Author Archives: Joe

Gun Rights Activists Sleep Well

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Quote of the Day

I sleep fine at night because I know peaceable people are not responsible for the crimes of a few monsters, and they just want to preserve their rights guaranteed by the constitution.

I also sleep fine because I know that even though we’ve had guns in the US for our entire history, including repeating arms for well over 150 years, regular mass shootings are only a phenomenon of the last 20 years or so. They happened infrequently or even not at all before Columbine, even though gun laws were far looser and background checks weren’t even a thing for most of our history.

Kostas Moros @MorosKostas
Posted on X March 27, 2023

This was in response to David Hogg claiming to “wonder how the lawyers, employees and lobbyists of the gun lobby can sleep at night.”

There is a lot more to Moros’ response. It’s worth a read.

I sleep at night from knowing genocide is disabled by widespread gun ownership and that same widespread ownership saves far more innocent lives than are criminals enabled to commit murder.

A woman soundly sleeping with her holstered self defense handgun on the nightstand beside her.

Is it a Lie? Or is it Ignorance?

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Quote of the Day

What’s the efficacy of banning these magazine clips? I will tell you these are ammunition, they’re bullets, so the people who have those know they’re going to shoot them, so if you ban them in the future, the number of these ‘high capacity’ magazines is going to decrease dramatically over time because the bullets will have been shot and there won’t be any more available.

Diana DeGette
U.S. Representative to Congress from Colorado
2013

Is it a lie? Or is it profound ignorance? I could go either way on it. I’m certain many people would believe her. And that false belief will increase the likelihood of passing magazine bans.

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Just keep in mind that people like her are making the laws you will be prosecuted with.

Prepare and respond appropriately.

Living in the Future

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The Jetson One is supposed to be available for sale next year at a price of just under $100K.

This craft avoids some of the roadblocks of other attempts to get into this (create is probably aa better term) market because it is classified as an ultralight.

The specs on the current version indicate it could carry me but not if I had a small bag of groceries with me.

The payload would have to at least 50% more and the cost reduced by a factor of four before I would give it serious consideration, but it would be very handy for a quick trip to and from town at my place in Idaho. Because of the long and winding road into the nearest town it takes 30 minute of driving time. It is less than eight miles as a VTOL would fly. That translates into eight to ten minutes instead of the 30 minutes driving time. And when the roads are hazardous because of snow and ice, this would save even more time and might even be safer.

The flight time without a recharge is 20 minutes so the trip into town would be at the edge of its range for a round trip. Still, that is very cool.

I’ve been causally looking at personal affordable VTOL craft for at least 35 years now. There have lots of promises and nothing of substance.

Not Smart Enough To Create a Plausible Lie

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Quote of the Day

Only the right wing gun nut teachers carry guns,a lot of them so t and flat out refuse to.These undervalued/ underpaid teachers should be able to go into their schools knowing a shooter armed with an semi automatic weapon will not be able to enter because they weapons are illegal

josie @josie97
Posted on X January 25, 2023

Crap for brains. Frequently one can make a case for lying. But, in this case, I don’t think they are smart enough to create a plausible lie.

1,000 Days in a Row

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My blogging software sends me notifications of how many days in a row I have made a blog post. This is the one I received this morning.

Screenshot_20231214_062053_Jetpack

February 3rd of next year will be the 20th anniversary of my first block post.

I Question Your Motivation

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Via mothmoo @MothMoo:

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Excellent point.

And, of course, there is that little thing about it being unconstitutional.

Why Americans Own Firearms

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Joe Biden thinks Americans own firearms in case they need to fight the American military. That’s not a thing.

Americans own firearms (in part) so that anyone who tries to bring tyranny to this country will never be safe outdoors, nor will their extended families.

Scott Adams @ScottAdamsSays
Posted on X January 19, 2023

This is just a small part of it. But it is a very significant part of it.

And fighting the military can be a thing. It just would not be a stand up face-to-face fight. The private citizens would chose their targets and times to preserve their own lives and resources while causing the military as much expense as possible. One AP round from a suppressed rifle from 400 yards away can take out a vehicle engine parked in the open. It would take hours to even be noticed. The dollar ratio would 1,000 to one or better.Helicopters and airplanes would have an even higher payback.

Sabotage and destruction of military manufacturing and warehouses of new construction and spares also get a good ratio. And then consider the civilian side of government infrastructure at the ATF, FBI, and the IRS. Think about the ratio of a Molotov Cocktail into a fiber optic communications hut, a few bullets into a substation, or a thermite grenade on a water main to a government building. Just a few people can cause 10’s of millions of dollars of damage per month.

It’s not anything that will result in capitulation after a year, but it will degrade their ability to be tyrants and decrease moral.

The primary targets will become more and more vulnerable as the living conditions and life spans of their minions degrade.

A thermite grenade burning through a water main

Mind Reading Tech

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Living in the future has tradeoffs. This will be “interesting”:

In an unprecedented scientific achievement, experts have developed a system that is capable of reading human thoughts and converting them into text.

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The core of this technology lies in its ability to record and decode brain activity through an electroencephalogram (EEG) cap. Participants in the study silently read texts while the cap captured their brain’s electrical activity.

This EEG data is then processed by an AI model named DeWave, a creation of the UTS team. DeWave distinguishes itself by translating EEG signals into coherent words and sentences, learning from extensive EEG datasets.

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The current translation accuracy is around 40 percent on the BLEU-1 scale, with aspirations to reach the efficacy of traditional language translation or speech recognition systems, which hover around 90 percent.

The implications in multiple dimensions are staggering.

If someone were to read my thoughts they may not like what they read.

A machine reading the thoughts of a human

It Could be Worse. They Could Have Invoked Markley’s Law

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Quote of the Day

Notable strong law states like Illinois and Maryland remain plagued with high gun violence in their biggest cities—in large part because they’re targeted by traffickers. Indeed an outsized share of likely trafficked crime guns recovered in Illinois begin their journey in states with weak laws. And Virginia, which had weak gun purchase laws until 2020, has long been the top supplier of crime guns into Maryland. At the other end of the scale, states like New Hampshire, Vermont, and Rhode Island have unusually low gun death rates compared with their somewhat weaker policies, in part because they are buffered by robust laws among other states in the region.

Everytown Research & Policy
January 12, 2023
Everytown Gun Law Rankings

If guns are freely available in one state how do they imagine restrictions, or even complete bans, in an adjacent state will reduce the criminals using guns the free state?

Who do they think will believe such crap? Being as generous as possible, this is crazy talk. But are they really crazy? The more likely explanation is this is the best deliberate lie they could come up with. Lies and deception it’s what they do.

PinocchioEverytown

I can think of less believable lies, but not by much. They could have invoked Markley’s Law to explain the differences.

Knifes and Swords are Okay, Guns are Yucky

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If Americans where brave enough they could give up all their guns and use their bodies as weapons, they could learn martial arts, self defense, knives attacks and even fight with swords to “defend” themselves but they are too fat and lazy to do something brave. A bunch of fearful cowards. If you rely in a gun to be “secure” you have a big, big problem and try to use a stupid logic to justify guns is not going to solve it.

idly-raven17
January 19, 2021
Gun Control NOW

As I read things like this I wonder if when they get the words out and then read their own delusions, do they realize it is crazy talk and publish it anyway? Or do they actually think it is something profound and is enlightenment for the dimwitted masses?

Another hypothesis I have about this sort of thing, and it is particularly obvious here, is the phrase “stupid logic”. This could be interpreted at least two different ways. One is that they believe gun rights advocates use faulty logic. And the other is that logic as a means of determining proper courses of action is stupid. There are many people who abhor reason. I suspect the great mass of gun control advocates are of this opinion and idly-raven17 is one of those.

Another One Bites The Dust

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Via X:

Mike Beard, a leader and pioneer in gun violence prevention, has passed away after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. In 1978, Mike founded the Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence, which helped to form [Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions].

His family has my sympathy, but gun owners will express some relief that another enemy has left the scene and will not be returning. Some of his harshest critics, such as Neal Knox, thought well of him as a person. And Beard thought well of Knox too. Give Beard credit for that.

In 1974 he became the founding President of the National Coalition to Ban Handguns and its sister organization Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence. The.National Coalition to Ban Handguns later became the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence when they added “assault weapons” to their list of guns to ban. That is nearly 50 years of advocacy of the elimination of a specific enumerated right. In addition to advocating for the banning private ownership of handguns.they also advocated:

He, as nearly all anti-gun rights activists, regularly used deception and outright lies to further his agenda.

As I suggested a couple years ago, I would have preferred we could have enjoyed his trial. But outliving your enemy and knowing that he knew as he was dying his long held dreams were crumbling into dust does provide a certain amount of satisfaction.

No Paid Cops or Military Just Penis Extenders

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Quote of the Day

We don’t need cops or a military then

You’ll do the work for free with your little penis extension

Ronald (@RB_Scott_80)
Tweeted on February 1, 2022

It’s not only another Markley’s Law Monday, it is another science denier!

Yes, it’s from almost two years ago. I’m catching up on the backlog of Markley’s Law examples for the next few weeks.

Promiscuous with Guns

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We are much too promiscuous with guns in this country, with the spread of proliferation of guns in the country. Something needs to be done to stop it,

Hank Johnson
U.S. Representative from Georgia (D)
December 8, 2023
Rep. Hank Johnson reintroduces House gun control legislation

There they go again, conflating guns with sex and disease.

They just can’t help it, can they?

I guess when all you have are insults against legal, moral, and practical considerations you go with what you have and hope for the best.

I hope to see him enjoy his trial someday..

Guns are like books. Possession, use, and purchase is a specific enumerated right. You should be able to be purchase them anyway, anytime, anywhere, from anyone.

No Thank You

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Barb and I like to hike. Mountains are far more interesting that deserts, forests, and lowland trails. Mount Rainer, Yosemite, and Glacier National Parks are at the top of the list for us.

I stumbled across this and immediately eliminated any and all desire to try the big one. Even if I were to be rejuvenated to a state several decades younger and I had excess money to spend on the adventure the answer to an invitation would be a very firm, “No thank you.”:

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ATF Doesn’t Even Attempt to Comply

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This overreach is both shocking and unconstitutional.

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This proposed rule seeks to require a license of every individual who sells a firearm for anything the Bureau sees as a profit to include currency, exchange of another firearm, or a service. Despite the proposed rule regulating conduct that implicates the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution, the proposed rule does not at any point reference the term “Second Amendment.” This omission demonstrates that there was no attempt by the Bureau to comply with the Constitution.

State of Kansas; Office of the Attorney General of Kansas
December 7, 2023
Comment Letter to ATF 88 Fed Reg 61993 Filed

The entire letter is very strongly worded. I found it rather entertaining.

I’m proud to say that the Idaho Attorney General also signed the letter.

I just wish the AGs of the state had the power to prosecute anyone who contributed to this attempt at infringement of our rights.

More Private Guns in Israel

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Quote of the Day

When the war started, we knew that we were right when we said that every [person] that has a weapon can save a life. We need to enable as many people as possible to carry a weapon.

My policy within the office was to permit as many people as possible to get a weapon. Within a short period of time, we are [now] giving up to 3,000 approvals a day.

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I will add more volunteers, more people in national service, because a weapon saves lives.

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I call on the left: Stop crying, stop making a political campaign out of policy that saves the lives of people.

Ben Gvir
December 4, 2023
260,000 firearm permits sought since Oct. 7, after Ben Gvir’s push to arm civilians

It is a good start. But there should not be any permits required, it should be just as easy to buy and carry a gun as it is to buy and carry a book, rock, or stick. One step at a time.

I find it interesting that the political left in Israel, as in the U.S., is against private gun ownership. It’s always about control of the everyday person by the want to be rulers.

Better More Gun Owners Than Fewer

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Almost half of Democrats are gun owners and over half believe gun ownership is necessary. It is one of the greatest disconnects of either party with their membership. While Democrats have found a winning issue on abortion in recent elections, it represents a growing separation on one of the other key issues in this election. President Biden has pursued some of the most aggressively anti-gun policies of any president.

Jonathan Turley
November 22, 2023
New Polling Shows a Majority of American Households Own Guns and Support Gun Rights

Nice. But the politicians need to feel the pain for infringing upon the specific enumerated rights. A good case can be made that the politicians respecting our rights are unable to get enough votes to overcome the margin of fraud.

Still, if things ever get too oppressive it is better to have more gun owners than fewer.

Let Them Sit at Home and be Afraid

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Quote of the Day

I was thinking that Russians would now know that is what Ukrainians are capable of.

Let them sit at home and be afraid.

Vyacheslav Kovalskiy
December 4, 2023
Ukrainian Sniper Breaks Cover to Claim World-Record Hit of More Than 2 Miles

Via email from pkoning.

Yes, there was more than a little luck involved. But he and his spotter made a lot of their own luck too. Awesome shooting.

Also from the article:

Kovalskiy’s shot hit around 12,470 feet, around a third longer than the Golden Gate Bridge. That distance would break a record of 11,600 feet set in 2017 by a member of the Canadian Special Forces in Iraq.

The 58-year-old former businessman’s journey to martial mythology started just before day break on Nov. 18, when he and his spotter, a partner who calculates distance, wind speed and other variables, set up positions across the river from a Russian military base in the Kherson region of east Ukraine.

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Kovalskiy and his spotter wonder why there is so much skepticism about a shot of this distance when targets, albeit stationary, have been achieved at these lengths several times in competitions such as the King of Two Miles in the U.S.

The two men are no ordinary snipers. Kovalskiy has been winning long-distance shooting competitions in Europe and North America for decades and first met his spotter at such competitions in Ukraine.

One has to wonder if things get a little on the sparkly side of normal in this country if the competition shooters will be among the first to be rounded up and sent to the gulags.

Prepare and respond appropriately.

News You Can Use

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Freedom in the 50 States

1    New Hampshire
2    Florida
3    South Dakota
4    Nevada
5    Arizona
…     …
14    Idaho
…     …
37    Washington
…     …
46    Oregon
47    New Jersey
48    California
49    Hawaii
50    New York

See also The American Voter’s Flight to Freedom

Washington has some advantages but I would rather be in Idaho. Washington seems to want to oppress their citizens just for the meanness of it and in total spite of the state and Federal Constitutions..

Words Mean Things

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Quote of the Day

If you look at the Founding era dictionaries SCOTUS in Heller used to define the 2A terms, and then you look at the definition of “to infringe” in those same dictionaries… the phrase means “to hinder or destroy.” Given that definition of “to infringe” from Samuel Johnson/Noah Webster (both founding era lexicographers, i.e., dictionary makers), ask yourself this….. does restricting or banning the ability to acquire an “arm” constitute something that would “hinder” the “right to keep and bear arms”? Obviously yes because any restrictions on the ability to ACQUIRE AN ARM necessarily HINDERS our ability to keep and bear arms. Thus, restrictions, bans or limitations on the right to acquire arms (ghost gun rules, home-made gun rules, waiting periods, etc.), are an hindrance and thus constitute an INFRINGEMENT

Mark W. Smith/#2A Scholar on X
December 2, 2023

Words mean things. Those who ignore or warp the meanings of words disable the means to accurately communicate with other. This can be through negligence, ignorance, or evil intent.

Prepare and respond appropriately.