Is Hennigan Getting It?

Mayor rapped on rape 'denial'

City councilor and mayoral hopeful Maura Hennigan said Mayor Thomas M. Menino is "in denial" about the rising number of women being violently raped - including two reported incidents this weekend in which a teenager and a woman were abducted by multiple men and attacked.

Mayor Menino has always run on the "strength" of his crime-fighting initiatives, proclaiming Boston to be a "safe city" for all of its residents.

The only problem with the Mayor's position there is that it's pure "Grade A" crap. Do you ever wonder why the Mayor spends so many late nights at Ugi's in Dudley Square chatting with the locals over a large meatball sub? No? That's because he doesn't. He knows better than to walk around there at night without his armed security detail in tow.

Councilor Hennigan needs to keep on this and hammer this point home as the central thesis of her mayoral campaign. If* she were to combine that attack with a platform of recognizing and promoting the personal responsibility of the city's residents and the rights of the same to bear arms in the defense of their families and neighbors, I have no doubt we'd have a new mayor-elect come election day this year. We shall see.

The alternative, and more likely scenario, is that she'll simply follow liberal party protocol, and demand more funding (at taxpayers' expense) for law enforcement and rape crisis counseling agencies - two groups that excel in dealing with sexual assaults AFTER women in our city are brutally violated.

This "outside the box" thinking will then be followed by more hair-brained, revenue-enhancement schemes like this one proposed last February by our good friend Representative Tim Toomey to fund newly proposed anti-gang violence initiatives.

[State Senator Jarrett Barrios] said he hopes to work with the Romney administration to find the money for the proposals. The House chairman of the committee, Rep. Timothy J. Toomey Jr., D-Cambridge, said one possibility is to increase licensing fees on firearm identification cards and gun purchases.

DHBA NOW ACTIVATED - read on.

As a little refresher course for the mayor (and the rest of the useless twits wasting otherwise perfectly good oxygen in City Hall and up on Beacon Hill), I present these previous posts highlighting the recent incidents of violent crime in the City of Boston from the last two months. Remember, this is not a "crisis situation", it's just a series of "issues". Everything's under control, folks. We're still well below the mayor's "crisis situation" threshold. Now, isn't that comforting?

Three women abducted and raped in one weekend
A dozen women mugged (one stabbed) in Chinatown
Newspaper deliveryman stabbed, beaten, and carjacked
Young father shot to death in car
Woman robbed downtown, face beaten with a rock
East Boston woman stabbed to death in foyer
Six violent crimes in Brighton - in four days
Elderly woman stabbed for her lottery winnings
ER nurse stabbed by knife-wielding nutjob
Southie Shopkeepers terrorized by armed thugs

The common thread: all the victims were unarmed and defenseless, just the way the Mayor and our "progressive" legislature want them to be. Such is the proud Menino legacy.

* Winner of the 2005 World's Biggest "IF" Competition.

Did You Watch '24' This Week?

Pic "borrowed" from Bill, who asks:

Is it just me, or did Chloe become hot as she was blowing away the terrorist?

It's not just you, Bill - even my wife agrees with you.

From North of the Border

Trespassing immigrants: New Ipswich chief puts heat on ICE

When the Department of Homeland Security is less serious about enforcing U.S. immigration laws than local police are, something is terribly wrong.

[snip]

On April 15 the New Ipswich police arrested Jorge Mora Ramirez, an illegal alien from Mexico. [New Ipswich Police Chief W. Garrett] Chamberlain charged Ramirez with criminal trespass. State law states that a “person is guilty of criminal trespass if, knowing he is not licensed or privileged to do so, he enters or remains in any place.” Chamberlain says Ramirez, as an illegal alien, is not “licensed or privileged” to be in the state, and is therefore trespassing.

Sounds like solid reasoning to us. If a judge in Jaffrey-Peterborough District Court agrees on Tuesday, police departments throughout New Hampshire could arrest illegal aliens just for being illegal aliens, which is something that only federal officials have had the authority to do.

Definitely one to keep an eye on come Tuesday. Congratulations to Chief Chamberlain for having the balls to stand up and take action while the federal government continues to turn a blind eye to the problem of ILLEGAL immigration in our country. For more on this topic, be sure to visit Michelle Malkin's The Immigration Blog.

And, on a related note, here's today's installment of "Compare and Contrast - MA vs. NH"

New Hampshire:

Bill would provide tuition for children of slain soldiers

CONCORD — On the day Sgt. Angelo Lozada was buried at the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery, lawmakers held a hearing on a bill that would give free tuition to his three children at the state's public colleges and universities.

Massachusetts:

Children Of Illegal Aliens Want College At In-State Tuition Rate

Massachusetts lawmakers are debating whether the children of illegal immigrants should be entitled to higher education discounts available to other students.

How do you spell "P-R-I-O-R-I-T-I-E-S"?

Batter Up!

Don't you just love a happy ending?

Cape man beats armed intruder to death

A remote Cape Cod farmhouse became the scene of a bloodbath early yesterday after two masked gunmen burst into a West Barnstable home and pistol-whipped its occupant, only to have the victim's son beat one intruder to death with a baseball bat, sources said.

Barnstable police responded to 56 Boxwood Drive after a panicked 911 call saying the suspects had forced their way into the home and began to beat Pete Somers with the butt of a handgun and attempted to tie him up, sources said.

Somers' son, Joel, who was upstairs, grabbed a baseball bat and rushed downstairs to help his father. By then, the elder Somers had fought off one attacker, who then fled.

The younger Somers apparently began to beat the second masked gunman, Osnel D. Azor, 23, with the baseball bat. Azor died a short time later at Cape Cod Hospital.

Someone buy that man a Blue Ribbon. And that's not even the best part of the story. Well, OK, so maybe that is the best part, but this comes in at a very close second.

Law enforcement sources said it is unlikely that Joel Somers, who was recently released from jail, will face charges for the fatal beating.

Yesterday, Cape & Islands District Attorney Michael O'Keefe confirmed Azor was an intruder.

"He did not belong on the property - had no authority or right to be there," O'Keefe said.

Is there yet hope for the Bay State?

UPDATE: From the Boston Globe, comes this bit of insight from the deceased choirboy's sister:

"He was getting his life together, going to school, doing the right thing."

OK, class, let's review.

...two masked gunmen burst into a West Barnstable home and pistol-whipped its occupant...

[snip]

...suspects had forced their way into the home and began to beat Pete Somers with the butt of a handgun and attempted to tie him up...

Imagine what might have happened had her dirtbag brother set out to do the wrong thing yesterday.

Throwing More Money at the Big Dig

Literally.

BOSTON -- What began as a bank robbery in Cambridge quickly turned into a police chase and a bust in a Big Dig tunnel Wednesday afternoon.

NewsCenter 5's Steve Sbraccia reported that as they fled, the robbers threw handfuls of cash out of the window of a Jeep Wrangler.

Tell Me I Didn't Just Read This

Headline of the Day:

N.Y. police blame iPods for subway crime

I'm at a loss for words.

Beating the Dead Horse

Lately, this blog seems to have become a single-topic blog, that topic being the utter failure of the Commonwealth's gun gontrol laws and the politicians who support them. I'm not saying that's necessarily a bad thing, but in the interest of keeping tabs with what my readers would like to see more (or less) of in the future, I present the following poll.

Do you think the proverbial dead horse has taking a sufficient whipping or is there still room for a few more whacks? Let me know. Also, let me know if you know which part of the poll HTML I need to tweak to get rid of this big gap here. (fixed somewhat, thanks)

Should I show the dead horse some mercy and stop blogging on the abject failure of our "common-sense" gun control laws?
	Absolutely not. Beat the snot out of that friggin' equine! Show no mercy!
	Not entirely, but it does get tiresome after a while. Besides, we want more Big Dig posts.
	Yes. You're over-reacting. Massachusetts' gun control laws are just super, and working perfectly, thanks.
	Yes. Give it up. Massachusetts is a Marxist shitbucket, and nothing you can do will change that.
Free polls from Pollhost.com

Greasing the Slope

File this one under "Why Can't We Be More Like Europe?"

I shouldn't have to point any of you over to this post (National Cultures and GUN Cultures) by Kevin at The Smallest Minority. He should be on all of your "daily reads" list. But, in case he isn't on yours, go there now. He writes about the gun control movement and "gun culture" in general in the UK as it's evolved over the years - and it's not a pretty picture, needless to say.

In that post, he references this post (England Slides Further Toward Bondage) from November 2003, which is a must-read for anyone in Massachusetts (or New York, California, Illinois, New Jersey, etc.) who owns a gun, wants to own a gun, or actually gives a rat's ass about the government-sponsored erosion of our personal liberties.

I think the term "slippery slope" in this case is a gross understatement. We're talking near-vertical precipice*, folks.

In 1936 the British added a "safe storage" requirement for all handguns and rifles. (Sound familiar?)

Yes.

In 1946 self-defense was no longer a "good reason" to have a firearm. The slope got steeper.

In 1953, carrying a weapon for self-defense was made illegal. Any kind of weapon.

In 1967 the law was amended to require a license to own a shotgun, and jury trials no longer required a unanimous decision.

It sounds painfully familiar. Welcome to Massachusetts.

In 1996 all handguns were banned. And they were all registered... Well, you get the point.

Also in 1996, carrying any kind of knife was made illegal - unless you could prove you had a good reason for having it. The presumption of innocence was gone.

Needless to say, violent crime is spiraling out of control in this "gun-free" fantasy land.

And Massachusetts was the only state to experience a decrease in population last year. [whining nanny-state "progressive"]I blame Mitt Romney.[/whining nanny-state "progressive"]

* precipice (n.): The brink of a dangerous or disastrous situation

News Flash - Gun Control Saves Lives!

From the gun control capital of the Midwest:

Investigation Launched Into Kidnapped Man's 911 Call

CHICAGO -- Police in Elgin, Ill., are investigating whether 911 dispatchers and police officers thought a kidnapped man's call for help was a prank.

The caller, David Steeves, 19, was found shot to death in the trunk of his mother's car a few days later.

[snip]

Robert J. Guyton Jr., 23, and Armin Henderson, 25, were charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, aggravated vehicular hijacking and other crimes in Steeves' death.

Yes, thanks to Illinois' "common-sense" gun control laws, only one person died in this horrible incident. Had Mr. Steeves been allowed to carry a firearm, we might now be reading about two "youths" killed by gunfire.

So remember, kids, guns are bad. If you ever find yourself stuffed in the trunk of your mother's car by two gun-wielding crackheads, you can always call 911.

No Permit. No Surprise.

Tragedy struck last night in Woburn, Massachusetts where schoolteacher Sylvie DeSilets, 31, was found shot to death in her apartment. Her husband's body was also found nearby with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

All the local news accounts of this murder/suicide were quick to report that the weapon used was a .38-caliber revolver. But, it wasn't until I found this write-up in the Woburn Daily Times, that I came across the information I was looking for. Hold on to your hats, kids, this is a real shocker.

"There were two .38's [found at the scene], none of which he had a permit for. [One] was a very expensive 'super .38', which he could have been obtained in Canada," the district attorney added, whose guess that the weapons were purchased in the gun-strict Canada was doubted by (Woburn Police Chief Phillip) Mahoney.

Yes, in the gun control paradise of Massachusetts, this man was able to illegally obtain a handgun and murder his wife. Who could have known? And the district attorney, instead of acknowledging that MAYBE our gun control laws aren't working to prevent or deter violent crime as promised, pulls a South Park and "Blames Canada". That's the equivalent of blaming the lax firearms laws in Brookline for the proliferation of firearms in Boston.

When "Thou shalt not kill" rings hollow and meaningless between the ears of a cold-hearted killer, what good is "Thou shalt obtain a firearms license before owning a gun" going to do? Because, it didn't do shit for Ms. DeSilets last night.

Variations on a Theme

You've all heard this one a thousand times:

When life hands you lemons, make lemonade.

I've always been partial to:

When life hands you lemons, make lemonade. But unless life also hands you water and sugar, that's gonna be some suck-ass lemonade.

Now, courtesy of Coyote at the Dog Show:

When life hands you lemons, ask for tequila and salt.

Hard to argue with such a sound policy.

I Hate When I'm Right

Because it usually entails unarmed citizens being brutally assaulted, raped, or killed while our political leaders sit around thinking up more ways to make such attacks possible.

Today's MGCSS (served with a healthy side order of DHBA) comes from the pages of the Boston Herald.

A shocking rise in violent attacks on women - including three rapes in three days this weekend - has a half-empty BPD sexual assault unit straining to keep up as critics blast authorities for keeping residents in the dark.

"It is chilling to think that women were abducted and raped in this city over the weekend," said Gina Scaramella, the executive director of the Boston Rape Crisis Center.

Chilling? Yes. Surprising? I hardly fucking think so.

In the latest attacks, a 14-year-old girl said she was pulled into a beige car by three men Friday night near her Mission Hill home, raped at gunpoint for hours then abandoned.

Early Saturday morning, a woman in her 40s told cops she was snatched in Hyde Park by three men who threw her into a maroon car and dragged her into Franklin Park where she was raped at gunpoint.

On Sunday, a West Roxbury woman in her 20s claimed she was sexually attacked by a man giving her a ride home from a bar.

Gee, that great liberal "progressive" fantasy of yours you call "common-sense" gun control is really bearing fruit these days, eh, Mr. Mayor?

I mean, I can understand how Senator Teddy "Waitress Sandwich" Kennedy would want to create a complicated system of laws that facilitates the sexual assault of women in our community, but for the rest of our elected officials, this is nothing short of a total disgrace.

From BPD Deputy Superintendent Margot Hill:

"We in no way want to give the impression that the safety of Boston residents is being compromised by temporary staffing shortages."

Don't worry, Ms. Hill. That's not the impression a lot of us are getting. The safety of Boston residents has been compromised for some time now, courtesy of laws supported by the higher-ups in your department and our elected officials, who have enacted some of the worst gun control laws in the country.

To even suggest, as this story does, that we can fight violent crime by throwing more money at the problem is ludicrous. Unless the city plans on assigning an armed police security detail (you know, the kind the Mayor gets) to every man, woman, and child in the city, this solution won't do jack shit.

Sure, you can flood the streets with extra cops in the "hot spots" of the city, and maybe enjoy a weekend or two of relative calm, but anyone who sees this as long term solution just doesn't understand the problem. They tried that recently in Chinatown a few weeks back. Here's how well that plan worked.

This story serves as just another reminder of just what it is these gun control laws are doing. They are ensuring that the ONLY people carrying firearms in the City of Boston are rapists, muggers, drug dealers, carjackers....and police. The rest of us are left depending on these people for protection (or mercy). No thanks.

How many more innocent lives will have to be destroyed as a result of this until people wake the hell up and demand their God-given right to self defense be restored immediately.

Oh, and I'm still waiting to read in our local papers of just one incident where our "common sense" gun control laws have actually proven to save a life, or prevent brutal attackes like the ones mentioned above. Anyone? Beuller?

Beuller?

Beuller?

Pop Quiz Time Again

Today's pop quiz and MGCSS comes from the Chinatown neighborhood of Boston.

For 30 points, guess which of the following headlines appeared on a Boston newspaper's website this weekend:

A. Chinatown muggers in pedestrians' cross hairs

B. Chinatown pedestrians in muggers' cross hairs

Hint: If you honestly need a hint, you have not been paying attention.

From the accompanying story:

Police have beefed up patrols and even cast bait trying to catch a suspected tag team of purse snatchers preying on Chinatown, who were willing to stab one woman who battled for her bag.

"We're dealing with a couple of bad individuals. We need to get lucky on this one," said Boston police Capt. Bernard O'Rourke, commander of District A-1.

Here come those warm n' fuzzies again.

Between February and April 9, there were a dozen successful attacks on Asian women of all ages, at all times of day and in all kinds of weather believed committed by the same two men, one of whom makes the grab while his partner waits nearby in an idling getaway car.

Massachusetts' "Common Sense" Gun Control Laws: Coddling criminals and helping women of color become victims of violent assaults at a rate of one every six days - in one neighborhood alone.

I gotta tell you, Mr. Mayor, I've run this scenario through my head several times now, and have yet to discern what part of it you find so appealing.

"The best advice we can give is don't fight over property. It makes no sense," O'Rourke said. "With the extra patrols, if they keep it up, eventually they're going to get caught."

So, you may "eventually" catch them? If that's the best game you got, thanks, but no thanks. Go back and sit on the bench. You're not doing anyone any favors...except for these knife-wielding thugs. I'm sure they're quite grateful for everything your department has done to disarm these innocent women and make their chosen career path all that much safer to pursue.

He's Got My Vote

Who's Jack Hanney?

Aside from conservative principles, a dim view of property taxes, and a beef against the smoking ban in restaurants and bars, John "Jack" Hanney is running for Boston mayor for a simple reason: He's going to need a job.

You had me at "dim".

Habemus Papam!

To borrow a phrase - heh.

MGCSS du Jour

Today's somewhat belated MGCSS comes from the Allston/Brighton neighborhood of Boston (again), and offers us yet another peek into the future of the gun-free utopia being promised by our leftist gun-grabber politicians.

From the Boston Herald police logs:

"What type of papers (are) you delivering?" the knife-wielding thug asked the 42-year-old paper deliveryman from Newton before stabbing him, beating him and stealing his car on South Street Wednesday at the crack of dawn.

The victim's Nissan Sentra was later recovered.

Police report he suffered stab wounds to his shoulder, chest and left wrist, as well as a cut on his head.

Let's run down that safety checklist again, shall we?

1. Don't go out late at night. CHECK
2. Don't go into the "bad parts of town". CHECK
3. Don't go out looking for trouble. CHECK
4. Don't deal drugs, get a real job. CHECK
5. Don't carry a gun, they kill babies. CHECK
6. Get stabbed, beaten, and carjacked. CHECK

You got a problem with any of that? Tough shit. That's how the Mayor, Attorney General, our state legislature, and yes, our Governor like it. Now, shut up and get back in line, ya damn peasants.

Listen to the Outrage

From the Boston Herald:

A 25-year-old man who had been missing since Tuesday morning was found slain yesterday afternoon in the backseat of a Nissan Maxima parked behind a Mattapan apartment building.

[snip]

Boston police last night said (Damien) Service, whom they did not identify, died of head trauma.

An investigation has been launched; however, authorities would not say whether Service was shot or stabbed.

Yes, another young black male is brutally slain on the streets of Boston. Another life senselessly taken away. A hard-working man who came to Boston from his homeland of Jamaica, struggling to make a better life for his girlfriend and two-year-old daughter, ends up violently slaughtered in the street like an animal.

Click HERE for the audio transcript of the NAACP press release condemning this horrific incident.

Let Us Pray

To say this is a longshot would be an understatement. Nonetheless, let's all hope the Supreme court decides to hear this case, and subsequently rules in Ms. Cloutier's favor.

Woman Goes To Court Over Eyebrow Ring

W. SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- A former Costco Wholesale worker who was fired in 2001 for refusing to remove her eyebrow ring has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to hear her appeal.

Kimberly M. Cloutier, of West Springfield, said she wears her eyebrow ring as a sign of faith, and has accused Costco of religious discrimination. She has said she is a member of the Church of Body Modification.

The church, established in 1999, counts about 1,000 members who participate in practices such as piercing and tattooing, according to a December ruling by the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which upheld a trial judge's finding in Costco's favor.

Lynn A. Kappelman, a lawyer for Costco, declined to comment. The company has argued that Cloutier's beliefs are political or social instead of religious.

Cloutier's lawyer, Michael O. Shea, filed a petition Monday asking the Supreme Court to consider hearing the case. The court does not hear all such requests.

The future founding of the Church of Concealed Weapons and Automatic Firearms hangs in the balance.

UPDATE: Link added

Medford's Finest

What the fuck is wrong with some people? Seriously, what the blazing fuck is the matter with some people today? This story nearly made me sick to my stomach.

Teens Accused Of Attacking Police Officers Near Carnival

MEDFORD, Mass. -- Several teenagers were arraigned in a Somerville courtroom Thursday after allegedly attacking a group of police officers at a local carnival Wednesday night.

[snip]

"He went to them, 'Please move along, we have to disperse the crowds here.' They confronted the officer, the officer was struck, (and) the officer called for assistance," said Glynn.

Even when backup arrived, the officers were outnumbered. The teens allegedly punched, kicked and hit the officers with their own nightsticks.

"At one time, some of the individuals who were involved ripped a baton off the belt of one of the officers. The officers, through their training, covered their guns to make sure nobody could get access to their guns," said Glynn.

Does anyone think for one second that if a white officers was involved and had justifiably opened fire and killed one of these little dirtbags, that the NAACP, Jesse Jackson, and the rest of the Perpetual Victimhood Brigade wouldn't be raining hellfire down on the Mayor's office right now calling for these officers' heads on a friggin' platter?

So, maybe I'm assuming the cops are white, the story doesn't say. I'm just going with my hunch here. Regardless of the skin color of any of the parties involved, I know I wouldn't lose any sleep over the untimely passing of these worthless little punks.

Five teens, including Calvin Belfin, 18, and Isaiah Anderson, 17, both of Somerville, were arraigned on charges of assault and battery and assault and battery on a police officer.

These officers should be awarded the highest commendation the department has to offer for not dropping these animals in their tracks. And poor little Calvin and Isaiah here should do 40 years hard time (that's my compassionate liberal side showing) and wake up every morning thanking their fucking stars that they're still alive.

Three of the police officers were sent to an area hospital after the incident. One officer required reconstructive dental surgery.

Remember the words of our benevolent leaders people, if someone threatens you on the street, just give them what they want. If what they want happens to entail smashing your teeth in, don't worry, your fearless legislators are working on getting free reconstructive dental surgery for everyone. Yippee!

Ticket to Ride

The Boston Herald has this rather disheartening update on yesterday's story about the thousands of dollars in unpaid parking tickets being racked up by city hacks employees.

City workers' tickets could be uncollectable

Thousands of dollars worth of tickets slapped on city vehicles may go forever unpaid as fuming officials scramble to find employees responsible for racking up violations.

"What they are trying to do is figure out who had the cars," acting Transportation Commissioner Tom Tinlin said. "If they can't figure out who had the car, those tickets will go down as uncollected tickets."

Bullshit. Bullshit. Bullshit. Bullshit.

What a friggin' lame-assed cop-out. If a vehicle, registered to a municipal entity, gets ticketed, then that department or organization is on the hook for any and all associated fines. Period. I don't give a flying rat's ass who the individual driving the car at the time was, and neither should the city. If I loan my car to a friend and he gets tagged for parking at a fire hydrant, guess who the city's going to come after for the fine - yours truly, the registered owner of the car.

By their reasoning, if the city can't prove that I was the person driving my car at the time it was ticketed, then that ticket should go down as "uncollected" and get tossed in the trash. Right, Mr. Commissioner?

So, anyway, here's my solution:

From now on, I will appeal all future parking tickets by claiming that I happened to loan my car on the day in question to an unlicensed illegal alien who needed it to drive to a job interview, so that he could become a productive member of society by doing a job Americans don't want to do.

It's foolproof, I tell you, foolproof.

Shocking News Item of the Day

Lawmakers eye $15m in surcharges on auto insurers

Beacon Hill lawmakers are seeking to impose $15 million in new surcharges on auto insurers, costs that would probably be passed on to consumers, to pay for police training.

Probably?

Insurance companies would almost certainly seek to pass on the new surcharge to drivers, according to Daniel Johnston, president of the Automobile Insurers Bureau of Massachusetts, an industry group. He estimated that the cost for each driver would be about $4 per year.

Gee, only $4 a year? Sounds fabulous! Whom do we have to thank for this wonderful plan?

House Speaker Pro Tempore Thomas M. Petrolati, the Ludlow Democrat who authored the bill, did not return calls seeking comment.

But a prominent cosponsor of the bill, Senate Public Safety Committee chairman Jarrett T. Barrios [I'm stunned - ed.], a Cambridge Democrat whose committee held the hearing yesterday, said the measure would fill a crucial gap while creating minimal pain for drivers. He added that legislative Democrats were only stepping in where Romney hadn't.

What a typical liberal asswipe, socialist-wannabe, knee-jerk approach to matters of state budgeting and finance - tax first, ask questions later. After all, it's only four dollars a year. Who cares that it's just one of many such "minimal pains" already being jammed down our throats.

God forbid, Senator Barrios, you should actually review police department budgets and payrolls to see where alternative cost-saving measures might be possible. I mean, it's not like some towns are paying their police chiefs 30 bucks a day for lunch or anything.

And we know there no misappropriation of funds, whatsoever, taking place in our local school departments.

Oh, wait, what was I thinking. Going after that money might anger the union bosses who expect to get their money's worth for their campaign contributions. You'd be better served going after the helpless commoners instead. After all, you've already disarmed them, what are they going to do about it? Move?

Um...yes.

Next up: the "Population Erosion Revenue Protection (PERP) Tax Fee Surcharge".

UPDATE: Early polling results look encouraging.

Now Which Way Did Kenny Go?

Well, I certainly don't want to be the LAST blogger on earth to do this, so without further ado...

Create your personal South Park character here.

Rule #1 (version 2.0)

Don't bring a hippie to a gunfight.

(Monkey) Business As Usual in Boston

Please do not let this story destroy your faith in the integrity of our city's public officials. Yes, I realize that would require both the initial existence of said integrity and a measurable amount of your faith therein, but what say you just humor me and play along?

City workers skate on parking tickets

Scofflaw municipal workers have racked up more than $26,000 in parking tickets over the past seven months - nearly all of which are unpaid - for leaving their city-owned vehicles in crosswalks, bus stops, handicapped spots and in front of hydrants, a Herald review has found.

[snip]

Of the $26,815 in fines for the 467 tickets received by city workers, $11,868 has already been wiped from the books, records show.

The Department of Public Works led the way with 86 violations for $4,530 in fines. The Department of Neighborhood Development was second with 68 tickets for $4,270, followed by the School Department with 67 for $2,825.

The Transportation Department was fourth with 56 violations for $3,085. Joe Kelly, executive director of off-street parking facilities, was responsible for 30 of those tickets, most for parking in a no stopping/standing zone on New Chardon Street. Kelly was the only employee identified by name. Officials said they were still trying to identify other employees ticketed.

I. Am. Stunned.

Who could have possibly imagined that the Mayor's weak, limp-dicked approach just one year ago to this EXACT SAME FRIGGIN' PROBLEM would prove to be entirely ineffective? (pausing to count raised hands)

Flashback to April 2004:

Seven city workers were suspended yesterday, including the manager of Mayor Thomas M. Menino's 2001 reelection campaign, after police uncovered a widespread scam in which parking tickets given to municipal employees were routinely fixed.

Peter C. O'Sullivan, director of Menino's street furniture program, had 15 parking tickets totaling $808 dismissed without cause or even a hearing, according to City Hall officials.

The second biggest offender was Michael Kelley, the former campaign manager who now works on the city's Rental Housing Resource Center. He had 13 tickets totaling $564 dismissed, the officials said.

And what was our courageous leader's iron-fisted disciplinary response back then?

All the employees were suspended one day without pay for each fixed ticket, the officials said. In addition, the tickets were reinstated, and the employees were required to pay any late penalties that had accrued.

[snip]

"These are young kids, making a mistake so early in their careers," Menino said.

Well, that had quite the impact, Tom. You really taught those crazy kids a lesson they wouldn't soon forget. I mean, God forbid you should actually fire any of these bums. Why that might send the message that corruption among our public officials - folks who earn their salaries from the hard work of the taxpayers of the city - is somehow unacceptable. Oh, the horror.

I guess all the recent talk of cracking down on parking violators by doubling fines and increasing the frequency of towing of scofflaw's vehicles would only entail us regular folks getting the thumbscrews, and not members of Menino's inner circle of hacks and political insiders.

Why am I not surprised?

Peace Out (for the count)

And the hits keep coming. Given how much we hear about our "effective", "common-sense" gun control laws around these parts, you would think there would be a whole flood of stories at least one story in the news of a person having been spared death or grievous bodily harm as a result of these laws being on the books.

I'm still waiting - not holding my breath, but waiting nonetheless. In the meantime, as long as I'm still living in the People's Republic, I'll continue posting stories like this on a near-daily basis.

Form the Boston Herald police logs:

Nice work by a group of citizens who pounced on Thomas Peace, 35, of Roslindale Saturday night on Congress Street after he allegedly smacked a 26-year-old Boston woman in the face with a rock and then grabbed her purse.

Well, it's nice to know that when he posts bail, my wife and kids will once again be sharing the neighborhood with such a nice young man.

Now, imagine my surprise when I found out that no permit of any kind is required to carry concealed rocks in downtown Boston. Who knew?

And, of course, had this 26-year-old woman brought a can of pepper spray over the border from New Hampshire, and used it defend herself from this scumbag without acquiring the $25 permission slip from the state, she would now be facing, at a minimum, charges for illegal possession of a firearm [ammunition. -ed.]

Better a woman get her face smashed in by a rock-wielding lunatic than actually allowing the people of Boston to take responsibility for their own personal protection, right, Mr. Mayor? I mean, after all, you gotta preserve that voter base.

If It Saves Just ONE Life...

OK, I'm trying to get actual work done today, but I can't let such an exemplary MGCSS like this go unblogged.

Pregnant Deerfield woman found slain at gas station

Deerfield's first murder victim in three decades was 6 1/2 months pregnant, a relative said, as investigators declined to reveal the cause of her death pending completion of an autopsy.

"This is all too shocking to me. I kind of don't believe it," Charlene Waryasz said of her 21-year-old half-sister, Brandy, who was found slain Saturday at the Deerfield Sunoco where she worked.

News reports from earlier today indicate that this woman was found strangled to death and the cash register from the gas station was missing.

"She was a great person. She had a loving heart and she was going to be a mom," Waryasz told the Greenfield Recorder. Brandy Waryasz was found lying on the Sunoco's garage floor by a customer who called police at 6:40 p.m. Saturday.

So here we have an unarmed pregnant woman against a violent attacker with no regard for the law nor any moral reservations, whatsoever, against strangling a defenseless woman to death - killing her unborn child in the process - for a fistful of cash. Guess which one walks out of the room and lives to see another day.

Charlene Waryasz said her half-sister had recently moved to western Massachusetts from New Hampshire.

State Senator Barrios and the folks over at Stop Handgun Violence send their condolences. I guess that when they tell us restricting the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens will be worth it if it saves just ONE life, they're referring to the life of the animal who murdered Ms. Waryasz and her unborn baby.

No more argument. No more compromise. These people are absolutely, certifiably fucking insane.

To quote Captain John Parker from this day in 1775:

Stand your ground! Don’t fire unless fired upon! But if they want to have a war, let it begin here.

It Was Twenty 230 Years Ago Today

On this day in 1775, the first armed conflict of the American Revolution, The Shot Heard 'Round the World, took place in Lexington, Massachusetts. Comparing the events of that day with the current events of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts reveals a stark reality.

Had the "progressive" leaders of present-day Massachusetts been in charge of the American colonies in the late 18th century, the British forces would have "progressed" right through Lexington while both the licensed gun owners in town were screwing around with their muskets trying to get the trigger locks off.

Pretty sad.

Now compare and contrast the words of President John F. Kennedy, favorite son of Brookline, Massachusetts, a town where the police chief today seems disinclined to even accept applications for "shall-issue" Firearms Identification Cards...

"Today, we need a nation of Minutemen, citizens who are not only prepared to take arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as the basic purpose of their daily life and who are willing to consciously work and sacrifice for that freedom."

...with this brilliant bit of nuance from Senate Bill S.1431 "Assault Weapons Ban and Law Enforcement Protection Act of 2003", which I had blogged on here last year. This proposed piece of "common-sense" gun control legislation was co-sponsored by another J.F.K. from Massachusetts.

...a firearm shall not be determined to be particularly suitable for sporting purposes solely because the firearm is suitable for use in a sporting event.

Pretty fucking sad.

Thanks, Kim, for the quote.

Busy Week

Expect posting to be light this week. Lots to do, and little time to do it.

OK, Scotto, You Got Me

So, I turned on the radio this morning as the kids were finishing up their breakfast. And, who should be guest-cohosting on the Blute and Scotto Show this morning, filling in for Peter Blute? Why, none other than Massachusetts State Senator Jarrett "I Never Met a Gun Control Bill I Didn't Like" Barrios.

If you don't know anything about Mr. Barrios and his position on gun control...sorry, gun "safety", just type "barrios" into the little Google search block at the top of this page. I might have made mention of him once or twice in the last year or so.



Anyway, it's a good thing I only caught the tail end of the show, as it was enough to make my blood boil. The listeners calling in to the show were calling Barrios out for what he is, a rabid gun control zealot who won't be happy until private ownership of firearms in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is all but a faint memory.

On one occasion, Barrios made mention of the "rapid-fire" "assault weapon" carried by "Mucko" McDermott as he shot up the office where he worked in Wakefield, Mass. a few years back. Yet, as is so often the case, when hearing a member of the gun-grabber camp discuss this incident, he conveniently forgot to mention Louis "Sandy" Javelle, the man McDermott shot who was prevented by Massachusetts' "common-sense" gun control laws from bringing a firearm over the border from his home in New Hampshire, where he was licensed to carry a concealed weapon for self-defesne purposes.

And it got worse.

He then had the nerve to close the show with a quote from Ronald Reagan, invoking the memory of the brave patriots of Massachusetts, who, in April of 1775, took up arms against the powerful British Army, preventing them from seizing their guns and munitions, and helping to preserve the very freedoms that we, as Americans, enjoy to this day.

How do you spell "irony", Senator?

But then it hit me.

Back on April Fool's Day, the world was overwhelmed with the news of Pope John Paul II's passing. Given the seriousness of the day, Blute and Scotto decided not to do an April Fool's Day version of their show, but announced that at some point in the future, they would try to pull one off.

Well, Senator Barrios' closing comments was the clincher.

Good one, Scotto - having Senator Barrios give a Patriot's Day tribute. The two of you had me going there for a while. One question though, how did you get him to play along and say that with a straight face?

One Toke Over The (Border) Line

OK, this made my day.

Make sure you scroll down for the pics of the ACLU's "Legal Observers" keeping a sharp eye on the goings-on of the Minuteman Project in Arizona - and someone, please, get these kids some Twinkies.

(link via Michelle Malkin)

Another "Safe City" For You

Today's MGCSS/DHBA comes from the scenic town of Fall River, Massachusetts. And, boy, if this story doesn't exemplify the utter failure of the Commonwealth's gun control laws and the pathetic inability of our limp-dicked prosecutors and judges to keep violent felons off our streets, then nothing will. Rather than try to pull a few choice quotes, here's the whole thing.

Man Arrested In Fall River Bar Shooting

FALL RIVER, Mass. -- An alleged member of a violent Fall River street gang has been charged in the shooting of four people at a bar in an apparent drug turf war.

Nigel Vaughn, 19, was arrested Thursday afternoon in connection with one of the worst shootings in the city's recent history. Gunfire broke out at Larry's Sports Bar on Tuesday night, police said. Four people were hospitalized, one with critical injuries.

"We have never had so many people shot in one incident during my career here," Fall River Police Chief John M. Souza, who has been with the department since 1980, told The Herald News.

He said Vaughn opened fire because the victims were allegedly dealing crack cocaine inside the bar. "Mr. Vaughn felt as though he had a monopoly over who could deal drugs at the sports bar," Souza said.

Police described Vaughan as extremely dangerous and violent and said he is a member of the drug-trafficking Mafioso street gang. Three other alleged members of the gang were arrested Thursday night on unrelated drug and weapons charges.

Souza said Vaughn was the lone suspect in the bar shooting. He recently posted bail on weapons charges in Brockton, and has been arrested five times in the past six weeks.

He was scheduled to be arraigned Friday morning in District Court.

Yet, a law-abiding resident of Boston, with no criminal record, whatsoever, can go to police headquarters to apply for a License to Carry a Firearm (read: BUY a firearm) with the following documentation in hand:

1. Certificate from Firearms Safety Course
2. Completed license application
3. Check for $100 application fee
4. Copy of driver's license
5. Copy of gun range membership card
6. Copy of US passport
7. Copy of utility bill showing residence in Boston
8. Copy of receipt from purchase of a gun safe
9. Two-page letter stating reasons for requesting license, highlighting recent incidents of violent crime (rape, abduction, home invasion, and armed robbery) in his neighborhood.

And still be turned away for failing to provide a copy of his birth certificate, the requirement of which was never made known prior to the beginning of the application process. But these are just "common-sense" gun "safety" laws, right, Senator Barrios?



This sticker came in the mail yesterday. Needless to say, it's going on the Jeep at lunchtime today.

Let's Play "Spot the Irony"

American Cheeseball

Believe it or not, this headline...

Poor song pick dooms 'Idol' contestant

...was not referring to this:

Just barely surviving were Scott Savol and Bo Bice, a long-haired rocker who performed "Free Bird" Tuesday. Bice has frequently been cited as a favorite in the competition, but was in the bottom three of vote-getters Wednesday.

In my world, that would be grounds for immediate dismissal.

NEXT!

From the Humorous Headlines Department

Courtesy of the Boston Globe:

Brandeis University Shooting Club

I know, the title seems a bit oxymoronic, but it's a reality.

Hearty congratulations are in order for Ben S., a student at Brandeis University, who recently succeeded in getting a shooting club chartered and funded (partially, at least) by the university's student activities finance board - no small feat, given the "progressive" environment on campus. Kim has the pics up over at his site.

So, what was involved with getting this club chartered, you might ask? Well, check out some of the Q&A session and debate on the topic, as recorded in the Student Union Senate Meeting Minutes from the 27th of February:

Q-Edgar: what kind of guns?
A-real guns, in contact with professional and private gun owners

Oh, no! Not REAL guns! (cower cower)

Q-Emily: what is the mission of this club, maybe bring opposing sides?
A-trying to keep clubs away from politics, main priority as of now are people who are interested in guns and shooting

"Maybe bring opposing sides"? Yeah, that's just what the gun control crowd need 'round these parts, another platform from which to express their point of view. You might as well bring members of PETA along for a foie gras tasting. Thanks, but no thanks.

Noah, speaking in favor, similar to many other interest groups having come before Senate, take people off campus to have fun, engage in activities, low cost, not a huge deal of chartering

Sam, speaking in the middle, more in favor of recognizing this club, not in favor of spending student union money for a potentially dangerous activity

Yeah, it's "potentially dangerous", unlike the Equestrian Club, the Scuba Diving Club, the F1 Racing Club, the Surfing Club, the Fencing Club, and the Archery Club.

Nope, no inherent risks there. I won't even get into the category of organized contact sports. Hell, they even have a knitting club on campus. I'll wager more people injure themselves this year with knitting needles than they do at the pistol range.

Here's more - first, the voice of reason:

Albert, speaking in favor, in favor of this club, recreational shooting is a sport, despite political baggage attached to this

Next, the voice of uncertainty (though, she seems willing to give it a shot - no pun intended):

Jenny, not sure that there is a great interest on this on campus, but by getting recognized, still can organize trips, see how popular involvement is

And, last (and least) the voice of ignorance:

Josh, idea of shooting on a shooting range, does not think that SAF should be paying for this in any way, does not benefit Brandeis community

Wow. Shooting on a shooting range - what kind of crazy notion is that? I wonder where Josh would prefer them to go shooting. And, as far as this nonsensical claim over "benefiting the Brandeis community" is concerned, let's have a look at some of the other clubs the Student Union Senate has chartered in the past:

The Simpsons Club

The Simpsons Club is dedicated to the art of watching the Simpsons.

...and Console Gamers X.

An all inclusive co-ed video gaming club to gather those members of the Brandeis community who enjoy video games together into a relaxed environment to play and socialize.

I suppose there could be some benefit to the Brandeis community from a bunch of kids sitting around watching cartoons and playing video games, it's just not jumping off the screen at me right now. Might I propose the "Get Off Your Ass and Do Something Productive Club"?

One last note (I couldn't let this one go unmentioned), perhaps Ben and his shooting club should team up with the Vagina Club (I wish I was making this stuff up).

Our purpose is to educate the Brandeis community about violence against women and how to prevent it through fun and informative events...

Fun and informative? Sounds like a day at the range to me.

Rhymes with Menino

Experts are predicting Boston will be swarming with blood-sucking parasites this summer. Surprisingly, though, they're not referring to those already nesting in the mayor's office and the city council chambers.

Hub expected to be top mosquito draw

The Meningrad Chronicles (cont'd.)

City targets fees at lots near Fenway

Mayor Thomas M. Menino is planning to crack down on sky high prices at private parking lots around Fenway Park, saying he will seek authority to cap fees and stop what he called the gouging.

Yes, it's Mayor Thomas "I've never met a proposed tax increase or fee hike I didn't like" Menino rallying against price gouging. The irony is almost too painful to bear.

"Someone came up to me and said, 'I just paid $100 to park,' " said Menino, who attended the Red Sox home opener Monday. "I blew my top."

You know what, Tom? As mayor, I'd have blown my top as well - astonished that anyone in my city would be so fucking stupid to think that they could drive to Fenway Park and expect to find ample affordable parking for any Red Sox/Yankees game, never mind the season opener, World Series rings presentation, championship pennant raising Red Sox/Yankees game.

Any chance the mayor would "blow his top" if I expressed my outrage over having to pay $100 to apply for a gun permit? Hey, quit laughing. I'm trying to have a serious conversation here.

Menino said he will seek City Council approval for an ordinance to cap private parking fees, the exact rate to be determined after a meeting with the lot operators later this week.

Speaking of efforts to curb price gouging, I'm guessing Mumbles hasn't gone out to dinner in the city recently and paid to park in a parking garage downtown. Oh, wait, the city's getting a piece of that action. Never mind. That's OK, then.

"We are going to come up with a strategy to make sure this doesn't happen in the future," Menino said. "My goal is to have control over the fees. ...

Stop the presses! Sound the alarm! Money is changing hands between private parties within the walls of the city, and the mayor doesn't have complete, totalitarian control over it? Oh, the humanity! Someone think of the children!

... This may be the market, but it's not right."

I give you Tom Menino, the mayor of Boston, in ten words or less.

Do me a favor, Tom, would you? After you're done tugging your dick over this, see what you can do for me about the cost of plasma TV's around town. Best Buy wants like five grand for one! I nearly "blew my top"! "This may be the market, but it's not right."

And, this is the same idiot who likes the idea of levying a $5/day tax on people driving into downtown Boston.

In related news, the mayor held a press conference with officials from the Registry of Motor Vehicles last night to unveil the latest state license plate, now available for the very reasonable fee of $100 (all proceeds to benefit a very worthy cause - Menino said so).

Senator John F. Kerry

...in three words or less.

What a boob.

That's Entertainment

As much as I'd like to title this post "Only in Massachusetts", I suspect stupid shit like this exists in pretty much every city where an over-inflated, self-serving, bureaucratic government has taken control. From the Allston-Brighton Community Safety Log (oooh, I feel so safe now):

Police issued Café Belo at 181 Brighton Ave. a license premise violation April 2 at 8:10 p.m. for playing a radio with speakers in the dining area without an entertainment license.

Police issued Color at 166 Harvard Ave. a license premise violation April 2 at 8:28 p.m. for playing a radio with speakers in the dining area without an entertainment license...

Police issued Hometown Restaurant Mongolian Barbecue at 168 Harvard Ave. a license premise April 2 at 8:40 p.m. for playing a wall television without an entertainment license...

Welcome to Boston - we get more ridiculous bullshit accomplished in half and hour than most normal cities do all week.

Reader E-mails

I got a bunch of e-mails over the last week or so from folks sending me links to stories in the news that I either missed or decided not to write about, or asking questions about some of the other crap going down in our fair Commonwealth.

So, I'd like to take this opportunity to answer a couple of these folks' inquiries pass the buck.

Scott G. writes:

I was just in Beantown for the premiere of "Fever Pitch", and I had the misfortune of staying in a hotel room facing the anti-gun billboard outside Fenway. (In the movie, it can be seen heralding the end of the AWB.)

This week, it has two panes. A blue one: "Massachusetts: You're more likely to live here." Followed by: "Most effective gun laws and fewest gun fatalaties. Gun laws work."

Since you no doubt study your state more than I do, I was wondering what your take on this was. I'm assuming it's some form of bullshit, but I bet you could tell me specifically where they're getting the information. I'm also curious to know who keeps buying that ad space. The local government? HCI? Brady Bunch?

Scott, see this response from GOAL (Gun Owners' Action League) and this chart I recreated from their website showing a comparison of firearms-related injuries from before and after the "common-sense" Gun Control Act of 1998.



As far as who's buying the ad space goes, that would be this misguided organization - and I'm being far too kind with that characterization.

And, reader Seth points to this Boston Globe article, assuming I would have blogged on it earlier.

As gun makers seek to limit liability, a family stands opposed

Truth be told, I was going to blog on it, having recently read a related post by Jeff at Alphecca, where he takes what the mainstream media is reporting regarding the gunmakers' liability legislation, and compares it to the actual text of Senate Bill S397. The results will shock you...not.

Anyway, Jeff takes this Boston Globe writer out to the woodshed in this post - and by doing so, saves me the trouble of digging up his previous post and writing my own expletive-laden tirade. Thanks, man.

Beer Blogging

As you may or may not know, the only quasi-resolution I made after the New Year was to try to buy a different kind of beer each and every time I visit one of my friendly local liquor stores. Though, the Guinness still makes its way through my front door somehow.

Being a major hophead, I've now had the good fortune to try several excellent IPA's from some fine New England breweries - the last three being, Magic Hat Hi.P.A. (S. Burlington, VT), Wachusett IPA (Westminster, MA), and Smuttynose IPA (Portsmouth, NH). Follow the links to learn more about these superbly crafted ales.

FWIW, I give the nod to the Smuttynose, of the three listed here - hands down, the best of the lot. As if I need another reason to want to move to New Hampshire. If you like your beer with a healthy, hoppy bite, do yourself a favor and pick some up today, or tomorrow, or the day after, or...

From the Smuttynose website:

The beer itself is light bodied and crisp with a golden color that will throw a slight haze, as we bottle it unfiltered. At 65 IBU's, this is definitely not a training-wheels IPA, but is meant for hop lovers looking to satisfy their craving in a way that's not easy to find. We think they'll be quite pleased.

Mmmmm...hoppy, unfiltered goodness.[/homer]

Compare and Contrast - Int'l Edition

Let's go international for a while with these two not-so-similar stories. First, via Clayton Cramer:

Violent Pirate Attack On Two Yachts Off Yemen

There were 4 men in each boat. The boats separated at about 200 yards, one boat ahead of the other, coming down Mahdi's port side and firing into the cockpit. The other boat was firing an automatic weapon at both Gandalf and Mahdi from ahead, more at Gandalf. These guys were shooting directly at the cockpits, and obviously intended to kill us.

[snip]

At that point I, Rod Nowlin aboard Mahdi and armed with a 12 gage shotgun loaded with 00 buckshot, started shooting into their boat. I forced them to keep their heads down so that they could not shoot at us. I am not sure I hit anyone at that point although I could see the driver of the boat crouched down behind a steering console. After firing 3 shots at them their engine started to smoke and I swung around to shoot at the boat ahead.

[snip]

The bow of the pirate's boat came right up against Gandalf's stern and two men stood up on the bow to board Gandalf. That was a serious and probably fateful error on their part. I shot both of them. That boat then veered away and I shot the driver, although I am not sure of the outcome because they were farther away and I did not knock him down like the other two.

Next up, this story out of the "common sense" gun control haven of Brazil:

Massacre in Rio Getting Little Attention

NOVA IGUACU, Brazil - Violence is a part of life in this slum on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. Shootings are common and death squads of former and off-duty police officers, funded by local businessmen, are known to knock off undesirables.

But even by the brutal standards of Nova Iguacu, last week's massacre of 30 people apparently by a band of rogue policemen was shocking, starting with the severed head thrown over the gate of a police station.

[snip]

The first shots were fired at a sidewalk bar, killing nine people, including several shirtless teens left lying in a pool of blood around a video game machine. [more dead babies for the Sarah Brady bodycount - ed.] Most of the victims were shot in the head and chest at relatively close range, medical examiners said.

The killers next chased two men who ran across the street down a dead end alley and finished them off there.

Then they picked off two men riding bicycles on their way to the neighboring town of Queimados, where they killed 12 more people in two different spots, apparently at random.

In the first story, we see an individual who is alive today because he possessed the means, the ability, and the will to defend his life with the use of a firearm. The innocent people being slaughtered in the slums of Nova Iguacu may, indeed, possess the will to stand up and defend their lives, but with out the proper tools and knowledge of how to use them, the concept of personal self-defense is reduced to begging for one's life and depending on the mercy of cold-hearted killers.

Which scenario would you rather find yourself in?

I also loved this quote:

"It's beyond shocking really," said Tim Cahill, a researcher from the London office of the human rights group Amnesty International who arrived to investigate the slayings. "It just shows how cheap human life has become."

Yet, his fuckwit, leftist organization is one of the driving forces calling for a worldwide ban on the private ownership of firearms - you know, "for the children" and all. From their website:

Unless governments act to stop the spread of arms, more lives will be lost, more human rights violations will take place, and more people will be denied the chance to escape poverty.

Tell that to the folks of Nova Iguacu, where the government has already taken drastic steps "to stop the spread of arms", you ignorant socialist fuck. You claim to value human life, but in the same breath you're calling for more action to actively prevent these innocent people from defending themselves from certain death at the hands of corrupt government officials, who seem to have no problem acquiring all the guns they need to massacre their own people.

Fucking moron.

Dumbass of the Day Year

OK, that's it. I'm calling it. Contest over. Despite my undying faith in the ability of the American people to constantly do dumber shit than they did the day before, I don't see anyone beating out this guy for the top honor in the next 8 1/2 months.

From the Boston Herald police logs:

Thanh Nhat Le, 51, was nabbed at Sovereign Bank on Dorchester Avenue Tuesday afternoon allegedly trying to cash a phony check for $7,550. Even though Le had opened the account with just $171 in small bills last week, he apparently thought the check would clear because of large check deposits he had made, police said.

One check was written out for $4 billion; another for $2 million; and another for $250,000. The bank's loss prevention specialists' suspicions were aroused by the colossal deposits - the millions were mailed in last month and the billions were deposited Monday - and they contacted police.

No additional comment necessary.

Disclaimer: I reserve the right to re-open this contest at anytime I deem appropriate. Though highly unlikely, you just never know 'round these parts.

Living in America

What a difference an imaginary line in the dirt makes.

Cameras, seat belts, luxury taxes all lose

CONCORD — The New Hampshire House yesterday set aside bills that would have allowed cameras to catch red light violators, mandate seat belt use by adults and study a luxury tax yesterday.

The tally:

Traffic cameras: defeated 217-99
Mandatory seat belts: defeated 180-124
Luxury tax study: defeated 172-120

Imagine that. Why, one might almost be led to believe that concepts such as liberty, economic freedom, and personal responsibility actually mean something to these people. What an amazingly revolutionary concept!

Also, from the same article:

After brief debate, the House adopted a resolution calling for Congress to designate English as the official language of the United States.

New Hampshire, what's not to love?

Also, to everyone who's e-mailed me or left in the comments section a link to the Free State Project, don't worry, I've been aware of it (and on board) for quite some time now.

More Victims of Gun Control Safety

Following up on the earlier story of the 16-year-old girl who was "accidentally" shot to death, we now find that this wasn't the first time this family had suffered greatly at the hands of violent criminals in the land of "common-sense" gun control. Anyone who has yet to detect a pattern here is advised to put down the bong and quietly step away from the X-Box.

(Please activate the DHBA system at this time)

With girl's slaying, tragedy visits family twice

METHUEN -- Eleven years ago Christine Baltimore was inconsolable when her cousin, her favorite playmate, was killed in a violent home invasion. Eva Rojas was 7 when she suffocated after three male intruders sealed her mouth and nose with duct tape.

[snip]

First the assailants had beaten Eva Rojas's father with a baseball bat, bound him with wire, and taped his mouth shut. Then they had rousted the young girl and her mother from bed and bound and gagged them. They had tied up young Eva and covered her nose and mouth with duct tape. The state medical examiner later determined that the girl probably suffocated within a few minutes.

The men also shot Eva's great-uncle seven times in a neighboring apartment and stole some jewelry.

I wonder how many more innocent, unarmed men, women, and children will have to tied up in their homes, shot at, beaten, and killed before the shit-for-brains politicians in this state wake up and realize that their "common-sense" gun control laws do nothing but provide armed, violent thugs with a ripe harvest defenseless victims.

Sadly, for that revelation to occur, rational thought and the ability to mentally process logical arguments must exist - concepts largely lost on those holding the chains of power on Beacon Hill.

The concept of gun control, or "gun safety" legislation, as it has been redefined and implemented in recent years by the liberal left in this country (and elsewhere - England, Australia, South Africa, etc.), is an abject failure.

Every year, more and more states are waking up to this reality and loosening the requirements for allowing their law-abiding citizens to carry firearms for the purpose of defending themselves and their families from the violent, predatory scumbags that walk our streets (I know, it's quite the radical concept). Sadly, many in power refuse to acknowledge this or act accordingly.

The mayor of Lawrence sure as hell doesn't get it.

The mayor's office also is working with youth groups to encourage young people to turn in their weapons in Baltimore's memory...

Hey, I got a real swell idea. After everyone's turned in their scary, evil guns, let's all jam flowers up our ass and listen to Donovan albums while we work on our macrame projects. That'll really show 'em how serious we are about fighting violent crime in our communities.

I don't think I'll ever understand why the "progressive" leadership of our enlightened commonwealth just outright refuses to accept the following reality. Until the citizens of Massachusetts are finally able to reclaim the God-given right to protect themselves from evil, stories like this will continue to flood the front pages, and innocent lives will be lost.

Compassionate Party of the People, yeah right.

File Under "Guns Cause Crime"

With the snow now gone and warmer weather on the way, we can expect to see more stories like this unfolding in our gun-free paradise.

BOSTON (AP) -- Boston police are investigating the stabbing death of a woman in East Boston.

The victim has been identified as 28-year-old Anna Elizabeth Mendoza. Officers found her early Saturday morning in the foyer of a building on Cottage Street. She was later pronounced dead at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Homicide detectives are continuing to investigate the case and no arrests have been made.

Nothing to worry about. We only need to remember the words of our benevolent leader, Mayor Menino, from last fall and everything will be just fine.

"It's a safe city, but I think we have an issue today that must be addressed"

When asked for her opinion on this "issue", Anna Elizabeth Mendoza was unavailable for comment.

E-Rod

That was pretty funny.

UPDATE: This is funnier.

Live Free or Die Here (cont.)

How can you tell if your town government has way too much fucking time on their hands.

They spend time even debating bullshit like this.

PLYMOUTH - Georgina Chanatry got some sympathy from town meeting last night, but not the bylaw she wanted to limit yard sales.

By a vote of 73-40, town meeting representatives rejected a proposal to limit residents to two weekend yard sales a year.

When yard sales are outlawed...

Chanatry had proposed the two-a-year limit and other regulations in a bylaw aimed at controlling a neighbor whom she said had turned yard sales into a business.

[snip]

Chanatry proposed the yard sale bylaw after both private negotiations and town intervention with O'Donnell failed to stop the sales.

Zoning agent Richard Manfredi said Chanatry's complaint was the only one he got last year about yard sales.

You mean to tell me that government officials were unable to prevent their subjects from engaging in legal activity on their own property? Jesus Christ, I would fucking hope so!

Town meeting member Jeannette Jaynes said residents were entitled to more than two yard sales if they wanted, and that the proposed bylaw would be difficult and expensive to enforce.

Like that's ever stopped politicians in this state from propagating this kind of bullshit before.

Here's more of the proposed bylaw from the Board of Selectman meeting minutes from March 1, 2005.

§201-2: No person shall conduct a yard sale as defined above without first obtaining a permit for such purpose from the Department of Inspectional Services.

§201-3: Every applicant for any such permit shall set forth in an application to be provided by the Department of Inspectional Services his or her name, address, a general description of the articles to be sold, and the date or dates of such sale.

Yes, she was proposing mandatory yard sale permits. I'm surprised there was no mention of fingerprinting requirements or criminal background checks. I mean, what with it being "for the children" and all.

Also, from this 3/27/05 Boston Globe article:

"Ordinarily," Plymouth Selectman David Malaguti said of the proposed yard-sale measure, "we're reluctant to support articles that come from neighbor situations. But this one looks to be very well structured."

How very optimistic of you, David - in a sad Massachusettsian kind of way. God, I can't wait to get out of this dump.

As the Big Dig Turns

Well, This Sounds Familiar

Stop me if you've heard this one before.

The Federal Highway Administration released its interim report on the Big Dig on Monday. This Boston Herald editorial piece pulls this quote from it:

The slurry wall panel which was breached by a major leak last September "contained defects and inclusions that were caused by poor quality control and quality assurance," the report found.

When It Rains, It Pours

When snow turns to rain, you can be pretty sure it's springtime in Boston. But if it's raining gravel, you must be in the Big Dig's I-93 tunnel.

A day after the federal government declared the Big Dig tunnels safe, three cars and an ambulance transporting a patient were badly damaged yesterday by falling debris in the southbound lanes of the Interstate 93 tunnel.

No need to worry, though. A spokesman for Modern Continental assures us that this is an "isolated incident".

Well, that's reassuring - here's my checkbook. Take what you need. I trust you. Besides, I was only going to use my hard-earned money to buy food and clothing for my children.

When the Going Gets Tough...

The tough pack up their shit and walk.

Apparently the idea of actually having to show up for work didn't sit well with our good friend and hack of all trades, Angelo Buonopane.

Previous post updated HERE.

UPDATE (4/6/05): The Boston Globe this morning carries this parting statement from the hack formerly known as Angelo Buonopane, but whom shall be referred to, henceforth, on this blog as "The Moving Finger".

Buonopane yesterday declined to be interviewed. However late last night, he released a brief statement, quoting an English translation of a verse by 11th century Persian poet Omar Khayyám. The verse appears to reflect Buonopane's unhappiness with recent media coverage about his job performance.

The Moving Finger writes; and having writ,
Moves on: nor all your Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line
Nor all your tears wash out a Word of it.

Yeah, whatever. Moving Finger, meet middle finger.

Oops.

It's yet another "accidental" (read: criminally negligent) shooting in the Commonwealth of "common-sense" gun control.

Man Faces Murder Charge In Girl's Death

Santos Says Shooting Was Accidental

LAWRENCE, Mass. -- A Lawrence man was charged Tuesday with the deadly shooting of a Methuen, Mass., girl.

NewsCenter 5's Jack Harper reported that Cesar Santos was arraigned in Lawrence District Court. The victim is believed to be only a teenager. Her name has not been released.

Police responded to a report of a disturbance at 25 Chase St. Police said that Santos shot the girl, but he told police that it was an accident.

"He told the police that he tried to stand up by rocking back into the couch and rolling his body forward. As he was doing this, he was holding the handgun in his right hand. While rocking back and forth, the handgun went off which caused the fatal shot to the victim," prosecutor Michael Patten said.

[insert Standard mAss Backwards Rant #16D here]

Co-defendant Johnny Pettaway is charged with helping to hide the victim's body.

Always a prime indicator of a suspect's level of innocence.

And now, a wager from the Department of Safe Bets. I will treat the first five commenters to this post to a steak dinner (drinks included) at Morton's Steak House on Boylston Street if it's revealed that Mr. Santos was legally licensed to possess that firearm in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Also, on the subject of "accidental" shootings, we get this update on our Mother of the Year candidate from yesterday's incident in New Bedford.

After the shooting, police Lieutenant Richard Spirlet said the boy's mother first ran outside and tried to hide the gun, before going back inside to summon help for her wounded child.

The Standard Times of New Bedford said a handgun was later recovered from a sewer near the home.

Here's hoping this bitch rots in a cold, damp cell.

UPDATE: The aforementioned NASA engineer, Cesar Santos, had this to say to the Fox 25 cameras as he was led out of court today.

It was an accident. The gun went off on its own.

Fortunately, I speak Dumbass, so I can offer this translation:

Sure, the gun was cocked and loaded. And the safety was off. And it was in my hand at the time. And the gun was pointed in the direction of that girl. And my finger pulled back on the trigger, but other than that, it was an accident.

He then expressed a desire to kill himself.

Gosh, Cesar, don't do that. Then I wouldn't be able to pay for your breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the rest of your sorry-assed life. That would be a shame.

UPDATE (4/6/05): Sorry, no steak dinners, folks. I know, I'm as shocked as the rest of you.

Santos was charged with murder and illegal possession of a firearm.

"Common-sense" gun control: It's "for the children".

No one NEEDS a...um...never mind

I hereby call upon all citizens of Massachusetts to unite against the proliferation of fire extinguishers in our streets!These "dangerous weapons" clearly have no place in a civilized society, and must be banned now! If it saves the life of just ONE police officer, it will have been worth it.

Raul Ortiz, 48, whose last known address was at 77 Arlington St., was charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon after allegedly striking an officer with a fire extinguisher.

Imagine that, a tool that can be used to save lives can also be used to inflict harm on others when in the hands of someone intent on doing so. Where have I heard that one before?

No word on whether it was one of those high-capacity, cop-killer fire extinguishers we've been hearing so much about lately.

I'm Feeling Lucky

It's that time of year again. Gun Owners' Action League (GOAL) is holding their 31st Annual Meeting and Banquet next month. I can't make it to the banquet, but I'm sure as hell scooping up some of these raffle tickets.



I can think of worse ways to blow ten bucks.

Ruling With a Foam Rubber Fist

Boy, Governor Mitt Romney really brought the hammer pillow down on Angelo Buonopane, the latest disgraced member of the Bay State Hack-o-rama to be exposed by the local news media (see this post for more info).

His punishment?

BOSTON -- Department of Labor Director Angelo Buonopane has been ordered to pay $20,000, move his offices to a downtown state office building and submit weekly time sheets following reports that the Romney appointee keeps short work days and takes frequent vacations.

In addition to the $20,000 in restitution for vacation and discrepancies in attendance at work, Buonopane's time sheets and vacation requests will have to be personally approved by Secretary of Economic Development Ranch Kimball or his chief of staff, an agency spokesman said Monday.

Buonopane will also have periodic reviews of his work and must move his offices from 600 Washington Street to One Ashburton Place next to the Statehouse.

Oh my God! That almost sounds like (gasp!) a job! Perish the thought! This injustice must not stand! I'm going to start taking up a collection to help poor old Angelo make it though these troubling times. Won't you donate today?

I mean, come on - working in an office? Submitting timesheets? Being subject to a work performance reviews? How long must the politically-connected elite be made to suffer such indignity?

UPDATE: Apparently, not long at all.

Romney labor director penalized for work habits resigns

BOSTON -- Department of Labor Director Angelo Buonopane, who was the focus of news reports that he kept short work days and took frequent vacations, resigned on Tuesday.

Don't let the door smack you in the ass on your way out, douchebag.

Romney blew this one bad. He should have given Buonopane his walking papers the minute the Globe story broke. He likely would have won back my vote, and many more. Now, he just looks like, well, a run-of-the-mill Massachusetts asscheese politician.