I Don't Care Who You Are...

...that's funny.

NH Seat Belt Law Vote Today - UPDATED!

UPDATE: From WMUR (Channel 9 - Manchester):

CONCORD, N.H. -- The Live Free or Die state will stay that way -- at least when it comes to requiring adults to buckle up.

The state Senate voted 16-8 Thursday against a mandatory seat belt law for adults. New Hampshire is the only state without such a law.

One more victory for individual liberty and the freedom of choice.

One more blow to the intrusive, big-government ideology of Senator Burling and his ilk in the Granny State Coalition.

Drinks are on me!

(original post below)

From the Union Leader:

Seatbelt vote appears too close to call

CONCORD – On the eve of a major public policy vote at the State House, a state senator yesterday called on Gov. John Lynch to take a stand on legislation that would mandate the use of seatbelts for all drivers.

The governor's spokesman said Lynch remains undecided and is "talking to lawmakers and a lot of other people" about it.

A chief proponent of mandated seatbelt use, state Sen. Peter Burling, D-Cornish, said he expects a "close to losing" vote today on House Bill 802.

Republican Sen. Jack Barnes of Raymond, who opposes the bill, called on Lynch to state his opinion on the bill, but Burling declined to do so.

"This is fundamentally a legislative fight," Burling said, calling it "the interface between the way politics are played in this state and what I regard as common sense public health."

Rule #1: If a politician (especially a politician with Peter Burling's pedigree) uses the phrase "common sense", while arguing in favor of the expansion of the powers of the government, bad things are going to happen to you if he gets his way.

"It's hard to imagine how some of the major political institutions in this state, including the Union Leader, can really believe themselves when they set up the 'live free or die' argument versus the clear public benefit of dramatically reduced death and $48 million annual savings to the state budget in reduced Medicare and Medicaid expenditures," Burling said.

Burling admitted he is not optimistic about today's vote.

"There is a sense of sadness that lives will be lost and horrifying injuries will be incurred because as a culture, we continue to sort of accept the irrationality of the argument that it's my right to do something profoundly irresponsible," he said. "It's nuts."

The bill, which passed the House 153-140 on April 4, would make failure to wear a seatbelt a primary offense, which allows a police officer to stop and ticket anyone for not wearing one, or any driver who carries unbelted passengers. A first offense carries a $50 fine, while a second offense would cost $100.

Yeah...it's "for the children". Uh-huh.

The 24-member Senate has 14 Democrats and 10 Republicans. Most, but not all Democrats, favor the bill. Manchester Democratic Sens. Lou D'Allesandro and Betsi DiVries have stated their opposition. Senate Republican Leader Ted Gatsas, also of Manchester, said this week he is unaware of any Republicans who support it.

Lynch has not said how he feels about the bill. Spokesman Colin Manning said the governor is undecided and "speaking to lawmakers about it." Republican Barnes said he finds Lynch's non-position strange given that the seatbelt debate has been on the political radar screen in New Hampshire for many years and has sparked widespread attention.

Barnes said he voted to mandate that people wear seatbelts up to 18 years of age, but will not support a blanket mandate.

"I hear that I'm going to be joined by many of my colleagues," he said. "And I hear in the (State House) hallway that our governor does not want any part of this bill on his desk. And I'm feeling that many of my colleagues do not want to send it to his desk.

I hope you're right, Jack. I hope you're right.

"I'm very surprised that the governor hasn't become involved in this. He has been very silent," Barnes noted.

D'Allesandro said it is "common sense" to wear a seatbelt, but it should not be mandated.

Predicting a "close vote," D'Allesandro said, "our law enforcement people have their hands full doing that what they do well, protecting people. We don't have enough police to go after the crime today. They are understaffed, and adding this responsibility I think would be inappropriate."

D'Allesandro said he doesn't necessarily believe that seatbelt use is lower in New Hampshire than other states.

At a hearing last week, the New Hampshire Highway Safety Agency said two surveys show the state at 64 percent usage, as compared to 16 percent 22 years ago.

Nationally, seatbelt mandates produce usage of close to 90 percent.

"Statistics don't lie, but liars can fabricate statistics," D'Allesandro said.

Sen. Bob Odell, R-Lempster, also said he will oppose the bill.

"We may be the last state in the country (not to require seatbelts for all drivers and passengers), but I think that people here have good judgment, and that there should be an education program.

"My grandchildren are more likely to harass me if I don't have it on than any police officer" said Odell.

Burling said that if the bill passes, "people will start wearing seatbelts at a 90 percent, rather than a 60 percent rate."

News Flash: That's how a police state functions. The oppressive government encats laws, and the people, having been stripped of their will to act as responsible individuals, all follow along and do what they're told. Failure to act in accordance with the laws laid out by the government becomes a criminal act, with violators subject to fines and/or imprisonment.

Forgive me, Peter, if I don't share in this Utopian pipedream of yours, that you're trying so desperately to bring to fruition for the good people of New Hampshire.

Translated: Go fuck yourself.

At a news conference Tuesday, a group called the Seatbelts for All Coalition, pointed out that 77 percent of those who died in car crashes in New Hampshire last year were not buckled. Coalition officials say that as many as 10 lives could be saved each year The group comprises 19 lawmakers, including Democratic Sens. Martha Fuller Clark of Portsmouth, Maggie Hassan of Exeter and Harold Janeway of Webster.

It also includes a host of interest groups, including the New Hampshire Association of Chiefs of Police, the New Hampshire Police Association, the state hospital association and medical society.

This next piece sums it all up quite nicely.

Personal restraint: Will NH erase individual liberty?

New Hampshire is the last state in the union to allow its adult citizens the freedom to decide for themselves whether to wear a seat belt while on the public roads. Some call this a terrible negligence on the part of the state, which should protect the people from their own poor judgment. On the contrary, it is a reflection of the wisdom of New Hampshire's people.

Granite Staters always have been fiercely proud of their independence. They concede power to government only when absolutely necessary. So as a rule, regulations that restrict the behavior of citizens are reserved for those acts that violate the rights of others.

That is why we have no motorcycle helmet law. It would protect people from themselves only, not from others. The same goes for House Bill 802, which would mandate adult seat belt use. It would protect no one but the individual who chooses to leave his seat belt dangling by his side. As foolish a decision as that may be, it is his, not the state's, to make.

It is fitting that a seat belt is also known as a "personal restraint" device. One definition of "restraint" is "a deprivation of liberty." If New Hampshire passes HB 802, it will doubly deprive Granite Staters of their liberty.

When the state crosses that line and begins protecting adults from themselves, the people have lost their authority over the state. At once, there is no decision the state may not make regarding an individual's personal behavior. The people have conceded that power, and it is no longer theirs.

New Hampshire remains the "live free or die" state, and its people take that motto very seriously. Start telling them how to live their lives, and they will start telling you exactly where you can go.

Lawmakers considering voting for HB 802, pending in the Senate today, are forewarned. Vote for that bill and you vote against New Hampshire's most cherished value: individual liberty. It is a value the people still hold dear, and they are sure to show that in the next election.

Amen.

Liberty and the Rule of Law

It was a victory for both in the Granite State today.

CONCORD, N.H. -- Someone found mentally incompetent to stand trial in New Hampshire still may be competent to own guns, the state Supreme Court ruled Wednesday.

The court overturned a Concord District Court ruling in which a man was denied his weapons after being found mentally incompetent to stand trial on theft, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest charges for an outburst at Division of Motor Vehicles headquarters in Concord three years ago.

Quite the contrast to our "progressive" neighbor to the south, where one's right to own a gun can be taken away by non-elected political appointees for such crimes against humanity as losing a rented Blockbuster video, or for having loud neighbors, or for not keeping one's car registration up to date with the correct address, or for...

Well, you get the idea.

Remind me, again, which of the two above-referenced states has the significantly higher rate of violent crime. Because, I already have a pretty solid theory going as to which one has a significantly higher rate of legal gun ownership.

Here's an Idea

Let's see how many cups of iced coffee I can drink today.

I'd keep track for you, bit it's a little hard to count with the room vibrating the way it is.

Are There Fireworks on the Horizon?

Via The Politico:

Fred Thompson running for president

By: Mike Allen
May 30, 2007 08:23 AM EST

Fred Dalton Thompson is planning to enter the presidential race over the Fourth of July holiday, announcing that week that he has already raised several million dollars and is being backed by insiders from the past three Republican administrations, Thompson advisers told The Politico.

Now, before anyone (myself included) gets too excited...

Campaign officials said they have every indication Thompson will declare his candidacy, but cautioned that he could still decide not to run or to postpone the announcement. Mark Corallo, the campaign spokesman, said: "He is seriously considering getting in and doing everything he has to do to come to a final decision."

Stay tuned.

UPDATE: Jim Geraghty at NRO reports:

Just talked to a Thompson source I'll call "TA3" (Thompson Associate 3). Much more coming shortly, but the first word was, there will not be a presidential announcement from Fred Thompson on July 4.

(The Politico got it wrong, it appears.)

(link via Denis in the comments)

Marxism

It's not just for breakfast anymore.

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) -- Presidential hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton outlined a broad economic vision Tuesday, saying it's time to replace an "on your own" society with one based on shared responsibility and prosperity.

Hmm...I've heard this one before.

"From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs."

~ Karl Marx

Yeah...I thought that sounded familiar.

The Democratic senator said what the Bush administration touts as an ownership society really is an "on your own" society that has widened the gap between rich and poor.

The productive produced, and were rewarded in kind, while the welfare layabouts, sitting on their collective asses, eating Doritos, and watching Jerry Springer re-runs, kept on collecting the same old check every month.

Solution: Take even more of the evil rich folks' money and give it to the layabouts (including the 12,000,000 newly-legalized, former illegal aliens) to subsidize their cell phone bills, $200 sneakers, and scratch ticket habits.

"I prefer a 'we're all in it together' society," she said. "I believe our government can once again work for all Americans. It can promote the great American tradition of opportunity for all and special privileges for none."

Rob at Say Anything:

I wonder if this means that she’s abandoning her past support of affirmative action policies, which give special treatment to certain students or employees based on their skin color, gender, etc. An enterprising reporter would think to ask Hillary if her “no special treatment” stance includes opposition to things like affirmative action and hate crimes, which make crimes against certain demographics more serious than crimes against others.

Because I don’t think that’s what she means. She still wants special treatment for the victim groups she and her fellow liberals like to pander to.

Pretty much.

That means pairing growth with fairness, she said, to ensure that the middle-class succeeds in the global economy, not just corporate CEOs.

And what better way to encourage "success" than to give people money without requiring them to do anything to earn it? Of course, this progressive socialist claptrap is brought to you by the same folks who think everyone deserves a job that pays a "living wage".

Because nothing says "Stay in school and work hard!" quite like a roomful of bloated liberal busybodies telling you you'll make $25 an hour if you drop out of school at age 16, no matter how high they have to raise taxes on the rest of us.

And, this woman is the current Democrat frontrunner to occupy the Oval Office?

Yikes.

And, as to her claim that she values a society based on "shared responsibility", well, if she believes the words she's saying, it's obvious someone's been smoking the Vagisil again.

In New Orleans, a whole slew of people were trying to share in the responsibility of providing for their own security and self defense in the face of roving bands of lawless thugs. We know how well that went over with local law enforcement down there.

The Chief of Police decided to wipe his fat, overpaid ass with the Constitution and ordered his men (as well as police officers from out-of-state) to go door-to-door and engage in, at gunpoint, the forced confiscation of lawfully owned firearms from responsible, law-abiding citizens.

When a lawmaker from Louisiana tried to prevent such a grotesque act of tyrannical abuse of power from ever happening again on American soil, Mrs. Clinton was right there to crap all over the Bill of Rights, along with 15 other "progressive" legislators, and express her approval of the New Orleans Police Department's unlawful activities.

Fuck her and the horse husband she rode in on!

Figuratively speaking, of course.

Things That Go Bump In the Night

It was about 11:30 or so, last night, and I was just settling into bed when I heard a noise coming from the cellar, like a bunch of boxes and cans being knocked over.

I had been doing some yard work yesterday, and I couldn't remember if I had closed the outside cellar door. Before I could finish that thought, I heard the clattering sound again, so I figured [read: I hoped] it was just a critter of some kind that had walked into the cellar and was looking for a bite to eat.

Just to be on the safe side, I grabbed the .45 from the bedside pistol safe, checked the safety, and went downstairs to investigate. I got to the kitchen, grabbed my cell phone, and slowly opened the door to the cellar. Keeping the front sight of the pistol trained toward the bottom of the stairs, I hit the lights.

I couldn't hear anything, so I foolishly decided to go into the cellar to investigate the noise. Well, it's a good thing I had my cell phone with me. I was able to snap a quick picture of the critters who had stumbled into the cellar.

One For the "No Shit" File

Headline: Woman’s kind words failed to stop alleged cop shooter

AKA: How to Be a Carnivore and a Vegetarian

This might just be the most intelligent comment I've ever heard Tim Russert make during an interview.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Can anyone be a New York Yankees fan and a Boston Red Sox fan and win the presidency?

Democratic candidate Bill Richardson wants to have it all.

"I'm a Red Sox fan," said the New Mexico governor, who was born in Pasadena, Calif., but spent his early childhood in Mexico City, where his father worked for a U.S. bank.

As a teenager, Richardson attended a boarding school in Concord, Mass., where he pitched on the baseball team — a sport he follows closely to this day. Richardson graduated from Tufts University in 1971 with a master's degree in international affairs. He also pitched a season in the Cape Cod summer league.

Questioned by The Associated Press this year, Richardson said if he were not running for president, his dream job would be playing for the Yankees — because of his childhood idol.

On Sunday, he explained further: "I've always been a Red Sox fan. But I said if I weren't running for president, I would like to be No. 7 — Mickey Mantle — playing center field for the New York Yankees.

"My favorite team has always been the Red Sox. I'm a Red Sox fan. End of session," he said." But, he added, "I'm also a Yankees fan."

After declaring his allegiance to both the Red Sox and the Yankees, Richardson joked: "This is the thing about me: I can bring people together. I can unify ... "

"Yankees fans and Red Sox fans?" interviewer Tim Russert asked.

"Yes," Richardson asserted.

"Not a chance," Russert shot back, laughing.

Just when I was starting to think about possibly lending my support to a Richardson candidacy, he goes and pulls this asinine "I'm a Red Sox fan and a Yankees fan" crap. Even John Kerry had the mental wherewithal to avoid making such an ass-reamingly stupid statement as that.

Sure, Kerry did once say how much he liked watching "Manny Ortez" play ball for the hometown heroes, but at least he never went so far as to actually declare any kind of allegiance to the Yankee-my-wankies.

He may be dumb, but he's not stupid.

Bad Boys, Bad Boys, Whatcha Gonna Do?

(link via the Heartless Libertarian)

Yankees Only Two Games Out...

...of the cellar.

(click to enlarge)

Now, that's funny.

Quote of the Day

Fred Thompson:

"People ask me why I left Washington, I said I longed for the realism and sincerity of Hollywood."

There Goes My Carbon Footprint

Picked up my new ride this afternoon.



Somewhere, Cheryl Crow is crying.

Know Your Enemy (cont.)

What? No bras and panties on their heads?

(link via Drudge)

File Under: Takes One To Know One

Stop me if you're heard this one before.

NHpols.com - May 17, 2007:

"I disagree with him on probably everything and I think he's an elitist who truly doesn't care for the common good."

That's former New Hampshire State Senator Burt Cohen (D-Portsmouth) explaining why, in 2004, he decided to challenge US Senator Judd Gregg's (R-NH) for his senate seat.

Portsmouth Herald - May 23, 2007:

Cohen pleaded guilty Tuesday to the October 2006 stop sign violation and was found guilty of the other charges following a 2½ hour trial, when five witnesses and Cohen offered testimony.

That testimony included two police officers and a civilian telling the court Cohen repeatedly asked arresting officers, "Don't you know who I am?"

"You can't arrest me. I am a very important community member," Cohen said, according to testimony by Officer Kuffer Kaltenborn.

No additional commentary required.

Q&A

Q: Who is/was the greatest rock n' roll frontman of all time?

UPDATE: I can't remember if I read Chris Byrne's earlier post on this topic, but as I explained in the comments, I was doing some yard work the other day, listening to a block of live Queen on the radio, and last night, I caught Kid Rock doing a less-than-stellar cover of Fat-Bottomed Girls on some country music show.

Sorry, but if you cover a Queen song, you better fucking bring it. Granted, they were doing a "country fried" version of it, but it still sucked cat nuts by comparison.

Side note: In the fall of 1977, I won a pair of tickets from WJBQ in Portland (calling in on a rotary dial phone) to see Queen [add: with Cheap Trick] at the Cumberland County Civic Center - opening night of the News of the World Tour. Sadly*, my parents decided that I was too young (11) to go to such a mind-corrupting event. Had to sell the tickets to the older sister of one my older brother's friends. Sold the pair for $15 - above face value.

Anyway...

I was also somewhat inspired to post something on this topic after seeing this piece of crap top-100 list a while back. From Kerrang Magazine, their version of the Top-100 Rock Icons of All-Time...



Let's review.

#7

#14

#19

#95???

Yeah, I don't think so.

*understatement of the century

I Must Respectfully Disagree

This makes an actual piece of shit look downright tasty by comparison.

Question of the Day

How many numbnuts are there in a gaggle?

See the video at Jim's place for context.

Lost: The Ability to Produce a Rational Argument

If found, please contact New Hampshire State Senator Maggie Hassan of Exeter.

WE THOUGHT we'd heard every lame, muddle-headed excuse a legislator could come up with for passing yet another law to erase yet another individual right. Then we heard Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-Exeter, try to explain why she's a Senate co-sponsor of House Bill 802, the bill to mandate seat belt use.

"I am not doing this because I think I know what's best for anybody else. But I do know what's best for me, as a seat-belt user, for my family members, as seat-belt users, for my constituents, who've asked me to support this bill," she said.

But wait, it gets better.

'Live free or die' just doesn't belong to one set of citizens, it belongs to all of us, so one person's behavior inhibits the freedoms of other people," she said. "This is about my freedom as well as the freedom of someone who doesn't want to use a seat belt."

Maggie, sweetheart, do yourself a favor. Stop breaking the pills in half, and follow this simple three-step remedial procedure.

1. Open skull.
2. Remove brain.
3. Re-install brain, making sure the leads are attached to the proper terminals (red is positive, black is negative).

Seriously, are you even trying to understand the combinations of words and phrases coming out of your mouth?

UPDATE: A nice bit of good news!

CONCORD, N.H. -- A state Senate committee is recommending against requiring adult drivers in New Hampshire to wear seat belts.

Members of the Transportation and Interstate Cooperation Committee who voted against the bill Wednesday morning said requiring seatbelt use wouldn't necessarily prompt more people to use them and that educating drivers about why they should buckle up was a better plan.

Those voting for the requirement said if the bill doesn't pass, more people will be hurt or killed in New Hampshire crashes.

"BLOOD IN THE STREETS! BLOOD IN THE STREETS!!!"

STFU.

Must-See TV

Will this be the announcement many of us are waiting for?

For weeks, former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., has been positioning himself for a 2008 White House run and all signs seem to be pointing to an announcement coming sometime before the end of the summer.

But as any good actor knows, timing is everything.

[snip]

ABC News has confirmed that Thompson will strut his 6-foot-plus frame onto the set of "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" for a June 12 appearance.

Haiku Wednesday

Woman's life threatened
Defends self with gun, shoots thug.
Rosie traumatized.

Armed gang attacks man
Scumbag with gun gets third eye
Cops say, "Nicely done."

Sit Down, You Whiny Bitch

That was totally a strike.

File Under: If You have to Ask...

From WMUR (Channel 9 - Manchester, NH):

It's the one number we all learn to rely on in case of emergency. But what should you do if 911 doesn't work?

News 9 investigates a 911 system breakdown. Hear one local woman's frantic story and the backup plan everybody should know.

I don't get it.

911 is my backup plan.

Know Your Enemy

Hint: It's not Karl Rove, Halliburton, the NRA, or your neighbor's Yukon.

WASHINGTON - One in four younger U.S. Muslims say suicide bombings to defend their religion are acceptable at least in some circumstances, though most Muslim Americans overwhelmingly reject the tactic and are critical of Islamic extremism and al-Qaida, a poll says.

Yikes!

(link via SondraK.com)

Quote of the Day

This one goes out to all the otherwise decent-minded New Hampshire voters who thought it would be in their best interest to transfer control of the state legislature to the new generation of Nanny State liberals, who are now actively seeking to destroy the New Hampshire way of life, and relegate "Live Free of Die!" to mere historical footnote status.

"Liberals always have an agenda ready to go – they're like firemen sleeping next to their boots."

Read the whole thing.

Sunny Day Activities

Taking pictures of my re-refinished SKS on the back deck - something that likely would have landed me in the back seat of a police car and given the Boston Police Department sufficient grounds to revoke my License to Carry Own a Firearm, had I attempted it back at the old place.




It's not perfect, but it's an improvement. Besides, I bought this gun for shooting. Not for hanging on the wall in a vacuum-sealed display case.

Rainy Day Activities

Re-refinishing the stock on my SKS today. Got a cold 30 28-pack of Pabst in the fridge. Life is good.

Picture/Quote of the week

From Ravenwood's Universe:

(This girl should probably try supporting edumacation)

File under: No Additional Commentary Required

Dispatch From Free America

Bessemer bank customer praised for helping halt gunman

Law officers have praised a bank customer who pulled his gun and helped deputies capture a gunman who opened fire during a robbery of a Wachovia branch, killing two tellers and wounding two.

Chris Chappell, who was in the bank Monday morning getting $40 in change on the way to his job in Adger, fled the bank when gunshots rang out, drew a gun for which he has a concealed weapon permit, took cover by his sport utility vehicle and alerted deputies who came up.

The gunman, cornered by Chappell and the deputies when he tried to flee the bank with a hostage, stumbled and was shot by Deputy Alan Rhea.

"It's certainly commendable," Jefferson County Sheriff's Sgt. Randy Christian said. "It's obvious he played a key role in keeping the guy there until we could get there. It's a great testament of someone willing to take action."

"He kept him from escaping, and he gave deputies time to get to the scene," Bill Veitch, chief assistant district attorney, told The Birmingham News in its moment-by-moment account of the robbery and arrest.

A responsible, armed citizen "willing to take action" and assist law enforcement officers in making his community a safer place FOR THE CHILDREN^TM.

Ted Kennedy and Chuck Schumer fucking hate when that happens.

Planned raPenthood

Nope. No double standards here. Move along.



It seems some rape is more equal than others, judging by the way the mainstream media is swarming all over this story.

Not.

UPDATE: I guess it's all about priorities. And, which action benefits society more? Exposing the coddling of child rapists or embarrassing George W. Bush?

Google News: +"lila rose" +"planned parenthood"



Google News: +"alberto gonzales" +"no confidence"



It's FOR THE CHILDREN^TM.

(YouTube link via Michelle Malkin)

Hither and Yawn

I gotta check the batteries (again) in my Giveashitometer. I saw this story from WBZ-TV this morning, and the needle didn't even jiggle a little.

I-Team Finds Driving Range In Big Dig Building

Nothing to see here, folks. Move along.

Ban Electrical Tape!

...and squirt guns.

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. -- Two adolescent boys are accused of wielding a concealed weapon -- a squirt gun wrapped in black electrical tape -- to steal cash from a discount store.

There's simply no need for anyone other than licensed and registered electricians to be allowed to possess electrical "assault" tape, when common gray duct tape is so readily available.

The "Old Mitt" on the 2A

(another spring cleaning post that's been on the back burner for a few weeks)

Blue Mass. Grouper, johnk, digs up the archived website from Mitt Romney's 2002 campaign for governor, and brings us this damning quote:

Mitt Romney supports the strict enforcement of gun laws. He is a supporter of the federal assault weapons ban. Mitt also believes in the rights of those who hunt to responsibly own and use firearms.

Let's recap:

In 2002, Mitt Romney was in favor of enforcing existing laws.

Wow!

Bold!

In 2002, Mitt Romney believed (and in 2007, still believes) in banning certain guns based on their looks, regardless of their function and firepower.

And, in 2002, Mitt Romney believed that people who hunt have the right to own guns.

I don't hunt.

What rights of mine do you believe in, Mitt?

Care to elaborate on that statement? Because from where I'm standing, that entire paragraph could have easily come from Hillary Clinton's website, or John Edwards', Barack Obama's, Joe Biden's, etc.

Or has your position on this issue conveniently "evolved" some since then?

Try these on for size...

Mitt also believes in the rights of those who have graduated from high school to vote in local, state, and federal elections.

Mitt also believes in the rights of those who have been officially confirmed in the church of their choosing, and have made in-kind monetary contributions to the same, to freely practice religion.

Mitt also believes in the rights of those who scored higher that 500 on their verbal SAT's to speak out against, and petition, their government.

Mitt also believes in the rights of those who actually own their own home to be free from unlawful searches and seizures.

Mitt also believes in the rights of those who can afford their own attorneys to due process of law and a trial by a jury of their peers.

I don't really care what Mitt's latest position on the 2nd Amendment is. I ran out of giveashit quite a while ago. He can go into a corner and self-fornicate, for all I care. He's not getting my vote.

Part 2 - The Switch

(scroll down or click here for "Part 1 - The Bait")

So, I'm sitting there at the salesperson's desk, waiting for her to wrap up her "meeting" with the sales manager. After a few minutes they come over to where I'm sitting. The sales manager sits down across from me and proceeds to tell me "there's been some kind of mistake".

But, of course.

There had to have been.

Things were proceeding much too smoothly, after all.

He then tells me the price on the truck I'm looking at is actually $24,XXX, not the $22,277 from the e-mail I had printed out from their Internet Sales Manager, who told me to be sure to print out the e-mail so I could get that special low internet pricing, and not the $22,277 from the the [website name] website page, a copy of which I had also printed for his light reading enjoyment.

Next, he asks to see the e-mail I was referring to, you know, the e-mail with one of their famous "lowest internet prices in the area" in it. He peruses the e-mail, looking down to find the price I was talking about. He points to the "Price: $22,277", and asks me...

Did it come like that, or did you just "fill that in"?*

Yeah, that's it.

You got me, buddy.

Of the three people in close physical proximity to this desk, I'm the one committing fraud right now.

Fortunately (I think), the part of me that wanted to reach across the desk and punch this accusatory little prick in the nose was over-powered by the part of me that said, "Let's just wait to see what this asshole says next."

He then proceeds with some sob story about how he'd lose money if he sold me that truck for that price, and that there was no way he could accept my offer, as if I had pulled some fictitious lowball number out of my ass, plopped it on the table, and ten peed on his dog.

Of course, the fact that I had the original e-mail on my BlackBerry, and was able to shove it in his face certainly helped my case. And, had the added bonus of causing him to shut up, even if it was only a temporary blessing.

Well, he takes my paperwork over to his desk and opens up the dealership's website on his PC, which shows the higher price of the truck. He calls the guy who e-mailed me what he claimed to be a coupon needed for getting the special internet pricing. They then proceed to have one of the shortest conversation in post-Paleozoic history.

Sales manager guy then turns to me and says he'll sell me the truck for $24,000. I explain to him that I don't want to buy the truck for $24,000, but I do want to buy the truck for the price that the individual who had identified himself as a sales manager had sent me earlier, along with the message stating that "THE PRICING YOU RECEIVE IS VALID ONLY THROUGH OUR SALES MANAGERS."

He then went on about how his internet sales manager must have mistakenly entered the price of the truck in the listing I had seen, and had mistakenly responded to my e-mail with the same incorrect price.

I told him to go fuck himself.

Well, I wanted to tell him to go fuck himself, but again, I took the high road and suggested they get their shit together, because I just burned ten dollars in gas to drive down to buy a truck for the price I was given by one of his sales managers, only to be told that truck would cost me an extra two-grand.

This dickwad just stared at me as if I had sprouted a third head, and then a fourth, unable to comprehend why I was more than a tad irked over the whole situation.

Now, if he had just apologized and given me ten bucks out of his pocket to cover my expenses (or even a fiver), I might have just picked up my shit and walked out the front door, forgetting the whole thing. But, seeing as he didn't make even that simple gesture (after suggesting earlier that I forged the other guy's e-mail), I simply picked up my shit and walked. And, now I'm sitting here debating what my next course of action will be (and that short list of options list includes revising these posts, putting all the names and phone numbers of the parties involved back in where, previously, I had redacted that information).

No, that wouldn't solve anything, but it sure would make me feel better.

The thing is, this could have simply been an honest mistake. But, it wasn't my mistake. And, from where I'm standing, this appears to be nothing more than an old-fashioned 'bait n' switch' scam. Who's to say they didn't post a lower price on-line to lure a dozen or so potential buyers into the showroom, hoping they could get at least one of them to bite of the $2,000 worm?

I've been unsuccessful in reaching their internet sales manager by phone and by e-mail. I figure I'll start with him, and see what he has to say in his defense. If I can reach him, I'll ask him to tell his dickwad buddy there if my writing a letter to Massachusetts Attorney General's office, filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, and telling my story to any and all persons interested in hearing it was worth the $2,000 he saved by not selling me the truck for the price given me by one of his sales managers.

Bad news travels fast.

But, blog posts about fraudulent sleazeball businesses pulling shit like this on would-be customers usually blows the doors off of bad news like it was standing still.

* Yes, that question, and the tone of voice in which it was asked, is pretty much the only reason I'm still debating what to do. I'd have been more than happy to chalk this whole episode up to their incompetence, but when he all but flat-out accused me of doctoring an e-mail in order to swindle them out of $2,000 dollars, that did it. And, it's the main thing making me lean toward printing all their names and numbers on this website right now.

Part 1 - The Bait

Let me just preface this story by stating up front that it is my personal belief that all used car dealerships are run by (and staffed by) lying, thieving, lowlife scumbags.

That out of the way, here's my story.

For the last few weeks, I've been looking for a "new" used truck, searching internet listings for anything in my area that might meet my current needs, for the price I can afford.

Some time about a week ago, I called a couple dealers nearby to inquire as to the availability of two Ford F-150's I had seen advertised online. In both cases, the trucks had been sold recently, according to the salespeople I spoke with.

No big deal.

Maybe they were. Maybe they weren't. No skin off of my nose.

That's why I called ahead, to avoid driving out to a car lot only to find the truck I was looking for was sold just days before.

Anyway, I was having a hard time finding what i was looking for in the F-150's so I decided to expand my search to include the Dodge Ram 1500. I owned a '96 Ram a while back, and was quite happy with it. So, this past Saturday, I found three listings for 2006 Ram 1500's that I wanted to get some more info on.

One, in particular, seemed to be just what I was looking for, and was listed at a price I thought to be quite fair. The dealer was located in Massachusetts, a bit of a drive for me, but I figured if it was the right truck for me it would be worth the drive.

So, I filled in the little "Email the Dealer" form on the website, to inquire as to the availability of this truck, half expecting to get the "Oh, we just sold it." reply. Here's what I wrote.

re: Stock #[redacted], 2006 Dodge Ram, white

Is this truck currently on your lot?

Around 8:30 Sunday morning, I received the following reply via e-mail from an individual identifying himself as the Internet Sales Manager for this particular dealership:

Happy Mother's Day Bruce,

My name is [name redacted], Internet Sales Manager for www.[dealer website redacted].com.

How are you? The 2006 Dodge Ram 1500 is still available. Are you interested? We have the lowest internet prices in the area. Please respond by email to schedule an appointment for a test drive. Have a great day!

P.S. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE PRICING YOU RECEIVE IS VALID ONLY THROUGH OUR SALES MANAGERS. PLEASE PRINT THIS EMAIL AS YOUR COUPON. UPON ARRIVAL AT THE DEALERSHIP, PLEASE LET THE SALESMAN KNOW THAT YOU INQUIRED ABOUT A VEHICLE ONLINE, AND YOU NEED TO SPEAK WITH [names redacted].

THANK YOU.

Attached to that e-mail was information confirming the vehicle specs (Stock#, VIN, mileage, features, etc.) and the dealer's advertised price.

I re-read the e-mail, and replied by e-mail, as`asked, to schedule a test drive. I then printed out the e-mail, as noted, so as to avail myself of some of "the lowest internet prices in the area".

At 9:25 this morning, I called the dealership and asked to speak with the sales manager who was referred to me in the e-mail from the dealer's Internet Sales Manager, to confirm again that the truck was still there, and to let them know I would be in the area around lunchtime for a test drive. The guy I spoke with told me he'd go out and physically check to see if it was there, and call me right back.

Which he did.

And, yes, the truck was on the lot.

So, I head on down to check it out.

Internet Sales Manager guy calls me at 12:00 noon, to see if I was still coming for the test drive. I told him I was on the highway, and that I'd be there in about a half-hour or so. He says he'll call over there to let them know I'm coming.

I pull into the dealership at 12:30 and ask to see the sales manager, whom I had spoken to earlier. He introduces me to one of his salespeople, and asks her to show me the truck and get me the keys so I could take it out for a drive.

Everything was going fine. The truck was in like-new condition, low-mileage, and had all the bells and whistles I was looking for. As we pulled back into the lot, I asked the salesperson what were the typical charges that get tacked on to the sales ticket, between the sales price and the bottom line. She said that since the vehicle was used and I was going to be registering it in New Hampshire, the only add-on would be for the documentation and title transfer (read: $200 and change worth of bullshit).

I told her, "Here's the thing. I don't like to haggle. I don't like to dicker. And, quite frankly, I don't like car dealers. I've got my printouts here with the 'special internet pricing', so if we can make that $200 and change go away, I'll have a bank check here by the end of the day for the full amount of the car."

Then, with the predictability of a liberal calling for more unnecessary tax hikes, she dives into Chapter 1 of the "Sleazeball Used Car Dealer Handbook" and gives me the old "Well, let me just run that buy the sales manager and see." routine.

Yet, I was fairly confident I'd be buying a new truck soon. What could possibly go wrong? I had the printouts (both the e-mail and the website page) with one of their famous "lowest internet prices in the area" on them, and was going to be paying for the truck in full, with cash. I thought, WORST CASE scenario, the guy comes back and says he's sorry, but he just can't budge on any of their "lowest internet prices in the area", and I cough up the $200 and change, and sign on the dotted line.

Yeah.

Right.

Sure.

Uh-huh.

All depends on one's definition of "worst".

(to be continued...)

UPDATE: Part 2 - The Switch is up.

Reason #6,418...

...why the New York Yankees suck dog ass.

The most patriotic moments at Yankee Stadium can also be the most confining.

Seconds before “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “God Bless America” are played, police officers, security guards and ushers turn their backs to the American flag in center field, stare at fans moving through the stands and ask them to stop. Across the stadium’s lower section, ushers stand every 20 feet to block the main aisle with chains.

As the songs are played or sung, the crowd appears motionless.

Yeah, confining people with chains will have that effect.

The national anthem has long been a pregame staple at sporting events. But after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Major League Baseball directed teams to play “God Bless America” before the bottom of the seventh inning at every game. Baseball scaled back the next season, telling teams they needed to play the song only on Sundays and holidays, which is still the case.

Only the Yankees continue to play “God Bless America” at every home game. They are also the only ones to use chains to prevent fans from moving during both songs, which concerns some civil liberties advocates.

Howard J. Rubenstein, the spokesman for the Yankees’ principal owner, George Steinbrenner, said the policy was an expression of patriotism.

“Mr. Steinbrenner wanted to do all games to remind the fans about how important it is to honor our nation, our service members, those that died on Sept. 11 and those fighting for our nation,” Rubenstein said in a telephone interview.

Shackles of honor.

Fucking douchebags.

I'd love to go to a game there, venture outside the cordoned-off "freedom zone", duck under one of those "patriotism chains" on my way to the head, and have one of Steinbrenner's security monkeys lay his hands on me.

Just once.

Now, what would my first order of business, as new owner of the Yankees, be?

(link via Adam G. at Universal Hub)

Passer-by Shoots Cop-Killer

...with the downed officer's sidearm.

FRANCONIA, N.H. -- New Hampshire authorities said yesterday that they will not press charges against a former Marine who stepped into a deadly shooting and killed a 24-year-old high school dropout who had moments earlier fatally shot a police officer.

The former Marine, Gregory W. Floyd, 49, was driving with his son along Route 116 in Franconia on Friday night when he saw Liko Kenney, 24, shoot Franconia Police Corporal Bruce McKay, 48, four times in the torso. After Kenney drove his Toyota Celica over McKay as the officer lay on the ground, Floyd grabbed the officer's service weapon and shot and killed Kenney.

You killed Kenney! You bastard!

On a serious note, I have to give credit to Michael Levenson and John Guilfoil of the Boston Globe for including as much background information and details in the story as they did.

As opposed to WMUR in Manchester:

FRANCONIA, N.H. -- A Franconia police officer was shot and killed during a routine motor vehicle stop on Friday.

A "routine" traffic stop, huh?

The Boston Globe article continues...

Authorities said the double shooting was the bloody climax of a long-simmering feud between McKay, a 12-year-veteran of the three-member department, and Kenney, a cousin of World Cup champion skier Bode Miller.

In 2003, Kenney was convicted of assaulting McKay, authorities said. Kenney had contended that McKay had assaulted him, breaking his jaw and leaving him in a coma, according to Bode Miller's father, Woody.

"It was a bad mixture waiting to happen," said Connie McKenzie , a nurse who said she had tried to ad minister CPR to McKay on the lawn in front of her 18th-century farmhouse on Route 116. "They hated each other."

Yep, just another traffic stop in small-town America.

Sheesh.

And, now for the silver lining surrounding this tragedy.

New Hampshire's attorney general, Kelly A. Ayotte, said Floyd will not face charges because he was justified in using deadly force.

I should think so.

Floyd, who had been driving by in a Chevrolet Tahoe with his son, also named Gregory P. Floyd, saw the entire scene, Ayotte said. A video camera in McKay's cruiser also recorded the shooting, Ayotte said.

The elder Floyd drove his Tahoe into a spot between McKay and Kenney as a shield and told his son, who is in his late teens, to run to the officer's cruiser and radio for help.

The elder Floyd picked up McKay's gun from the ground and ordered Kenney to drop his weapon. Kenney refused, and Floyd saw Kenney appear to be reloading, Conte said. Floyd then shot and killed Kenney, Conte said.

A true American hero, in my book.

Semper Fi!

I'll wear my new Leatherneck Tartan proudly, to honor every man and woman who's ever put on the uniform.

Happy Mothers Day, Indeed

Red Sox rally to edge Orioles, 6-5

What's Lower Than Pond Scum?

It's a damn shame there wasn't an armed individual nearby who could have drilled this piece of trash a third eye in the middle of his forehead, preferably one with an inner diameter of 0.45 inches or greater.

WXYZ.com has obtained the mugshot of the man police say savagely beat and carjacked a 91-year-old World War II veteran. The attack was captured by a security camera, shocking video first aired yesterday on WXYZ.

Well, thank goodness no one had a firearm!

Someone might have gotten hurt.

Mr. Sims parked his 2005 Chevy Malibu in the parking lot of the store. Mr. Bradley asked Mr. Sims for a light for his cigarette and allegedly punched Mr. Sims multiple times in the face and neck. Mr. Bradley forced the keys from Mr. Sims hand and then hit Mr. Sims in the face and used the car door to knock Mr. Sims down on the ground.

All I can say is, I hope Deontae's cellmate is one large, well-endowed, and very horny veteran, who's able to get regular shipments of Viagra smuggled in.

Mr. Bradley drove away in the vehicle. Mr. Sims was assisted by citizens at the scene who called police.

Just like Dianne Feinstein and the rest of the socialist, gun-grabbing loonies in Congress want us all to do.

"How to Assist a Victim of Violent Crime - Leftist Edition"

Step 1. Maintain a safe distance, so you don't get hurt or get any unwanted bloodstains on your clothing.

Step 2. Wait until the assailant has his way with the victim(s) and flees the scene, unharmed.

Step 3. Calmly take out your cellphone and call 911, so that armed agents of the government can be dispatched to the scene to take pictures and pose for the TV cameras, and emergency medical personnel can be directed to the location of the victim/corpse.

Forgive me if I refuse to play along, kids.

You can follow the link to video of the attack. It's pretty hard to watch. Just make sure you remove all breakables from within reach. It will piss you off.

And, here's another one for the "Real Shocker" file...

This walking pile of fecal fungus is being described by WXYZ News as a "young ex-con with a history of drugs". What do you say we round up every "compassionate" judge who's ever cut this scumbag a break in the past (so that he could focus on his blossoming hip-hop career, or whatever the bullshit sob story was at the time) and have them all bunk up together in a 6-by-6 cell?

Works for me.

Continuing a Theme...

Uncle raises the topic, Stuff That Sucks.

Shit, where do I start?

How about people who suck?

Wanna know who sucks?

The designers and manufacturers of every car, truck, and SUV I've ever owned, who, for reasons I'll never understand in a million fucking years, couldn't see fit to incorporate into their design a windshield fluid reservoir with a capacity of more than 0.92 gallons. Do you sadistic little fuckers get off knowing there are thousands, if not millions, of garages and driveways in this country with one-gallon bottles of windshield fluid lying around with barely an inch left in the damn things?

So, who else sucks?

People who bitch and moan about Rachel Ray's existence on this planet. Jesus Christ! Turn off your fucking TV if you hate her that much. Get a fucking life, already. I first became exposed to the world of Rachel Ray hatred (I swear some people take it to the level of competitive sport) reading some blog post somewhere ranting about her Dunkin' Donuts commercials, which, apparently, are foretelling some kind of apocalyptic doom for mankind. I saw that commercial for the first time a while back, and had to check the batteries in my Giveashitometer to see if they were dead, the needle was reading so low.

Who else?

The R&D people single-cell organisms at Scott Brand Products who came up with their new "Extra Soft" toilet paper. Did any of you asswipes (no pun intended) ever try actually, oh, I dunno, WIPING YOUR ASS with this shit??? Those thousands of cute little quilted fluff-nodules, or whatever the fuck you call them, do but one thing. They serve as one gigantic perforation zone, the sole purpose of which seems to be the introduction of some kind of cost-saving measure, through which men can wipe their ass and give themselves a prostate exam at the same time.

Give me that cheap scratchy shit we had to use in grade school. You know the stuff with the branches and leaves still intact and visible in the fabric of the paper. At least it held together and got the job done.

OK, one more, for now.

How about every single person connected, in any way, shape, or form, to the writing and production of this current season of "24"?

TERRORISTS USING UNDERGROUND PASSAGEWAYS TO OPERATE UNDETECTED???

NO FUCKING WAY!!!

What will they think of next?

I'd have more to say on this, but it's easier to link to Misha's latest.

Jack decides that maybe getting out of there would be a good idea. Generally speaking, getting into CTU is about the dumbest thing you can do, since it seems to be more open to traffic than Madonna’s thighs, so we have to agree with him on that one. They make their way to a ventilation shaft blocked by the Obligatory Rotating Fan of Doom™ that any show worth its salt (and, in this case, one decidedly not worth it) has to include as a block to the heroes’ progress.

What to do if you’re blocked by a fan, being pursued by heavily armed goons with automatic weapons while you yourself is armed only with a Glock with four rounds left in it and a fully functional automatic rifle?

Why, you stick the rifle in the fan, of course. After all, picking up some of the useless clutter littering the room and using that instead would be unfair.

Speaking of which: If you had, by now, gunned down about a dozen armed goons, wouldn't you have picked up a spare and a few extra magazines of ammo? If your answer is “yes”, forget about getting a job with Joel Surnow.

RTWT.

Hard to improve on that.

I've got plenty more to get to, but I need a drink first to help calm me down some.

Spring Cleaning Time

Time for a little spring cleaning here at the old blog. In other words, it's time to get off my ass and post all the stuff that's been sitting on my back burner the last couple of weeks.

Sunshine State Libocrisy

Are you a woman in Florida, who wants to buy a gun to defend yourself against an abusive ex-husband who's threatening to kill you? Well, thanks to the tireless efforts of the gun control movement, you'll have to wait three business days before taking possession of your new firearm, even after completing all the paperwork and passing the required background check.

Needless to say, your ex-husband won't feel as compelled to wait the three days before carving you up with a kitchen knife, strangling you with a lamp cord, cracking your skull open with a nine-iron, or simply pounding the life out of you with his fists.

Of course, these same pillars of consistency and moral virtue, so vehemently disgusted by the notion of allowing weaker individuals to defend themselves against a stronger, violent adversary, are now up in arms (quite figuratively, of course) over the idea of requiring women to wait one day before terminating an unwanted pregnancy.

House OKs bill requiring waiting time, ultrasound before abortions

TALLAHASSEE - A woman seeking an abortion in Florida would have to wait 24 hours before going through with it under a bill passed Friday by the state House.

[snip]

The proposal drew the ire of abortion rights supporters.

I know. I'm shocked too.

Let's play "Spot the Real Quote":

Rep. Kelly Skidmore said it was insulting that those pushing the bill thought women wouldn't deliberate the decision on their own. "It suggests that I would be so cavalier in coming to the decision to buy a handgun for self-defense that I should go back home and think it over, as if I were out shopping and walked by a gun shop and decided to pop in for a handcannon," said Skidmore, D-Boca Raton. "What an outrage."

Rep. Kelly Skidmore said it was insulting that those pushing the bill thought women wouldn't deliberate the decision on their own. "It suggests that I would be so cavalier in coming to the decision to terminate a pregnancy that I should go back home and think it over, as if I were out shopping and walked by a clinic and decided to pop in for an abortion," said Skidmore, D-Boca Raton. "What an outrage."

Libocrisy at its absolute finest.

I'd expect nothing less from the same bunch of morons who feel that women seeking permission to carry a handgun to defend themselves from would-be rapists are just being paranoid, while insisting that any restrictions on abortion contain exemption clauses for cases of rape and incest, because, don't you know, there are would-be rapists lurking around every corner.

Blogging Will PIck Up in the Near Future

I've been a tad occupied.

FWIW, I got that framing nailer today. It's quite nice.

Tool Bloggage (cont.)

Just wanted to throw in my $0.02 in regards to Coastal Tool, linked in the post below.

I ordered a bunch of stuff from them late Tuesday night, around 11:55 or so. Their prices were excellent, much less for these three items than what Amazon was asking for.

Granted, the package didn't have all that far to travel (they ship out of West Hartford, CT), but it was on my front steps today at noon. Not too shabby.

Tool Bloggage

Just a couple deals I came across this week that I thought I'd pass along to anyone looking to upgrade their home workshop arsenal.

First up, this clipped head framing nailer from Milwaukee, currently selling on Amazon.com for $175.79 with free Super Saver Shipping. This nailer is getting rave reviews and goes for $220-$270 elsewhere.



Next, head on over to CoastalTool.com to get your FREE Milwaukee 6519-22 Sawzall! Sure, you have to buy 150 Lenox saw blades to get it, and they're a tad more expensive than the standard-issue Milwaukee blades, but who couldn't use an extra Sawzall?

I bought the framing nailer last night, and I'm debating on whether or not to "pull the trigger" on the Sawzall deal. Now, if anyone has a "weathered" .38 snubby they want to part with for short money, I could use a good toolbox gun.

"You always travel with two guns?"

It should go without saying that this story would have had a vastly different ending had it unfolded on the side Route 9 in Brookline, Massachusetts. Then again, the day Kim du Toit voluntarily drives through Brookline is the day I fund my kids' college education by shitting gold ingots.

We left Lebanon at about 8am, and set off down I-44 towards Oklahoma…

...until I was stopped by a Missouri State Trooper for driving without plates and registration.

And here, Gentle Readers, is where the fun began.

[...]

It should also go without saying that you should read the whole thing.

Lock and Load What, Exactly?

From Wired Magazine (emphasis mine):

The Smarter Emergency Kit

When the next world-crushing disaster strikes — tsunami, quake, dirty bomb, whatever — one thing is certain: You're on your own. As hurricanes Katrina and Rita showed, help may not arrive for 72 hours. Don't fret. Wired has your back with these shopping lists for your DIY emergency kit. Because when everything goes to hell, you'll want gear that gives you an evolutionary advantage over your less-prepared neighbors. Clip and save; lock and load.

Of course, Melissa Miller is speaking in the most metaphorical of senses there, seeing how the only items on her list of "must-haves" that could be called upon to serve as a halfway suitable weapon for the defense of one's family and community are a multi-tool, a crowbar, screwdrivers, and an adjustable wrench.

On the other hand, having one of these in your bag, might not be too bad an idea.

And, not to beat any further the dead horse that has been blog-beaten like few other dead horses before it, but...

For the rest of us living in the reality-based parallel universe, a 12-gauge, pump-action shotgun loaded with 00 buckshot will fit the bill nicely, if you've got the space. Gotta travel light? A reliable handgun (minimum caliber = .3__), that you can fire safely, accurately, and comfortably (as much ammo as you can practically carry/transport) should serve you well.

[/majorchoirpreach]

(Wired link via Instapundit)

So, What Do You Need, Besides a Miracle?

Trees.

"Lots of trees."

What? No Pictures?

How can any so-called news organiztion put out a piece like this, and NOT provide the reader with any accompanying photographs?

Some protesters wore white bio-hazard protective suits and others dressed as victims of an overactive imagination combined with an steady diet of 50's science fiction movies genetic engineering.

I want pictures of two-headed pigmen wearing Tyvek suits, dammit!!!

What's Wrong With This Sentence?

From Meg "Fair and Balanced" Heckman at the Concord Monitor:

About a dozen people gathered around lunchtime for the rally, which was organized by Exeter resident Ron Oplinus, director of the New Hampshire chapter of the Minutemen. He spent about a month organizing the event in response to Cinco de Mayo, Mexican independence day, and the pro-immigration rallies held throughout the country earlier this week.

No hints. This is an easy one, if you've been paying attention.

Bonus Question:

Which of the three protesters, pictured below, would have found himself face down on the bricks, with a state trooper's knee on the back of his neck, had this protest taken place outside the Massachusetts State House in Boston?

Again...no hints required.

(Photo by Lori Duff / Concord Monitor)

OK, so maybe there's more than one correct answer for this one, considering what passes for "hate speech" in the People's Progressive Republic of Massachusetts these days.

Hey, It's Cinco de Mayo!

So, go out and drink a fifth of mayonnaise, or whatever it is you're supposed to do today to celebrate.

Yankees Score 11 Runs on 16 Hits

...and lose to the Mariners, 15-11.

Dumbasses of the Day

Meet Stephen Foti and Michael Saulnier, a couple of small-time dirtbags, and prison inmates, who thought this would be a smart move...

BRENTWOOD, N.H. -- Two New Hampshire inmates who police said walked away from a work program on Thursday were back in custody Friday.

Police said Stephen Foti and Michael Saulnier, both 21, stole a car from the Rockingham County Nursing Home, where they were working as part of a program with the Rockingham County Jail.

Now, I can understand the reasoning behind such an escape plan for someone facing, say, 30 to 50 years in the joint. But, these numbnuts were so far removed from the "nothing left to lose" category, it's laughable.

Foti and Saulnier were arraigned Friday on charges of escape. Foti had four months left on his sentence, and Saulnier had 10 months left. Police said the new felony charges could carry sentences of three to seven years in prison.

I don't care who you are...that's funny.

So, what did their escape plan entail, exactly?

Apparently, once they were able to procure a getaway vehicle, they made a bee-line for Massachusetts. A much smarter strategy, actually, than simply taking off through the woods across the street from the nursing home. They'd have likely turned up in my back yard.

"Honey! There's a couple kids walking out of the woods with 'Rockingham County Jail' stenciled across their green shirts and matching pants. Do you want me to get you the Remington or the .45?"

Good Guys - 1, Gun-Banning Bigots - 0

I know this will come as a shock to...well, pretty much none of you...but Massachusetts State Senator Jarrett Barrios and Boston Mayor Tom Menino are still a couple of disingenuous, lying scumbags.

From Menino's press release dated 4/18/07:

Mayor Thomas M. Menino today joined Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York and Jerramiah Healy of Jersey City for a meeting of Mayors Against Illegal Guns. The coalition announced that 27 new mayors from New Jersey, led by founding member Mayor Healy of Jersey City, have joined the group, bringing membership to 214 mayors nationwide. The bi-partisan coalition also unveiled a new, targeted television advertising campaign aimed at the repeal of the “Tiahrt Amendment.”

[snip]

The new television advertising campaign is the latest component of the coalition’s ProtectPolice.org media campaign and seeks the repeal of the Tiahrt Amendment, a piece of legislation that restricts the access of cities [read: meddling politicians - ed.] and law enforcement to gun trace data, an essential crime fighting tool.

And, from The Barrios Blog (4/2/07):

At the federal level, we have moved in the wrong direction.

That depends entirely on one's definition of "wrong".

COPS monies have been slashed...

I don't understand. Massachusetts has the "most effective gun laws in the nation". What do you need with all that federal money, Jarrett? Wouldn't it be put to better use in a state with lax gun laws, where the rate of violent gun crime must surely be skyrocketing out of control?

Like Vermont.

...and the NRA has successfully protected gun manufacturers...

Because, if some strung-out junkie shoots a liquor store clerk in the head with a 30-year-old Smith & Wesson .38-caliber revolver, for the $32.89 in the till, it's crystal clear who's really at fault there.

But, that's another lie for another post.

...and killed the assault weapon ban.

Because a Ruger 10/22 with a folding stock is immeasurably more dangerous in the hands of a gangbanging drug dealer than a sawn-off, pump-action shotgun with five rounds of 00 buckshot at the ready.

BAN HACKSAWS!!!

But, I digress. Here's the money quote.

Unbelievably, the NRA successfully inserted an amendment in the 2004 federal budget, through Congressman Todd Tiehrt [sic] (R-KS) that actually prevents the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) from providing gun tracing data to any local or state law enforcement agency.

"Unbelievably"?

Excellent choice of words, Jarrett. I couldn't have said it better myself, seeing how what you just wrote there is a complete lie. A deceptive statement. A prevarication. An obfuscation of fact. An outright fabrication, self-extracted from the speaker's backside, if you will.

From Michael J. Sullivan, acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives:

"Let me be clear: neither the congressional language nor ATF rules prohibit the sharing of trace data with law enforcement conducting criminal investigations, or place any restrictions on the sharing of trace data with other jurisdictions once it is in the hands of state or local law enforcement. In fact, multi-jurisdictional trace data is also utilized by ATF and shared with fellow law-enforcement agencies to identify firearm-trafficking trends and leads. Additionally, nothing prohibits ATF from releasing our own reports that analyze trace-data trends that could be used by law enforcement."

Senator Barrios is lying through his fucking teeth.

But, then again, we know that already.

And, so does he.

He may be a totalitarian bigot, hellbent on depriving every citizen in Massachusetts of their God-given right to defend themselves from harm, and bringing his dream of turning Massachusetts into a 1930's-Germany police state into fruition, but one thing Senator Barrios is not is uneducated. Nor, is he ignorant of the law.

He knows full-well that the best way to advance his anti-gun agenda is to team up with fellow fact-fuckers, Mayors Bloomberg and Menino and their allies in the leadership of the Democratic Party, and maintain this constant barrage of lies and misinformation, designed solely to misinform the public and persuade as many sheep-minded people as possible into abandoning their civil rights for what is nothing more than a dangerous illusion of security.

From Alan Gottlieb, founder of the Second Amendment Foundation:

"Mayor Bloomberg has been disingenuous at best and deliberately deceitful at worst," Gottlieb stated. "We're glad that Mr. Sullivan took the time to set the record straight. We've known Bloomberg wasn't telling the truth since he invented this trace data controversy, and Sullivan's explanation should close this matter for good."

Yes, it should, seeing how it's rooted in reality, and is based entirely on factual information.

But, when it comes time to attack the rights of responsible gun owners, such things as facts and reality are but inconvenient technicalities to be ignored and swept under the rug, as far as Barrios and his friends in the "Mr. and Mrs. America, turn 'em all in!" movement are concerned.

Oh, and speaking of gun-grabbing scumbag politicians form "south of the border", here's Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick's latest wet dream of a gun law.

In a nutshell, if you go through all the steps necessary to obtain a Class A License to Carry a Firearm in Massachusetts, and buy a handgun capable of accepting a magazine that holds more than 10 rounds, you have to wait a month before you can purchase said magazine.

And, if you're in the gun shop purchasing your extra-deadly 12-round "cop-killer" magazine 31 days later, and see a rare, collectible firearm that you'd like to purchase, you'd better hope the shop has layaway. You couldn't take possession of that gun for another 30 days.

Also, let's say you buy yourself a new hunting rifle (or any new firearm, for that matter) and a buddy invites you to go turkey hunting with him three weeks later, but you don't own a shotgun appropriate for turkey hunting. If this bill were to become law, you'd be prohibited from buying a shotgun for more than a week after that hunting trip. Unless, of course, you wanted to trade in your now-used rifle to a licensed gun dealer, taking a loss on your original purchase price, in order to buy it.

Can't you just feel the drug-fueled, inner-city gang violence plummeting?

I'm sure all the "armed career criminals" roaming the streets of Dorchester this morning are just shaking in their shoes over this one, wondering how on earth they'll be able to arm themselves with such a "common sense" gun law on the books.

Meanwhile, up in scenic Brentwood, New Hamsphire, the sun is shining and there's a light breeze blowing the fresh air of freedom through the open screen door. I'll be outside working on my deck if anyone's looking for me.

Later on, I think I'll put the .45 on my hip and go out for groceries.

Because, I can.

(House Bill 3978 link via The Hobbesian Father)