an individual right does not mean that the state or local government can't constrain the exercise of that right." I wonder how he would respond to someone that said something similar about the 13^th Amendment.

The odds makers have Obama winning. Former President Clinton says, "I predict that Senator Obama will win and win pretty handily." Of course Clinton is a pathological liar so we can dismiss whatever he says and perhaps even go with just the opposite of what he says. For this reason and others I'm betting on the NRA and predict University of Idaho (everyone in my family is either a graduate or working on a degree from there) graduate Sarah Palin is going to win.

No one should be surprised that Concealed Weapon Laws Make Security Practitioners Worried. I'll bet there were lots of "security practitioners" that were "worried" about blacks being released from slavery too. Reading the study they cite I found certain items particularly interesting.

The title of the study is "Preventing Gun Violence in the Workplace" (emphasis mine). It's not about preventing violence in general it's about preventing gun violence.

They claim "Research suggests that workplaces that prohibit weapons are significantly less likely to experience a worker homicide than workplaces that allow guns." But they apparently include the police--"the risk of becoming a victim of a violent crime on the job is highest for workers in law enforcement occupations, who experienced more than 125 violent incidents per 1,000 employed persons." One can only guess that the author, Dana Loomis, PhD, is of the opinion that the police would be safer if they were prohibited from having weapons. But then Loomis says, "Carrying a weapon is part of the function of some workers whose jobs involve the protection of people or property such as police officers, security guards, corrections officers, game wardens, and park rangers. Possession of weapons by such personnel is generally intended to prevent violence and is not regarded as a public health and safety concern."

The most disturbing item I found in the report was the suggestion that OSHA should get involved:

The general duty clause of the 1970 Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act (Section 5(a) (1)) requires employers to provide “employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards.” An interpretation of the general duty clause written by OSHA’s solicitor in 1992 acknowledged that an employer could be found in violation of the Act for failing to take “feasible steps” to protect employees from violence and injury when the risks are “significant enough to be recognized hazards.

...

To date, OSHA, for example, has chosen not to regulate weapons in the workplace, but this position could change. It is conceivable that employers who fail to take feasible and effective action to protect workers from known risks of violent crime could be found in violation of the OSH Act, if OSHA were to take a more aggressive approach to workplace violence.

Can anyone guess who Loomis cites for data on concealed carry laws? That right, the Brady Center to Prevent Violence website. No mention of the NRA or other pro-gun organization as a source except for a brief mention which uses the type of language you might expect from such a bigot (emphasis added):

A critique posted on the National Rifle Association’s Web site alleges that the authors failed to consider whether workplaces at high risk of crime were also more likely to allow guns and that they ignored information about workplaces’ experience with crime (National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action, 2005).

With an attitude like what I read here it's no wonder Doomis is worried. He's worried the good guys will win.

<heavy sigh> We have so much more work to do get rid of these bigots.

About 43,000 Transportation Security Administration officers are sporting new uniforms that make them look more like warriors in the battle against terrorism than baggage handlers.

 ...

The new look was rolled out today in Omaha and many other airports to mark the seventh anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The uniform shirts change from white to blue. Instead of an embroidered badge, the officers will wear a metal badge. Their belts will be wider to better fit with the uniform pants.

The 65/35 polyester/cotton blend shirts will stay cleaner and be more comfortable, according to the agency.

A new arm patch will feature an eagle and a portion of the American flag. The patch is intended as a visible reminder of the organization's roots in the 2001 attacks.

Joseph Morton
September 11, 2008
Airport security crews go blue, and you're paying for it
[I find it very appropriate that on this day, of all days, the TSA demonstrates what it is really all about.--Joe]

On this day, the anniversary of 9/11/01;

By our friend in Israel, this article in HA'ARETZ is brought to our attention.

What I bring away from the article is, well, I won't tell you.

Do steers sign treaties with meat packers?

"Sam"
Page 253 "The Puppet Masters" by Robert A. Heinlein
[Or should have the European Jews come to a "reasonable compromise" with Hitler in 1939? Or between a rapist or murderer and his victim? Similar questions could and should be asked before striking a deal with the gun grabbers. They want to destroy us and there is no compromise with their kind.--Joe]

For decades the Second Amendment might as well have been called the Second-Class Amendment. The U.S. Supreme Court spent the late 20^th century expansively interpreting the First, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Eighth amendments, not to mention unenumerated rights ranging from travel to sexual privacy. But not until last month did the court hold that the Second Amendment means what it says: that "the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."

James Taranto
July 19, 2008
Alan Gura--How a Young Lawyer Saved the Second Amendment
[In a lot of a ways I find it very odd. Of all the articles in the Bill of Rights the 2^nd Amendment is among the least, if not the least, ambiguous. Yet it was so despised by people of the last century they managed to twist it into meaningless. The Heller decision only rescued a fragment and I fear that only another small portion will ever be recovered.--Joe]

One of the problems with "compromise" (it's not really compromise) on the "assault weapon" issue is the definition of an "assault weapon". As we all know the Washington D.C. definition of machine gun includes essentially all semi-automatic handguns. The N.J. definition includes the Marlin Model 60 .22 LR with tubular magazine.

From Canada comes the lastest example where the Ruger Mini 14 is being attacked by one of my "favorite" bigots:

Gill's firearm "is neither a hunting rifle nor a target shooting gun. It is a military assault weapon," said Wendy Cukier, president of the Coalition for Gun Control.

"One of the things (Ramsay) didn't highlight is there are many more like the CX4 Storm (not on the prohibited list). The Ruger Mini 14 used in the (1989 Polytechnique) massacre is still being sold as a hunting rifle."

Did you pick this guy or did your daughter?

Mike Brown
September 7, 2008
While at a USPSA pistol match after having a particularly well informed conversation with John, Xenia's fiancé, on carry options for people under 21 (John is 19) and on college campuses.
[My response was that it was Xenia's pick. I had nothing to do with either daughter's choice in spouses. I occasionally wonder if it is my "boy blood for daughter's tears" policy that causes them to suck up to me a little but I don't see enough evidence to justify validating that hypothesis.--Joe]

This isn't the usual range report on people going to the range to shoot. This is a report on improving a range.

Yesterday, after getting a late start due to an eye infection I went to the Boomershoot site and made some improvements. The primary goal was to expand the target capacity at the tree line. This is also known as the 375 yard line. I more than doubled the length of this berm. I had originally planned to extend it to the east but due to my limited time (the dirt would have to been moved much further) and concerns shooters in the .50 Caliber Ghetto and most of the Lowlands wouldn't be able to see those targets anyway I extended the berm to the west.

The ground was dry and hard. The dozer I use is on the small side and 65 years old. Frequently I would put the maximum weight I could on the blade in an effort to get it to cut into the ground. This would lift the front end of the cat up and put all the weight on the bit of the blade and the rear sprocket of the cat. Still the blade would barely cut into the ground. It was only after making another pass on the same piece of earth after the spinning tracks had tore up the ground previously that I would get a significant amount of dirt in front of the blade:

Weight on the rear sprocket and blade in an effort to cut into the hard earth.

Below is the result of several hours of dirt moving. The previous target area was from the tree about 50 feet behind the car extending left (east) to the end of the grass covered berm. As you can see from the fresh dirt the target area is over double the previous length. This will allow us to put out a lot more targets in this very popular area.

Taken from shooting bench height, just off of the west end of the shooters berm, at position 69. Click on the picture to see more detail.

I also extended and tweaked the berm for the shooters. The extension was not to increase the capacity but to get each of the shooters a little more room. In previous years shooters were allocated six feet per shooting position while on the berm compared to eight feet on the ground. This should allow berm shooters eight feet as well.  I also tried to make it a little more level. Certain areas on the berm weren't really usable and I think I have fixed that.

Extended portion of the shooters berm looking uprange (mostly north and a bit west).

Shooters berm looking to the west from the east end.

Boomershoot 2009 will have more targets and berm shooters will have a little more elbow room.

I also checked on the status of things at the Taj Mahal. Previously the batteries were not fully charged and the water supply was having issues as well. The batteries weren't fully charged but a couple hours of running the generator and I finally got them topped off. The water still seemed to be working fine.

I still need to go back in a couple weeks and plant grass in the freshly disturbed dirt and prepare the Taj for winter.

JR has created another slide show from pictures and music from Gun Blogger Summer Camp. For reasons explained in his post the music he used was my first choice. But after looking for a minute or two I didn't find it and gave up to use stuff I already owned.

Enjoy.

It is a myth, not a mandate, a fable not a logic, and symbol rather than a reason by which men are moved.

Irwin Edman
[This is something everyone who hopes to change the actions of others must keep in mind. And on the flip side those who are moved must be constantly on guard against least they be moved to inappropriate action, hope, and change. I regard Edman's observation as generally true and in most cases as a human weakness.--Joe]