Quote of the day—Josh Sugarmann

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Assault weapons are increasingly being perceived by legislators, police organizations, handgun restriction advocates, and the press as a public health threat. As these weapons come to be associated with drug traffickers, paramilitary extremists, and survivalists, their television and movie glamour is losing its lustre to a violent reality.

Because of this fact, assault weapons are quickly becoming the leading topic of America’s gun control debate and will most likely remain the leading gun control issue for the near future. Such a shift will not only damage America’s gun lobby, but strengthen the handgun restriction lobby.

Josh Sugarmann
1988
Conclusion to Assault Weapons and Accessories in America
[There are multiple things of interest in this 1988 prediction.

As an almost off the wall observation I find it curious Sugarmann uses the British spelling of “luster”.

More on track is that Sugarmann, in some ways, was brilliant with this study. He correctly identified a political weakness and was instrumental in exploiting it. The 1994 Federal “Assault Weapon Ban” and as well as several previous and subsequent state and local bans can trace their roots to this study.

But Sugarmann failed in his prediction “America’s gun lobby” would be damaged and that the handgun restriction lobby will benefit from the debate and restrictions on “Assault Weapons”.

The NRA membership exploded to record levels with the political debates and actual passing of the Federal “Assault Weapon Ban”. Today they are as strong or stronger than ever before and members of Congress have ranked the NRA as the most powerful lobbying organization in the country several years in a row.

Handgun Control Inc., now known the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, is specifically called out as having 180,000 dues paying members and an annual budget of $4,000,000. They changed to the more stealthy name in 2001 and as of 2010 only had about 28,000 people who had given donations or paid dues in the previous year. (Tamara has the appropriate words).

The National Coalition to Ban Handguns, now known as Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, is also called out. This organization changed their name just one year later, ‘because the group felt that “assault rifles” as well as handguns, should be outlawed.’ These days they are reduced to little more than sparing with gun bloggers on Twitter.

And of course we need to look at Sugarmann’s own Violence Policy Center. Yesterday, which inspired this QOTD, Sebastian posted the answer–VPC: The Most Irrelevant Anti-Gun Group?—Joe]

Red Flags

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I could go on and on and on and on about all the times I’ve been scammed in business.  When you’ve been in business for 35 years you accumulate a lot of stories of woe and intrigue.  One of the dumbest scammers was a couple of kids using a stolen credit card, who wanted us to deliver thousands of dollars worth of musical instruments, picked out over the phone sight unseen, each being the most expensive of the available choices, to a parking lot on a Sunday.  We just got as much information out of them as we could, called the cops, and found out that these kids had been busted multiple times in the past for check and credit card fraud.


Just the other day, we got an order for multiple units of the most expensive thing we have to offer.  First red flag.  Not enough to get all suspicious, but it makes you wonder just as little bit.  In the comments box, he/she/it says to hurry, but offers no reasons why.  Second red flag.  That may sound innocuous to you, but it’s extremely rare.  When we try to process the transaction, it comes up with a no-match on both the cvv number and the billing address.  Third red flag.  When I reply, asking for the correct cvv number and billing address he/she/it has no idea what I’m talking about and therefore can’t provide any info.  Fourth and fifth red flags.  That’s two more; one because a person spending a lot of money for something needed right away couldn’t get the numbers right, and two because someone is doing all this as his/her/its very first time making an on-line purchase (if you’ve done it before, you know the meaning and importance of a cvv number and a billing address).  If you don’t know what “cvv number” means I can maybe sort of forgive you because some sites refer to it as a “security code” but I can’t forgive you for being unable to use google for a few milliseconds to find out.


My long legacy of being scammed tells me this is a kid with a stolen card, or some other dirtbag loser/gangsta and that I shouldn’t engage in any more messing around.  It’s not any one or two red flags, but the accumulation of red flags that made me nix the deal.  I know full well that it is possible that this is an innocent, inexperienced buyer, but it’s too unlikely a scenario to gamble a lot of money.  Nor will I offer any explanation to this person, beyond “…our security department has rejected the order.  Please look elsewhere.  Sorry.”  Other red flags I won’t tell you about.


Those of you who aren’t in business do understand (don’t you? no, you probably don’t– no one learns about business unless they actually do it, because most people go through public education) that any time there is a problem with a credit card, it is I, the business owner, who always eats the shit on the deal.  No one else is responsible.  You may THINK that the credit card bank is letting your unauthorized charges go at their expense, but they’re charging the vendor (that’s me) whenever that happens (it’s called a “chargeback”) and then merchant services threaten to cut off, or jack up the price on, my merchant services.  The business owner is always at fault.

Private fireballs

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One of the new things we are planning to offer for Boomershoot 2013 is an opportunity to shoot your own fireball from as “entertainingly close” as I feel comfortable with. Hint, this year Ry was pushing the envelope for my comfort zone.

There will be a very limited number of them, perhaps three to five, they will take place Friday evening, perhaps near dusk, and the price will be $500 each. And to a certain extent you will control the audience. There will always be range safety officers present but if you only want to allow your immediate family or have it be “all yours” you can do that. We will keep all other spectators at least a couple hundred yards away.

The question are: 1) Are there people interested in such an experience? 2) Is there some modification to the scenario such that it would be more attractive to you?

Quote of the day—John Longenecker

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Loss of life due to heart attack was the primary motivator for the paramedic program worldwide. In primary training, heavy emphasis was given to emergency cardiac care. The Paramedics became the SWAT of emergency medical care. To aid EMS, there has been a worldwide drive to train millions in CPR to keep the patient alive until the arrival of Advanced Life Support.

The armed citizen is identical to this concept of humanity and compassion. In terms of human decency to one another in time of emergency, the armed citizen is its only equivalent. The idea of the Good Samaritan is much deeper than kindness and specific care, it is involvement as an expression of devotion to the nation by an unmistakable restatement of our values. When we care about medical emergency patients, why can’t we also care in time of criminal violence?

We can. In 49 states, we do.

John Longenecker
May 22, 2012
A Footnote in EMS History Discredits Gun Control Today
[Good job John!

I have nothing else to add.—Joe]

Yeah, so there was an eclipse on Sunday

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My brother had called me the day before from Californistan, when it was nice and sunny here, and told me to look for it between five and six PM, my time.  As I was driving home with my daughter from a panic shopping trip to Moscow, I noticed the time.  “It’s right now.”  But it was cloudy– full overcast with occasional rain.  As I turned to look toward the sun, sure enough.  There it was!  For whatever reason, I could see it much better with my polarizing glasses than the little Cannon Powershot ever could.  For one thing, the auto focus was somewhat at a loss for doing anything with clouds.  Here are the best two out of about a dozen shots I took from the highway;



 



I guess around southern Oregon/Northern Cali/Nevada way, they had a full annular.  I’ve never seen one of those, but back around 1979/1880, I remember another, even more overcast day that went full dark in the middle of the day.  That was pretty cool.

Bumper snickers

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I was looking at some bumper stickers online and ran across this one:

PeaceActivistsViolent

Gun bloggers have been asking similar questions for years.

Other bumper snickers that caught my attention included:

GunsKillDinner

And probably my favorite (I love sick humor):

SavePaper

Update: It’s not a bumper snicker and I would never put this outside my door because I wouldn’t want it being introduced as evidence at my trial. But I thought this doormat was funny:

GunsSleepingDoormat

Quote of the day—State Senator Leland Yee

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It is extremely important that individuals in the state of California do not own assault weapons. I mean that is just so crystal clear, there is no debate, no discussion.

State Senator Leland Yee
May 20, 2012
CBS 5 Story Inspires New Legislation To Ban ‘Bullet Button’
[Let me fix that for you Senator Yee. What you really meant to say is, “It is extremely important that individuals in the state of California have no debate, no discussion. Just so it is crystal clear I respect neither the 1st nor 2nd Amendments.”—Joe]

Quote of the day—stingray68

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“Guns as penises” does not just apply to you African American males. There are plenty of males from every age and ethnic group, who see firearms the same way. That’s the biggest factor in gun violence—insecure, inadequate males who try to compensate for their lack of manhood with firearms.

stingray68
September 3, 2011
Comment to Commentary: A gun does not equate manhood.
[It’s another Markley’s Law Monday!—Joe]

Overheard at the furniture store

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Guy1 (in a suit at a high end furniture store in Bellevue Washington): “So when is Bumbershoot this year?”


Guy2 (wearing a coat that says, “Boomershoot Event Director” on the back): “I don’t know. This is Boomershoot, not Bumbershoot. It’s something different.”


Guy1: “Oh! I’m sorry. What is Boomershoot?”


Guy2 (quickly finishing his transaction): “Boomershoot is a long range precision rifle event with high explosives as the targets.”


Guy1 (eyes get big during a long pause): “That is different.”


Guy2: “Yeah. We don’t hold the event in the city.”

Gun cartoon of the day

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040309

To be accurate the ATF logo should be added to the U.S. flag on the side of the truck.

Read Fast and Furious: Barack Obama’s Bloodiest Scandal and the Shameless Cover-Up. It’s a quick read and very good. One of the more interesting things I discovered from reading the book was that the Mexican government stopped making such a stink about the ATF running guns into Mexico because the U.S. threatened to cut off $500 million in aid if they didn’t shut up about it.

Ry recommends the book too.

Quote of the day—Alan Dershowitz

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A medical report by George Zimmerman’s doctor has disclosed that Zimmerman had a fractured nose, two black eyes, two lacerations on the back of his head and a back injury on the day after the fatal shooting. If this evidence turns out to be valid, the prosecutor will have no choice but to drop the second-degree murder charge against Zimmerman — if she wants to act ethically, lawfully and professionally.

Alan Dershowitz
May 18, 2012
Drop George Zimmerman’s murder charge–New evidence suggests Trayvon Martin’s killer acted in self-defense
[If the name Alan Dershowitz doesn’t ring a bell then go read up on him. For Dershowitz to say this is a big deal.—Joe]

Quote of the day—jvalver

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Because of our “car culture” – 80 people die a day in auto accidents. Thus the US Taxpayer, which still owns part of GM is responsible for those deaths along with the AAA and license bureaus. Heck- 95 people die each year from lawnmower accidents. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac promoting home ownership should be held accountable because of a “homeowner culture”. Local communities should be held accountable too. They have ordinances about letting grass grow too high, thus a homeowner does it themselves if they can’t afford a landscaper.

jvalver
May 17, 2012
Comment to Racial issues: Face truth about gun violence
[Remember this the next time someone from the Brady Campaign, CSGV, or VPC says something about the NRA or gun manufactures are responsible for a death or injury inflicted by someone using a gun.

It might also be worthwhile to point out they have been creating a culture of hoplophobia and we should “hold them responsible” for the people that were unable to defend themselves because they didn’t have a firearm.—Joe]

Quote of the day—Alan Korwin

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What we really need is research and medical-treatment programs for the poor, unfortunate people who are terrified of guns, won’t go near guns, who would not defend themselves or their families if they had to, and who, very plainly, hate guns.

Hate is a terrible thing.

It must be confronted vigorously, righteously, and in a forthright manner. Logic and law do not confront hate, or help lessen it. We must learn not to tolerate gun hate, anywhere we find it.

Hoplophobic behavior in government, schools, and all facets of public life must be recognized for what it is, exposed, and rooted out or treated. Seemingly utopian pacifists are free to profess their love of a weapon-free world, but they must start by disarming the evil, criminal and tyrannical. Disarming the general public is a vent for their twisted fear and hatred, a grotesque affront to freedom, and unacceptable. Disarming an innocent person is an act of violence.

Alan Korwin
HOPLOPHOBIA–A modern scourge.
January 24, 2005
[As a Libertarian I’m generally more closely aligned with Phil (see the last paragraph of this post) than with any mainstream political party. However I would give consideration to a government paid for treatment facility for government employee first offenders hoplophobes as an alternative to prison. But as long as they present no threat to others the poor tormented souls of the Brady Campaign, Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, and the Violence Policy Center should pay for their own treatments.—Joe]

Quote of the day—David Carson

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Why is supporting the Bill of Rights a good thing?


David Carson
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Comment to The VA Tells the Truth About Guns. The NRA Can’t Handle It.
[It’s nice for our opposition to explicitly say what we already knew about them. They either cannot or will not respect the rights of others. They not only see no need to put limits on government but actively oppose and ignore limits on government.


In answer to Carson’s question, “Just because“.—Joe]

Metal Oxide Semiconductors

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It’s happened several times before.  Good alternator, good battery, dead battery.  Over the last two or three days, I noticed my good starter getting slower and slower.  Since vehicles these days, inexplicably, have only a voltage meter, I couldn’t tell from my instrumentation whether I had extra drain, a dead battery, or dirty terminals.  You do get a slight clue though, if you watch the voltage closely immediately after start-up.  If everything is working normally, you’ll see the voltage start out a bit lower, then creep up to normal running voltage in a few seconds.  My meter was rock solid.  With a current meter, such as was the norm in the 1960s, you’ll see the charge or discharge current.  Much more useful in my opinion.  Best would be to have both volts and amps.


The pickup barely started this morning, and at work it didn’t start at all.  Like a jerk, only then did I clean the battery terminals.  Still no go, so I got a boost from Dan.  The terminals get corroded and that can sometimes allow current to flow one direction, but not the other (that’s a diode, see).  In this case the batt would discharge just fine, but it couldn’t get any charge current (hence the full voltage immediately after starting– the voltage wasn’t being pulled down by any charge current).  Eventually you’re a walkin’, yo.


I went and bought a new battery anyway, because I’ll have a use for it either way.  By the time I got back from across town, the old battery was fully charged and snappy as ever, so now I have a new one I can use either in my son’s van or my old beat-up T-Bird.  Fun fun fun.  Plus I got a decent charger for the garage, just in case.  If the battery had had only a few less electrons to give up this morning, I’d have been knocking on doors for a boost.  No more.  I have used my ham radio 12V supply to charge a car battery, but it doesn’ like that.  The huge current load tends to blow some fairly important components.


Yeah so; if your starter slows down, just a little, clean your terminals before it gets worse.  You may just have solved the whole problem, right there.  You do keep a terminal brush and some tools in your vehicle, right?

Booker T. Washington – Up From Slavery

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I haven’t read the book, but now I’m interested.  Maybe I’ll get it for my daughter so she can bring it into her history classes.


One thing I want to call to your attention is that the later printings of the book contain an “explanation” in the forward by a Marxist professor, telling us not to take it seriously.  What was that Michelle Obama said about the left’s need to change our history and our traditions?





 

Quote of the day—James T. Brown

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The National Rifle Association has caused more death and injury to Americans then any terrorist group.

James T. Brown
May 1, 2012
Letter: NRA lobby is an assault on U.S.
[If you squint and hold your head just right you might be able to say that he is technically correct. But the path is somewhat tenuous and leads to protective violence rather than criminal violence.

Brown, of course, did not intend his comments to be taken in this manner. Brown should be given all the scorn and ridicule normally given to those that claim teaching of evolution, mixed race marriages, or women being allowed to vote is responsible drought, earthquakes, and the milk cows going dry.—Joe]

That’s an easy one

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Clayton wants some help:

I have been asked to help write an amicus brief challenging a state discretionary permit issuance. In state after state, as shall-issue laws have worked their way through the legislative process, opponents of shall-issue have repeatedly stated that “blood with run in the streets” “It will be like the Wild West” and similar claims.

Our enemies are one of the best sources for ammunition to be used against them. There own words are riches just waiting to be mined.

The keyword “site:” can be used with both Google and Bing. This restricts your search to just a single domain. Hence the search phrase site:bradycampaign.org “wild west” yields good results (Google yields a few more than Bing but I’m not convinced they are better). site:vpc.org “blood in the streets” is somewhat less interesting.

Quote of the day—Gore Vidal

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Apparently, a democracy is a place where numerous elections are held at great cost without issues and with interchangeable candidates.

Gore Vidal
[I normally would find something of this nature funny but with too much truth in it I, as well as the humor, suffers.—Joe]

I love my spud gun

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I’ve posted quite a bit about my spud gun.

I ended up with an old target from 2004 in my truck load of stuff I brought back from Idaho last night:

WP_000574

That is a 0.5 inch five-shot group from 100 yards which I shot with factory ammo (300 Win Mag, Black Hills Match which is loaded with a moly coated 190 grain Sierra Match King bullet). That is a typical group at that range. I’ve had smaller groups at 200 yards but not with as many shots and those aren’t typical.

I am very, very pleased with this gun and ammo. I just wish I had more occasions to shoot it. My clock tower just isn’t the right place for it at this time.