More Mass. Hysteria

From the Boston Globe:

BOSTON (AP) The Massachusetts high court was asked Wednesday to bar state officials from posting information about convicted sex offenders on the Internet.

The Supreme Judicial Court will decide whether posting the names, addresses and photographs of Level 3 offenders those classified as the most dangerous and most likely to commit more crimes would violate the liberty and privacy rights of sex offenders.

"The government must prove that this will help protect the public...they haven't done that," Carol Donovan, special litigation director for the Committee on Public Counsel Services, told the court.

Ok, how's this - it will enable parents to more easily determine if there are any predatory child rapists living next to the park where they take their children to play, or next to their relatives' home across the state where they visit often. Or maybe a family wants to move to Massachusetts (we're talking hypothetically here, OK?) and wants to know if anyone lives in the neighborhood they're looking at who might be inclined to kidnap their babies and rape them with a hammer. What possible good could this service provide?!?! Are they serious? Hello!!! What the hell is wrong with these people?!?!?

The state's public defenders sued the state on behalf of five sex offenders, arguing that putting their names and photographs on the Internet would hurt their ability to find jobs, homes and rehabilitate themselves. The group won an injunction barring posting of the information.

Yes, you read that correctly. There are people in Massachusetts, drawing their salaries from the public till, who want to bar the state from providing a means for the public to access public records - even if the information therein could possibly save a family from the horrible tragedy of having their children assaulted, raped, or worse.

As the father of two little girls, let me tell you how broken up I am over their hardships. If it was my kids they raped or molested, this wouldn't be an issue. They'd most likely be fertilizer by now and I'd now be serving a prison term handed down by some of the same judges who let these monsters out of prison and into our communities in the first place.

We're talking Level 3 sex offenders here, folks. The most violent, dangerous, and likely to re-offend sexual predators out there. You don't get tagged Level 3 for ogling at some college girls on the sidewalk (good thing). If they were so worried about finding honest work, you think they might have thought about that before raping little kids.

The justices frequently interrupted Donovan's arguments and peppered her with questions about why the information should not be posted, when today's society is so mobile, and the Web is an accessible source of information. They said the current system for people to check whether sex offenders live in their neighborhood by visiting local police departments is inconvenient and impracticable.

New state motto: Massachusetts - Inconvenient and impracticable.

Justice Martha Sosman told Donovan it's odd that predators can use the Web as a tool to lure victims, but that potential victims don't have that same ability to learn about offenders.

Touche!

I'm hoping the court will make the right decision here, but as usual, I won't be holding my breath waiting for it. But seeing as this is Massachusetts, I find myself preparing for an impending RCOB moment. Will post an update as soon as the ruling comes down.

UPDATE: Also from today's Globe:

BOSTON (AP) Lawyers who represent poor clients went to the state's highest court Wednesday to argue for higher pay to help end what they described as a crisis that is leaving defendants waiting in jail for weeks without representation.

OK, maybe there's some merit to the claim that some of the state's poor are having difficulty obtaining legal representation. I won't argue that point, but if they're so concerned about people "waiting in jail for weeks without representation", why not get out in the communities and discourage these people from engaging in the behavior that landed in the can in the first place? A little pre-emptive action, if you will, might be in order.

Lawyers from across the state have complained about the low rates. Lawsuits were filed last month against district court judges in Springfield and Holyoke, asking for higher pay.

The lawyers currently earn $30 an hour for district court cases, $39 an hour for superior court cases and $54 an hour for murder cases.

Seems to me that when the cops have your face on the trunk of the squad car and they inform you of your right to an attorney, they're referring to a person to help you with your paperwork and to get you through your court appearances in one piece. No one has the right to a taxpayer-funded legal defense team headed by Johnnie Cochran. What do you want for nothing? r-r-r-R-RUBBER BISCUIT!?!?

How about this? "You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, a second-year BC Law School student, who will pretty much do anything for $30 and hour, will be assigned to your case."

"We're basically looking for a fair rate of pay that at this point would allow us to cover our overhead," said Nancy McLean, a Cape Cod attorney who is the spokeswoman for the Massachusetts Association of Court Appointed Attorneys.

By "overhead", are you referring to the use of taxpayers' money to help protect the "rights' of convicted child rapists at the expense of the public's safety, Ms. McLean? Looks like you might be in for a tough time mustering up some sympathy for your cause here.

And if they're looking for additional funding for public defendants in the Commonwealth, correct me if I'm wrong here, but isn't it the job of the LEGISLATIVE branch to allocate funding in the state budget for the various public agencies working in the state? Oh, wait, this is Massachusettss, the judicial branch IS the legislative branch. I forgot. Silly me.

The justices questioned whether the court has the right to get involved in the issue.

"What is the authority of the court to order the legislature private sector...to enact legislation provide that counsel?" asked Chief Justice Margaret Marshall.

This blog just writes itself sometimes.

Off Come the Gloves

OK, anyone who's read half of what I've written about this town and its leadership knows full well that I've had my share of disagreements with the policies and actions of our elected officials, but I applaud the actions Mayor Menino has taken over the last few weeks. Standing up for the taxpayers of Boston, and not kneeling to the demands of every union thug who comes banging on one's door is a lesson plan Senator Kerry would be well-advised to follow. It's called "Executive Leadership".

As a follow-up to this previous post, check out this gem from today's Boston Herald. Menino fired one helluva warning shot over the bow of the Scaramouche yesterday. To quote Ted (The Geek) from Sixteen Candles,"This...is getting good."

Mayor Thomas M. Menino unloaded a searing attack on fellow Democrat John F. Kerry yesterday, calling his presidential campaign "small-minded" and "incompetent" - laying bare a years-old rift weeks before the city plays host to Kerry's FleetCenter coronation.

Menino, in an exclusive Herald interview, let loose on the hometown senator two days after Kerry snubbed him by siding with union picketers outside a U.S. Conference of Mayors event.

"Maybe they should use some of their energies to get their message across to the American people instead of trying to destroy the integrity of someone who is on their team, to try to discredit someone on their team," Menino said. "They have better things to do."

But, in a move that might only intensify the public war of words, the Kerry campaign responded by suggesting Menino made the comments because of the "pressure" he's under as convention host.

Or maybe, just maybe, he made those comments because of the way Kerry stabbed him in the frikkin' back while showing the world that all his talk about standing up to special interest groups was total hypocritical, double-talking horseshit.

And doesn't this seem as good a time as any to drag out this oldie-but-goodie in honor of our spineless junior senator...

Beacon Hill-billies (cont.)

Well, I've been meaning to post on this one for a while - the latest shenanigans on Beacon Hill concerning the attempts by our Democratic leadership to overturn a law that gives the Governor the power to appoint an interim US Senator shoud a mid-term vacancy occur. This interim senator would hold office until the next election for the seat rolls around.

Needless to say, the law, which has been on the books for some time now, and was used without a hitch when John Kennedy left the Senate, is now the biggest threat facing our democracy today, according to the Democrats who run this place. I'm sure it has NOTHING to do with the fact that a Republican holds the corner office. Noooo...it's about the people! Uh-huh.

Matt Margolis has more on this, as well as some excellent examples of the arrogance and hypocrisy we've come to expect from our elected officials. And I find it hard to argue with this opening line:

Massachusetts Democrats are by far the most stupid and corrupt bunch I have ever seen.

It's a good quick read, short and to the point.

Dear Tom

Letter to Mayor Menino from John Jellyfish Kerry:

Dear Tom,

It was really swell of you to get the DNC to hold its convention here in Boston this summer. I know it was a hard sell, and that since securing the convention, you've taken more hits than a $2 Manila whore during shore leave. And all of this just to make me look good come nomination time.

But seeing as union thugs and rabid anti-Bush leftists are my only remaining voter base, I must now request that you go fuck yourself. No hard feelings, OK? Call me, we'll do lunch on the Scaramouche someday.

Toodles!

John

I can't wait until the next time the Kerry camp needs to ask a favor of Menino's office. Do you think they'll remember to ask for the knife back first?

When the going gets tough...

Form the Boston Herald:

BOSTON - Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry canceled an appearance at the U.S. Conference of Mayors rather than cross a police union picket line, and the union pledged not to target Kerry during planned protests at the Democratic National Convention.

"I don't cross picket lines. I never have," Kerry said as he left Roman Catholic Mass on Sunday night at Our Lady of Good Voyage chapel in South Boston.

Did Kerry actually make a stand here? Did he stand shoulder to shoulder with his union brothers in the extortion picket lines? No. What he did was follow Ted Kennedy's example and cancelled his appearance altogether. Like the old adage says: When the going gets tough, the chickenshit politicians hop in their SUV's and screw.

Boston mayor Tom Menino busts his balls to get the DNC Convention to come to Boston. And how does Kerry express his gratitude? Apparently, where Kerry comes from, nothing says thank you like public humiliation. I can't even find the words to describe this spineless prick who actually thinks we should elect him president.

If a candidate for president lacks the spine to stand up to a handful of union protesters, what good is he going to be when it comes time to stand up to Al Qaeda? or North Korea? or Iran? or (fill in the blank)?

Sipidation channels Steve Martin

I read the latest post by Sipidation and immediately conjured up visions of him wandering the office cluthching his stapler, carrying on like Steve Martin in "The Jerk".

"Well I'm gonna to go then. And I don't need any of this. I don't need this stuff, and I don't need you. I don't need anything except this [picks up an ashtray] and that's it and that's the only thing I need, is this. I don't need this or this. Just this ashtray. And this paddle game, the ashtray and the paddle game and that's all I need. And this remote control. The ashtray, the paddle game, and the remote control, and that's all I need. And these matches. The ashtray, and these matches, and the remote control and the paddle ball. And this lamp. The ashtray, this paddle game and the remote control and the lamp and that's all I need. And that's all I need too. I don't need one other thing, not one - I need this. The paddle game, and the chair, and the remote control, and the matches, for sure. And this. And that's all I need. The ashtray, the remote control, the paddle game, this magazine and the chair."

Good stuff. And hey, it's Friday. You gotta put up some stupid shit some time.

Crappy 80's Song of the Week

"Lawyers in Love" by Jackson Browne

THAT was a hit? Sad sad sad.

Granite State vs. Bay State

Here's a quick (yet a tad lengthy) comparison of The People's Republic of Massachusetts and the "Live Free or Die" state of New Hampshire. You tell me, which would you prefer?

STATE TAXATION

State Individual Income Taxes (2004)

MA = 5.3%
NH = State Income Tax is Limited to Dividends and Interest Income Only

State Sales Tax Rates - January 1, 2004

MA = 5.0%
NH = none

Motor Fuel Excise Tax Rates

MA = 21.0%
NH = 19.5%

State Excise Tax Rates on Cigarettes

NH = $0.52/pack
MA = $1.51/pack

State Tax Rates on Other Tobacco Products

MA = 90% Wholesale Price on Smokeless Tobacco (30% Wholesale Price on cigars)
NH = 19% Wholesale Price

State Liquor Excise Tax Rates

MA = $4.05/gallon (under 15% alc. - $1.10/gallon)
NH is one of 18 states in which the government directly controls the sales of distilled spirits. Revenue in these states is generated from various taxes, fees and net liquor profits.

State Wine Excise Tax Rates

MA = $0.55/gallon (sparkling wine = $0.70/gallon)
NH - All wine sales are through state stores. Revenue in these states is generated from various taxes, fees and net profits

Note: I don't have the numbers for the taxes levied on liquor and wine sales in New Hampshire, but there's a reason why there are massive liquor stores just over the border from Massachusetts. If you can't figure that one out, then I'm surprised you have the brains to be able to read this in the first place.

State Beer Excise Tax Rates

MA $0.11/gallon
NH $0.30/gallon (Yikes, a HIGHER tax than Massachusetts!)

2003 State Tax Revenue

Per capita:
MA $2,427 (rank #7)
NH $1,521 (rank #44)

As a percent of personal income:
MA 6.2% (rank #29)
NH 4.5 (rank #49)

INCOME vs. HOUSING COSTS

I'll look up some more current numbers for this, but here's where things stood as of 2000:

"At first glance it might appear as if high housing prices go with high incomes, and states with high incomes will have high housing prices and vice-versa. Yet, when we look at the incomes and housing prices in each of the fifty states, we see that is not always the case. Some states have high incomes, but comparatively low housing costs and, as a consequence, are more affordable places to buy homes. Consider that Massachusetts has the 7th highest income, and it ranks as the state with the 3rd highest housing burden. (A rank of 1st indicates the least affordable state or the state with the greatest housing burden, and a rank of 50th indicates the most affordable state.) New Hampshire has the 6th highest income, but it ranks as the state with the 26th highest housing burden."

From the US Census Bureau:

New Hampshire

Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2000 $133,300
Median household income, 1999 $49,467

Massachusetts

Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2000 $185,700
Median household income, 1999 $50,502

Median income in MA was 2% higher than in NH, but the median housing value was 39% higher.

UNEMPLOYMENT

Unemployment Rates by State (May 2004)

MA 5.2%
NH 4.0%

CRIME and CRIME PREVENTION

Violent Crime Rates by State (2001)

MA = 479.5 per 100,000 (rank #21)
NH = 170.3 per 100,000 (rank #48)

State Firearm Laws

New Hampshire 2-1/2 pages
Massachusetts 18 pages

EDUCATION

Average SAT I results (2002)

MA = 1028
NH = 1038

Public School Spending Per Pupil, (1999-2000 school year)

MA = $8,444
National Average = $6,835
NH = $6,742

Saved the best for last:

Base Salaries of State Senators (2003):

Massachusetts $50,123
New Hampshire $100 (that's not a typo)

Guess you don't always get what you pay for.

Kicking Ass and Taking Names at 18

I wish I had my shit together as much as this kid when I was 18.

Operation Tiger Claw was my first attempt at leading a protest against the apathy and leftism running rampant at my school. It all started on Friday, May 14th with a small act of conservative pride. My socialist history teacher was on another kick about how articulate Noam Chomsky was, when I finally reached my limit.

Read the whole piece - brilliant stuff.

Rock on, Bryan!

Rule #1 - broken again

One more ex-dirtbag who broke Rule #1 - he brought a knife to a gunfight. Although, this story would have been better if it was his ex-wife who reduced his IQ to zero with a well-placed hollow point, but a happy ending is a happy ending, nonetheless.

FOXBORO, Mass. - A police officer shot and killed a man who was advancing towards her brandishing a knife early Wednesday morning, the Norfolk district attorney said.

Thomas K. Shea, 45, of Walpole, died around 1 a.m. following a domestic disturbance at the home of his ex-wife, District Attorney William Keating said.

Keating said Shea threatened the female officer, who was not immediately named, with a knife that was 10 or 12 inches long. The officer warned him and backed away to the end of the driveway and then retreated across the street before shooting him when he advanced within 10 to 12 feet of her.

Keating said reports from several witnesses and preliminary forensic evidence indicated the officer had no choice but to fire her gun.

As much as this sounds like and open-and-shut case, bear in mind that this IS Massachusetts. I'm going out on a limb here and predicting we haven't heard the last of this story. Expect statements from the grieving relatives of the former scumbag to follow.

"He was such a loving husband."
"Why did she have to gun him down in cold blood?"
"Couldn't she have shot the knife out of his hands?"

I hope I'm wrong here, but I smell a wrongful death lawsuit coming down the pike Route 1.

This story exemplifies the saying "Gun control means hitting your target". The radio reports I've heard indicate the officer's single shot hit the man in the neck, killing him instantly. Kudos to this police officer for ridding the world of this dirtbag. Hitting a paper target indoors at 15 yards is worlds different than hitting a moving, armed, hostile target at close range in low-light conditions.

Breaking News

Al-Jazeera: Terrorists Behead Korean Hostage

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - An Iraqi militant group has beheaded its South Korean hostage, Al-Jazeera television reported Tuesday.

The pan-Arab station said it had received a videotape showing that Kim Sun-il had been executed.

Here's the paragraph Fox News had up on their website relating to the earlier story on this:

South Korean's captors delay execution, reportedly drop demand that Seoul pull Iraq troops; new terms possibly on table

New terms? Negotiations?

Well, those little chat sessions went just swimmingly well, eh? WTF??? Somebody,please pass the Cluebat. You CANNOT negotiate with someone who believes that it is a good and holy deed to saw off a man's head while screaming "God is great!".

We're not over there to haggle with these people over the price of a new Chevy. We are there as part of our efforts to rid the world of the cancer of Islamic fundamentalist terrorist organizations. Now is not the time to sit down for a cup of tea with these people to discuss their societal woes.

Killing in the name of Allah is what they do. They can't be reasoned with. They can't be convinced of their wrong-doings. They are animals doing what animals do. You can't offer a lion a salad and suggest that he eat that in lieu of the antelope he has his eyes on.

If you're house is on fire, you can't ask the fire to stop. It will burn until there is no more fuel to feed it. This is what we're up against in the War on Terror. These people will continue to seek our destruction until they achieve their goal. It's us or them. Pass the ammunition.

Unrest in the Forest

OK, it's been a while since I rambled on for more than a paragraph or two. Here's my two cents on the War on Terror and why our President is doing the right thing, despite what Michael Moore and Barbra Streisand might try to convince you of otherwise.

Unrest in the Forest

A tree branch has just fallen and ripped through the roof of your garage. You're understandably upset, but not all that surprised. You see, over the last few years, smaller branches have fallen in your driveway and your swimming pool. You step outside to examine the tree and notice another large dead branch leaning precariously over your house.

You decide to take action and remove the threat posed by that branch. Upon further examination you notice more dead branches on the other side of the tree. These are directly over your neighbor's house. You also see that the trunk is quite deteriorated, so you do what any rationally-thinking person would do. You begin to make plans to have the whole tree removed, not just the branch over your house.

But there's a problem. It seems the Neighborhood Historical Council (NHC) sees this tree as a historical landmark and decides to hold a hearing to determine if you have the right to chop this tree down, even though it's on your land, is threatening to damage your home, and has damaged your property in the past. They point to the fact that many of the tree's branches are not located over anything that could be damaged should they fall, so they pose no threat to you whatsoever.

One of the members of the NHC just happens to be your next-door neighbor who points out that it was YOUR family who had planted the tree there in the first place. You admit to him that yes, your grandfather had planted the tree to provide a means of blocking the view of his ugly house next-door. Furthermore, he tells you he will not vote to approve the removal of the tree, as the branches that are over his house provide just the right amount of shade for his deck. He says he would have no problem with you just cutting off the branch that is directly over your house.

You try to reason with him, explaining that the whole tree is dead, posing a threat to anyone in the area, even those walking by on the sidewalk minding their own business, and that the very branches providing him with shade are threatening to fall on his house too. After months of debate, you give up of the NHC, and get a group of like-minded neighbors to support your goal of removing the tree, carefully explaining to them in simple terms that the tree, located on YOUR property and directly threatening your home, has damaged your property on several occasions in the past, and that the only way to make the entire neighborhood safe is to get rid of the whole tree.

So one night, you sit down with your family and vote on the issue of removing the tree. You family votes overwhelmingly in favor of the plan, even your daughter who had fond memories of swinging from its branches when she was a little girl. The next day, with the help of your neighbors (not ALL of them, but quite a few), you chop the tree down piece by piece until it's reduced to a pile of firewood. Then you get to work digging up the roots of the tree. As night falls, you are reminded that this is more than a one-day operation, so you call it a day.

The next day, you're back at work with your neighbors digging up the remains of the roots. One of these neighbors tells you he woke up that morning to find his prized cherry trees had been destroyed by vandals who left a note telling him more of the same could be expected if he continues helping you with the removal of the roots in your yard. As he's bailing on you, you remind him who he's going to be asking to borrow the snowblower from next winter. He offers no response and walks home with his tail between his legs.

As you had expected, there are repercussions from your actions. The NHC and their supporters are still crying foul, because you didn't get the approval of your next-door neighbor prior to removing the tree. But you know your children are safer because of your actions. The threat of the tree crashing through your house has been eliminated.

You also fully realize that digging up all the roots from that tree is going to take a lot of time and hard work on your part, but you and your family press forward and thank God that the men who built your house 215 years ago built a foundation of sufficient strength to keep the roots from cracking through the basement walls and causing your house to crumble before you could take action against the tree.

Our country is our home, and she must be defended at all costs. These days, our house looks more like the house of some high school kids whose parents are out of town. There are uninvited guests, people we don't even know, drinking our beer and peeing on our rugs. We asked a few of them to leave, but I suspect they came back with sledgehammers and took up positions in the basement.

The Abu Ghraib images you'll never see

No word on when Katie Couric and Matt Lauer will be running their feature piece on these Abu Ghraib torture videos. WARNING: this is NASTY stuff, the graphic details of which I will not post on this page. Read at your own risk.

The first film clip opens with the camera showing a man standing in a bland, mostly empty room. The camera pans down to show his right hand. Folded rugs are visible in the background. The clip jumps to footage of scrub-clad "surgeons" with rubber surgical gloves...

This is the result of the pacifist theory of containment. This is the vile scum of the earth that all the anti-war protesters and human shields tried to keep in power. Fuck that. If this is what UN "inspections" and "sanctions" bring about, I'll take swift and decisive military action for $400, Alex.

Yeah, shame on us. We laughed at their pee-pees and made them wear hoods while standing on (gasp) boxes! Oh, the horror! The lack of coverage of this by the mainstream media, who brought us wall-to-wall coverage of abuses of prisoners at the hands of coalition forces, is further proof that if a story doesn't fit their anti-Bush agenda, it will conveniently be swept under the rug. Disgusting.

Reason #3,419 why John Kerry, Ted Kennedy, Nancy Pelosi, Jim McDermott and the rest of the anti-Bush socialist liberal fucktwits can kiss my pale white ass!

Best Bumper Sticker Ever

No explanation necessary.

UPDATE (6/18): Here's the link to Cheaper Than Dirt where you can order this sticker.

UPDATE #2 (6/18): Today's NY Post column on the DNC's great sense of timing (link via Wizbang):

June 18, 2004 -- The opening night of next month's Democratic convention in Boston is set to feature an emotional party tribute to hometown hero Ted Kennedy, who has served in office longer than every other senator but one.

Guess no one at the Democratic National Committee took a close look at the calendar: That July 26 salute to Teddy just happens to coincide with...the 35th anniversary of Chappaquiddick.

Heh heh.

Conventional "Wisdom" - part II

So, last month, our junior senator (who, by the way, served in Vietnam - if you didn't know) had this to say concerning the upcoming DNC and its impact on the City of Boston:

"Boston will be open for business," the Massachusetts senator said aboard his campaign plane. "People will make a lot of money. We're going to have a full-fledged convention, and people are going to have a fantastic time."

Could you elaborate on that, Senator? Who exactly will be making "a lot of money"? If the DNC has their way, it won't be the local cab drivers:

Boston cabbies are up in arms over the city's suggestion they accept discounted flat-rate vouchers from 5,000 delegates needing rides to and from Logan International Airport for the Democratic National Convention next month.

[snip]

A proposal that could require drivers to accept a flat rate of $8 per delegate - with a minimum of three people to a cab - was presented to cab associations two weeks ago by Mark Cohen, the civilian director of the Boston Police Department's Hackney Licensing office, drivers said last night.

The trial balloon didn't fly with the cabbies who, when operating on a meter, can earn airport fares ranging from $20 to more than $30 depending on traffic.

The flat rate also does not appear to include the $6.25 each cab must pay for tunnel tolls and a Massport fee.

That's just great. Create the biggest traffic jam the city's ever seen, and then force the cabbies to sit in traffic with the meter off while shuttling delegates around.

And don't bother looking for any financial windfall for the surrounding communities:

Boston's northern neighbors are insisting the Hub cough up cash to pay for police details along suburban streets expected to be gridlocked by traffic diverted off Interstate 93 during the Democratic National Convention next month.

"None of the communities outside of Boston are receiving any support at all," grumbled Malden police Chief Ken Coye, who said the issue of who should pay for police details to keep traffic moving has come up several times already in meetings with Boston and DNC officials.

[snip]

Medford Mayor Michael McGlynn, who has threatened to block Route 60 at I-93 as a last resort to prevent diverted traffic from jamming Medford Square, said he and other mayors expect to meet with Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino soon to discuss "funding needs."

"Give us the resources we need in the form of manpower and/or money," Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone said. "From Somerville's perspective, this is going to cost us a quarter of a million dollars."

Somerville police will be stationed throughout the city and will be prepared to close major roads to foil cut-through traffic clogging the city, Curtatone said.

This is Kerry's idea of a "fantastic time"? I can't fault Kerry entirely for this gargantuan level of cluelessness. It's not like he's ever held a 9 to 5 job that actually required commuting through heavy traffic with the rest of the commoners. But hey, at LEAST we'll be able to get traffic updates from the news helicopters monitoring the situation, right?

BZZZZZ! Guess again.

Security planners and the Federal Aviation Administration have restricted the airspace within a 30-mile radius of the arena, with no private aircraft allowed.

That prohibition affects traffic reporting companies as well as local news stations hoping to report on traffic tie-ups.

This is getting worse by the minute. If things continue as they are, the security precautions being taken for the convention are going to wreak nearly as much havoc on the city as the terrorist activity they're trying to prevent. Gridlock, chaos, and panic minus the flying body parts.

Food for Thought

So, I was thinking (again) about how the Commonwealth of Massachusetts doesn't yet trust me to own a firearm (read: they don't have my $100 and my first-born child yet). And how there are those uneducated, and/or ignorant, and/or just plain evil types who argue that guns are deadly instruments that have no place in the homes of regular citizens.

So, I took a quick inventory of all the potentially deadly implements I own which, amazingly, haven't yet injured or killed anybody. I'm sure I've left several killing machines off this list, and I didn't bother including the category "Blunt Objects". I don't have the time to compile that list.

Power Saws:

10" Contractor's table saw
10" Sliding compound miter saw
7-1/4" Circular saw
Jig Saw
Milwaukee Super Sawzall

Hand Saws:

Crosscut saw
Hacksaw
Coping Saw
Pruning saw

Sharp Metal Objects:

Wustoff Kitchen Knifes (7)
Swiss Army Knife
Steak knives
Utility knives (4)
Scissors (several)
Wood chisels (2)
masonry chisel
4" Razor Blade scraper
Small razor scraper (2)
Paint Scraper
Pruning shears

Pointy Metal Objects:

Screwdrivers (probably around 30 or so)
Wood awl
Ice pick
Metal skewers
large barbecue fork

Hammers:

Claw hammer
2-lb. sledgehammer
10-lb. sledgehammer
10-lb. Pick axe

Nail guns:

16 ga. Finish nailer
18 ga. Brad nailer
Powder actuated fastener gun

Gas-powered Equipment:

Snowblower
Lawnmower

Motor Vehicles:

Jeep Grand Cherokee
Nissan Sentra

Other:

24" wrecking bar
12" nail puller
4-ft. crowbar
Shovels (4)
Propane blowtorch
Cordless drills (2)
Electric drill
Electric hedge trimmer
Belt Sander
4 D-cell Maglite
2-gallon can of gasoline

Now, what kind of father am I - keeping an arsenal like that at home with two small children in the house? Any of the above tools can be used to kill or severely maim another human being with little or no training whatsoever.

If anyone from the anti-liberty, anti-personal responsibilty, gun-grabbing camp (or any subject of the benevolent government of the UK) would care to explain to me why I have yet to embark on a bloody rampage through my neighborhood, I would really appreciate it. Come on...think about my children!

John Kerry: Less is More

Rumblings from the corner office on Beacon Hill:

Romney administration calls for Kerry to resign

By Associated Press | June 15, 2004

BOSTON --The Romney administration called Tuesday for Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry to resign while he runs for president, saying he's had an abysmal attendance record since launching his campaign last year and is not adequately representing his constituents.

I beg to differ, Governor. In general, every non-vote by Kerry is, by default, a vote representing my interests in matters before the senate.

Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey, a Republican, said Kerry has missed 64 percent of last year's roll call votes and 87 percent this year, including a vote on banning Internet child pornography.

OK, so there may be a few exceptions to the rule.

I've said it before, but the best way to see what matters most to our junior senator is to look at the votes he DOES make. Leaving the campaign trail in Iowa during the hectic primary season just to fly to Washington to vote for every anti-gun rights issue on the floor was quite telling of Kerry's so-called support for the 2nd amendment.

Romney and Healey need to choose their battles more wisely. This one's not worth it. I think the more the people of Massachusetts get to see the real John Kerry, the more likely they'll vote him an early retirement in 2008.

Hey, I can dream, can't I?

Oh, THAT liberal media!

From the Drudge Report comes another entry for the "Real Shocker File". Seems the L.A. Times is manipulating their polling data to imply some kind of nationwide support for a Kerry presidency, when the data actually show just the opposite. Stunning, I know.

TWISTED: LA Times Poll Had Sample With 38% Democrats, 25% Republicans
Tue Jun 15 2004 10:13:47 ET

Sen. John Kerry "has taken big lead," according "to an L.A. Times poll."

But the Times poll that showed Kerry "beating Bush by 7 points" has created a controversy over whether the poll's sample accurately reflects the population as whole, ROLL CALL reports on Tuesday.

"Not counting independents, the Times' results were calculated on a sample made up of 38 percent Democrats and 25 percent Republicans -- a huge and unheard-of margin," ROLL CALL claims.

Developing...

OK, let's apply a little 4th grade math here.

Assuming Independents make up the remaining 37% of the sample, they would have to be split this way in favor of Bush (21.5% + 15.5% = 37%) to show an overall 7-point lead for Kerry...

21.5% Independents + 25% Republican = 46.5% favoring bush
15.5% independents + 38% Democrat = 53.5% favoring Kerry (7-pt. lead)

...and that's assuming he has the support of his own party. I (and many others) strongly suspect there will be many more Democrats breaking rank and voting for GWB, than there will be Republicans voting for the most liberal Democrat in the senate.

So the headline should have read:

"Bush Leads Kerry by 16 points among Independent voters"

Nope, no liberal bias in the media here.

Crappy 80's Song of the Week

Yeah, I know I skipped a week again. Sue me.

Question: What do you get when you combine the most annoying traits of Axl Rose and Boy George, then throw in a good measure of "Beatles LSD envy"?

Answer: "Fly High Michelle" by Enuff Z'Nuff. From their website, which is surprisingly current:

Wild card. Enuff Znuff are the chrome-glinted definition of it. Each record they craft (and there are ten of them now) is stuffed, brimming, bountiful and joyous with potential smash hits. Chip and Donnie are the living, breathing example of a pop group that should be, and one day will be, revered in hushed tones for their elegant, life-affirmed grasp of gold and platinum pop perfection.

And Ten delivers the distilled direct hit, the Cupid's arrow through the broken heart, the rock radio love-in that a fortunate few have come to expect from this legendary Chicago institution. Indeed, Ten is quite simply pop heaven, few power chords in sight, hooks overflowing the band's party tumblers, jangly, lush acoustic guitars driving twelve songwriting theses that to a man, woman and teenbeat heart, any of which could skyrocket to number one with a lipstick kiss.

Enuff said.

Have a good weekend.

Posting will be light to non-existent this weekend as I will be performing a complete overhaul of my home computer. Picked up Windows XP Upgrade today to replace the Windows ME I'm currently running, along with Norton System Works and Personal Firewall.

I got some kind of virus/spyware/horseshit on my machine that's bogging it down to hell. Fuckers. Going to back up all my files and redo the whole damn thing. See you all in a couple days.

In the meantiome, visit the sites in my blogroll. Kevin at Smallest Minority has this graphic post up warning of the dangers of handloading your own ammo. Ouch.

See ya.

Ayuh.

From the beautiful state of Maine, in the serene town of Standish, comes this prime example of potential Darwinism:

Nick Talbot, 18, stepped outside armed with his digital camera Wednesday afternoon to take pictures of a large bear that was peacefully eating from bird feeders behind a deck and fire place.

Followed up by this piece of half-assed advice:

And the best thing to do if you have a run-in with a bear is to stand your ground, wave your arms and make a lot of noise, (Mark Latti, spokesman for the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife) said.

Seems to me the best thing to do, if your only choice of defensive weapon is a fucking camera, is to stay the in the damn house. Reminds me of the story of the city-slicker who goes on a wilderness vacation to Alaska.

The innkeeper warns him about traveling into bear country and asks if the man is adequately prepared for it. The city-slicker confidently shows the innkeeper his shiny new .357 Magnum to which the innkeeper replies, "You're gonna have to file down that front sight a bit there."

"Why's that?", the city slicker asks.

"So it don't hurt as much when the grizzly shoves it up your ass."

No more Kelly's for this guy

From today's Boston Herald:

A man who was living in Revere with an expired visa is being investigated by the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force after a police search of his apartment yielded counterfeit money, guns, flight-simulator software and ``very sophisticated computer equipment,'' a source told the Herald.

So, this arrest happened on President Bush's "watch", so he gets credit for it, right? Will the Kerry campaign be issuing a letter of congratulations to the President and the FBI for doing an exemplary job at keeping our country safe from attack?

"But he didn't commit any act of terrorism!"
"This is a John Ashcroft witch hunt!"
"(enter your own leftist, anti-Bush whining here)"

Inside, Procopio said police found 10 suspected counterfeit bills in denominations of $1, $20, $50 and $100, as well as a handgun and a long-barreled rifle.

Mousli was arrested at the apartment, according to Capt. Dennis Collyer of the Revere Police Department. Collyer said Mousli did not have a firearms ID card or license to carry.

Really? He didn't have a license to own those guns? I'm shocked. How can that be? We have some of the strictest gun control laws in the country.

But hey, I'm sure this is all just a misunderstanding. I mean, just because...

He's a Syrian national

He was living in the United States illegally

He was in possession of counterfeit US currency

He had illegally-possessed firearms

He had flight-simulator software

He was recently arrested on charges of fraud

...it doesn't mean he was up to no good (yeah, right). Sadly, he has about a 50/50 shot at being brought in front of a judge in this town who shares that sentiment. I'm sure the ACLU has already been alerted to this flagrant violation of this poor man's rights.

As I see it, getting this guy off the streets has undoubtedly saved innocent lives by preventing some kind of violent episode from occurring in the Commonwealth. This is the kind of victory in the War on Terror that you are not likely to see Dan Rather and his ilk reporting on.

Does anyone honestly think that if this guy had been successful at carrying out any kind of attack, that the anti-Bush left wouldn't be screaming from the mountaintops how Bush isn't doing enough to prevent terror attacks. Why won't this incident receive the same level of attention? Hmmmm.

Remember, John Kerry during the presidential primary season stated that the threat of domestic terrorism was being exaggerated by the Bush campaign for political gain. Tell that to the people in Revere who live next door to this guy. This incident happened in Kerry's own backyard, yet he still sees the current administration's anti-terror efforts as mere political posturing.

F. John Kerry.

R.I.P. Ray Charles (1930-2004)

This is bumming me out today.

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) Ray Charles, the Grammy-winning crooner who blended gospel and blues in such crowd-pleasers as "What'd I Say" and heartfelt ballads like "Georgia on My Mind," died Thursday, a spokesman said. He was 73.

Murph: Tell me a little about this electric piano, Ray.
Ray: Ah, you have a good eye, my man. That's the best in the city Chicago.
Jake: How much?
Ray: 2000 bucks and it's yours. You can take it home with you. As a matter of fact, I'll throw in the black keys for free.

He will be sorely missed. I think I'll stop at the store today and pick up the Blues Brothers DVD I mentioned a few posts ago.

Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do?

This is going to be interesting.

BOSTON (AP) A federal judge on Thursday said he would deploy U.S. marshals to ensure that access isn't blocked by picketing Boston police officers to the FleetCenter, where construction crews have been trying to get inside to ready it for next month's Democratic National Convention.

It's about time the feds got involved with this. The picketing police officers' rallying cry throughout this fiasco has been "No contract, no convention!". In their quest to become the highest paid cops in the country (by far), they are hijacking the one of the very building blocks of our nation's democracy. They are trying to use the convention as leverage to get Mayor Menino to cede to their demands, and I congratulate Menino for his tough stance on this.

Slightly unrelated side note: The BPPA (Boston Police Patrolman's Association) is constantly citing the dangers its members face on the streets to justify their demands for higher pay. Granted, cops have a tough job, but that's why they get body armor and assault weapons. If the streets are as unsafe as they claim, where's my AR-15? Where's my Kevlar vest? What happened to the crime-free utopia that the Gun Control Act of 1998 was supposed to deliver?

Local Loozahs

Today's installment of "Local Loozahs" comes courtesy of the Boston Herald (emphasis mine):

WAYLAND - Ten Wayland High graduates, including a class president and children of two selectmen, were arrested early yesterday morning on charges that they trashed the high school less than two days after commencement.

[snip]

Eight of the teens nabbed in the SUV admitted taking part in what they called a "senior prank", police said. At Framingham District Court, the teens, who did not enter pleas, appeared before Judge Robert V. Greco. They will be back in court on Aug. 4.

What a bunch of numbnuts. So if this was, as they claim, a "senior prank", I think it would only be fitting for the school to restore unto them their status as seniors, beginning next fall. The best thing the judge could do here is revoke their diplomas, annul all academic credits accrued during their senior year, and THEN send them on home to Mommy and Daddy.

Stupid pricks.

UPDATE: Here's a follow-up piece with more detail:

By 6:30 yesterday morning, Principal Charles Ruopp said the mess had been cleaned up by janitors and some of the mothers of the teens who are charged.

[snip]

Ruopp said he would rather have had the school cleaned up by those responsible instead of the mothers of the charged teens.

Oh, how nice. Their mommies went and cleaned up their mess. And not for the first time, I'll wager. What the hell is wrong with these people? Do Mommy and Daddy honestly think they'll always be there to bailout their "good kids"? Do they think they're doing their idiot kids a favor with this enabling behavior?

Why not try a little discipline, instead? It won't kill you. And who knows, maybe your kids will learn some morals and grow up to be men and women of character. What a novel concept to be imparting on our youth.

Business as usual in Beantown

PLEASE, people, don't let this story from yesterday's Boston Globe destroy your faith in the high ethical standards of the City of Boston's public servants.

Zoning official works as developer's lawyer - Says board role doesn’t help client

He was also reported to say that monkeys fly out of his butt, and that the earth is flat, but that's another story.

The chairman of Boston’s Zoning Board of Appeal has been working as a lawyer for a housing developer whose business has flourished with the help of repeated board approval to override Boston’s zoning laws.

For nearly five years, Joseph D. Feaster Jr. has represented developer Joseph LaRosa, who has built scores of homes in some of the city’s poorest neighborhoods, often over the objections of neighbors who say the houses are cheaply constructed and out of character with the surrounding area.

Nope, no conflict of interest here.

Meanwhile, Feaster may be violating a requirement that board members live in the city. Though he lists a Roxbury address on city voting and payroll records, he owns a 3,100-square-foot home in suburban Stoughton, where his cars are registered and he is listed on the town's resident list. A Roxbury neighbor who asked not to be named said Feaster moved out of the city when he bought the Stoughton house in 1998.

"I live in Roxbury and I live in Stoughton," said Feaster, adding: "Joe Kennedy has two houses." Former US Representative Joseph P. Kennedy II, a Brighton resident, has a summer home in Hyannis Port.

"Yeah, I live in the 'hood. The big house in Stoughton is my summer home. Yeah, that's it." Don't tell me anyone's buying this crap.

"He's probably the best chairman the zoning board has ever had. He does a fantastic job," (zoning board member Angelo) Buonoparne said. "No one understands zoning law or building codes better than he."

If this is the best the city has to offer, we're screwed and half the housing in town should probably be condemned, razed, and rebuilt.

But hey, I'm sure the mayor's office, at least, conducted a thorough job search before concluding that Mr. Feaster was the most qualified applicant for the position, right?

Feaster, 54, is a longtime political ally of Mayor Menino.

No!!! I NEVER would have guessed. File this one under "Big Shocker".

UPDATE (from today's Globe): Zoning official must step aside, mayor says

Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino demanded yesterday that the city's Zoning Board of Appeal chairman, Joseph D. Feaster Jr., surrender to authorities resign withdraw from any involvement with the board panel until the State Ethics Commission can rule on whether he violated the state's conflict of interest law by working for a developer who has frequent business before the board.

Our hero, Mayor Menino, ruling with the foam rubber fist, as usual.

Menino declined to say whether he will seek Feaster's resignation from the board if the ethics commission finds he violated the law.

Shouldn't that one be a no-brainer, Tom? How about shit-canning him for this flagrant violation of the public's trust? Doesn't that count for anything anymore?

If officials determine Feaster's primary residence is not in Boston, Menino said, Feaster will also be asked to repay thousands of dollars he has saved on his Boston property taxes. For many years, Feaster has claimed a residential exemption on the Roxbury address -- $1,110.27 this year, nearly half his total tax bill. The city offers the exemptions on properties that are owner-occupied, as a way of encouraging homeownership in the city.

So, it seems we can also add tax fraud to Feaster's list of hobbies...nice.

"We'll do the research. I've only just been made aware of this," said Menino, who named Feaster to the board in 1994.

Ah yes, nothing like firing up the old "Sergeant Schultz Defense" once you're busted and outed in the papers. This would, under normal circumstances, be sufficient cause to question Menino's ability to govern the City and serve the interests of its residents, but since it's become the accepted practice of government in this town and state, no one bats an eye.

Be afraid. Be VERY afraid.

Seems like David Hasselhoff and his PR team have him busy these days trying to develop some street cred.

Ex-'Baywatch' Star Hasselhoff Arrested

No doubt preparing for his latest music venture.

Ice-T to produce Hasselhoff rap album

Boy, do I wish I was making this up.

D-Day, The Gipper, and Guns

Two stalwart icons of American history came to being in the year 1911: President Ronald Reagan and the Model 1911 .45 caliber semiautomatic pistol - a sidearm that has served many American GI's admirably through several wars.



"On March 29th, 1911, the Browning-designed, Colt-produced .45 Automatic pistol, was selected as the official sidearm of the Armed Forces of U.S.A., and named Model 1911."

It is quite fitting that we commemorate together the life of Ronald Reagan and the 60th anniversary of the D-Day invasion at Normandy. Two of the strongest examples of America and her people demonstrating to the world the power of resolve in the face of evil. Take notice, Ms. Pelosi, there are countless like-minded citizens determined to keep our country strong and free, despite what the voices in your diminutive, surgically-altered head are telling you.

The 1911 model has been copied by many, but one such version I find myself extremely attracted to is this beauty by Springfield Armory. While the olive drab finish wouldn't normally appeal to me, all can say here is damn, but this is one handsome (and affordable) firearm. Definitely on my short list.

Springfield Mil-Spec 1911-A1 in OD Green Armory Kote Finish

Caliber: .45 ACP
Capacity: 7+1
Barrel: 5", 1:16 LH
Sights: 3 Dot Fixed
Sight Radius: 6.25"
Size: 35.6 oz., 8.625" overall length
Trigger Pull: 5 to 6 lbs.
Magazines: 1
MSRP: $641.00

From Kim's Gratuitous Gun Pics:

The nice thing about the 1911-A1 is that it's a very basic, bare-bones model (my kinda piece -- less to go wrong), but which offers a great platform for any future customization. New, it costs about $420 - $500, and represents a considerable bargain, if you don't happen to care for skeleton triggers, adjustable sights, ivory grips and other such stuff (which I don't).

Yep.

One word...UNITARD

This is just wrong on so many levels. I don't know what more I can (or want to) say, but read this choice quote and then click HERE.

"...I tried it on to see what problems needed fixing."

A quick word of advice for Tron-boy here. Less man-cameltoe, please.

(original link via The Spoons Experience)

Viva la Capitaliste!

Seems to me the same people who want to hang Bush on what they perceive as a faltering economy are, no surprise, the same people who are pinning the blame for higher gas prices on his shoulders as well. For any such individuals, whose hatred for the President outweighs their capability for rational thought and their willingness to deny themselves reality, I draw their attention to this item - Gas prices don't deter shoppers: Retailers report 5.1% gain in May.

Retailers turned in robust May sales yesterday, as soaring gas prices didn't stop shoppers from buying colorful spring and summer fashions, air conditioners and Mother's Day gifts last month.

Sales at stores open at least a year - a key industry measure - grew 5.1 percent overall, Thomson First Call reported. That beat the firm's expectations for a 4.6 percent rise, and was a strong comeback after retailers fell short of forecasts in April.

The International Council of Shopping Centers said the solid sales results last month confirm results of a recent survey that revealed record-high gas prices were not derailing consumers' appetite to shop and spend. The trade group's survey found that consumers were reacting to high prices at the pump by becoming more efficient shoppers, doing more in fewer trips, rather than cutting back on spending.

Wait, you mean the economy might just be strong after all? People are actually spending their hard-earned dollars as one would expect in a robust capitalist society? But Al Gore and John Kerry are telling me the apocalypse is near and that I should surrender my soul to the Democratic Party or suffer a most gruesome fate.

Bear in mind, these naysayers are the same folks who, despite the soaring cable television rates, continue to pay, because after all, you NEED cable TV (and cell phones, and DVD players, and plasma TV's, etc.). Funny how when the news came out about the price of ice cream going up, you didn't hear much anti-Bush rhetoric about some vast Neo-dairy-con fascist conspiracy. Never mind, I'm sure someone (read: card-carrying member of the Howard Dean Fruitbat Society) made the connection.

Bottom line: Consumerism IS the driving force that keeps this country strong. So sit around your drum circles banging on empty 5-gallon buckets with a stick all day if you want to. I'll defend your right to do just that, if that's your choosing. Me? I'm gonna go buy stuff. Circuit City has a DVD 2-pack of Animal House and The Blues Brothers on sale for $20! Sweet!

But...but...it's FREEEE!

Reasons #821 and #822 why the leftist wacko wing of the Democrat Party has no idea what it's talking about.

Read this story about a woman who was forced to call 911 on her cell phone from the emergency room of one hospital to get an ambulance to take her to another hospital.

Howard, 39, says she was forced to wait an hour in the ER on April 27 before nurses told her the wait would be even longer. She called 911 and was taken by ambulance to Quincy Medical Center where she was admitted and released two days later.

Then read this article on the average waiting periods for medical treatment in American hospitals.

The Texas-based consulting firm Merritt, Hawkins & Associates surveyed 1,062 physician specialists’ offices in 15 major cities and found Boston patients wait longest for appointments. The study, released this week, found that new patients in Boston wait an average 37 days to see a cardiologist, 45 days to see an obstetrician-gynecologist, and 50 days to see a dermatologist — the longest waits of the 15 cities.

Now can someone please explain to me how this would be improved by adopting the Euro-utopian socialized health care system, providing unlimited free health care for everyone at the taxpayers' expense, opening the sluicegates for every free-loading, hypochondriac in the country world to invade emergency rooms across America.

What we would need is an "express lane" emergency room system. Those people who are actually contributing to society and are providing for their own health care get their own ER, and those who make their living leeching of the rest of us, seeking "emergency" care courtesy of Uncle Sam for their stubbed toes can take a number and reap the "benefits" of their socialist government bureaucracy.

Likewise, for those who complain that singling out young Arab males for extra security screening in airports amounts to EVIL racial profiling, we can create a special "No Security Screening Allowed" Airline, just for them. See how many tickets they sell (not my original idea, and I would credit the original source for this, but I read it a while ago and don't remember who came up with it).

Don't want to know what's INSIDE the box.

Where has this guy been living the last 20 years?

The chairman of the House transportation committee says new tolls and gas taxes should be part of the discussion on how to fix the state's transportation system.

[snip]

"Let's be honest about something. ... We don't have the ability to finance all the unmet needs which exist at present in the commonwealth," Wagner said. "So what I suggest we do is think outside the box." [emphasis mine]

Is he serious? If new tolls and even HIGHER gas taxes are what pass as thinking "outside the box" up on Beacon Hill, I shudder to think what the legislature would be up to if their thinking stayed "inside" the box.

Such is life in the People's Republic.

Crappy 80's Song of the Week

" ________________ " by Huey Lewis and the News (reader's choice).

15 rounds or less, or your pizza's free.

As a follow up to this story about the Indianapolis Pizza Hut driver who killed a would be armed robber in an act of self-defense (no charges filed against the good guy)...

Jerome Brown-Dancler approached Honeycutt at around 11 p.m. on May 17 just after he had made a pizza delivery in Indianapolis. According to the report, Brown-Dancler pointed a 9 mm handgun at the Pizza Hut employee as he was entering his van.

Brown-Dancler's gun carried a loaded 14-round clip but had no bullet in the chamber, Crawford told the Star. When confronted, Honeycutt pulled his own 9 mm from the back of his pants and fired until it was empty. He says he fired 15 times in about eight seconds. An autopsy revealed Brown-Dancler was hit at least 10 times.

...comes this from the Outdoor Message, the official publication of the Gun Owners Action League.

The Babyface Finster Special

Just when you think there's no hope for the Bay State, an amusing item like this comes along. From the Ware Gun Shop in Ware, Massachusetts. Hurry, while supplies last!



The free violin case should be seen as a consolation prize for the mandatory trigger lock you'll have to buy with the gun.

UPDATE (6/3/04): Here's the scoop on this beauty:

Today, you can own a unique piece of American firearm history in the form of the Auto-Ordnance Thompson Model 1927A-1 semi-automatic carbine. This model has great historical interest as Auto-Ordnance manufactured a broadly similar model Thompson in the 1930s. We recently received a 1927A-1 for test and evaluation from Kahr Arms, which bought the Auto-Ordnance name, manufacturing rights and tooling from the previous owner, Numrich Arms.

With, of course, the expected modifications to the original:

To conform with Federal requirements, the Kahr/Thompson 1927A-1 carbine differs from originals in several ways. First, the Kahr/Thomson is semi-automatic only and fires from a closed bolt while most original Thompsons were selective-fire and fired from an open bolt.

Second, the barrel of the Kahr/Thompson 1927A-1 carbine is longer than the original in order to meet Federal minimum barrel length requirements. Also to meet Federal requirements, the buttstock assembly of the Kahr/Thompson is fixed, whereas on the original it was detachable.

Would still make a fine-lookin' addition to anyone's home arsenal.

This just in!

Holy hashpipe, Batman! Stop the presses! From an interview with Paul McCartney in Uncut Magazine:

"(McCartney) confirmed that drugs influenced some of the group's songs."

Noooooo!

Our Home Makeover

I'll say this about the Boston real estate market - it's great if you're ALREADY IN IT. Here's a look at our recent home makeover project. We will be converting this two-family house in Boston to condominiums, eventually selling each unit for more than we paid for the whole house in 1999. Doubling our money in five years ain't too shabby.

BEFORE (and this was the "good" side - with the fewest warped or missing shingles)



AFTER (actually more of a "during" picture, as there is still some painting and touch-up work remaining)



Now if I could just get John Kerry to make a few phone calls and have the fire hydrant moved.

Big Brass Ones

Via INDC Journal comes this story from World Net Daily along with confirmation from the official Marine Corps commendation report detailing the actions of one Capt. Brian Chontosh. Here's a teaser:

Within moments there were Iraqis slumped across the machine gun and Chontosh was still advancing, ordering his driver now to take the humvee directly into the Iraqi trench that was attacking his Marines. Over into the battlement the humvee went and out the door Brian Chontosh bailed, carrying an M16 and a Beretta and 228 years of Marine Corps pride.

Read the whole thing. Just don't hold your breath for Katie Couric to be interviewing this man any time soon.

All good things come to an end

And long weekends are no exception. Posting will now resume to its pre-holiday levels. I hope you all had a good Memorial Day weekend. Mine started off with a trip to the gun range. Nothing like shooting guns in Teddy Kennedy's backyard to remember those who took up arms and made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country and our way of life.

This was my second range outing (shooting a S&W .38 revolver) in preparation for the range test required by the City of Boston as part of the LTC (License to Carry) application process. Not a bad day over all. Had a couple good targets at 15 yards (I'll post them when I get a chance). 12/12 inside the 7-ring (6"), and 8/12 inside the 9-ring.



Saturday was opening day of the grilling season at our house. Two big racks of spareribs from Costco slow cooked over charcoal and hickory wood for 2-1/2 hours, and a big pack of drumsticks in a citrus-rosemary marinade. Corn bread, corn on the cob, Concord IPA and Long Trail Ale rounded out the menu. Mmmmm...pork.

Sunday, we were invited to our tenants' cookout. This marked the first time our twin girls (they turn two this month) experienced the joy of hot dogs. They absolutely devoured them.

Monday had me cleaning out the garage/workshop, well, starting the cleaning process anyway. Where did all this crap come from? Normally, I could live with the clutter, but seeing as my workshop does double-duty as my poker room, a little housekeeping is in order.

Now it's back to work. Got lots to catch up on.

Sometimes life is good...

...other times it just kicks you square in the yams. From the World Series of Poker:

In head-to-head play, Raymer had a stack worth $17.1 million compared with the $8.2 million owned by Williams. On the seventh hand, Williams pushed all his chips into the pot and Raymer matched him.

Both had full houses — but Raymer had eights over twos, while Williams had fours over twos. Williams, a 23-year-old Dallas college student, busted out.

Ouch.