On Vacation

One more (maybe) post before I take off for a week. I hope you all have a safe and happy Independence Day. We'll actually be in Canada for the week to attend my wife's cousin's wedding in Quebec.

We'll be staying at this quaint, little B&B.

Don't let the country go to pot while I'm gone.

I was going to write something about the tragic death of Liquarry Jefferson, the eight-year-old boy in Boston who was shot to death by his seven-year-old cousin, but Michael Graham, writing in the Boston Herald, seems to have summed up my feelings and reactions quite nicely.

He didn't put this up on his blog, so I'll do the blogger no-no of posting the whole thing here, as the Herald will have it archived shortly, available only to paid subscribers.

Mayor’s tirade again is way off-target
By Michael Graham
Thursday, June 28, 2007

It’s “hugs for thugs” from Menino and nasty notes to the NRA and Congress.

Two little boys, looking forward to starting second grade.

Two excellent readers, always ready to laugh, and with little sisters who sometimes annoy them.

Two little boys with relatives who own guns and know how to use them.

One of these boys I know only from media reports and his heartbreaking picture in the Boston Herald.

But the other boy I know very well. His name is Galen, and he’s my son.

As Galen’s dad, the scene that haunts me from the tragic life and criminal death of Liquarry Jefferson is this: It’s 11 o’clock on a Sunday night, and four children - ages 15, 8, 7 and 2 - gather around a loaded handgun without a parent in sight.

Forget the gun for a moment. What the heck is a 2-year-old doing up and about at 11 p.m.? My 7-year-old son wouldn’t be able to con himself into a round of Candyland at that hour, much less a game of “Give The Glock To The Unattended First Grader.”

Mayor Tom Menino’s reaction to Liquarry’s death has proven to every Boston parent that he just doesn’t get it. He comforted the so-called “family” and assaulted the National Rifle Association.

Blaming the NRA for the death of Liquarry Jefferson is like blaming the American Cutlery Institute for the O.J. Simpson murders. Even the most ardent gun control advocate must admit that, for most of little Liquarry’s life, the least of his worries was the state of America’s gun laws.

Liquarry’s world consisted of an unwed mother who is also a repeat, violent offender; a convicted killer for a father; a 15-year-old half-brother already busted for gun possession - the son of a convict who recently beat a murder rap; various siblings from sundry fathers; and a community that looked at this dysfunctional mess and thought nothing of it.

That’s the family Mayor Menino visited and offered comfort to. That’s the family that social worker Nia Sue Mitchum described as “beautiful - she’s a good mother.”

If that’s a good family, could someone in the mayor’s office please tell me what it takes to be a bad one?

The mayor doesn’t want to talk about the reckless, outrageous and (in my opinion) criminally negligent behavior of this shabby gang. Instead, it’s “hugs for thugs” from Menino and nasty notes to the NRA and Congress.

Like most responsible parents, I know that if I had allowed my son to get shot in my home this way, the public official most likely to show up would be a police officer. If I left Galen alone with a gun, my neighbors wouldn’t comfort me. They would condemn me.

Claiming, as the mayor does, that Liquarry was killed by lax gun laws is an insult to every parent in Massachusetts, regardless of whether he or she owns guns.

Every day, moms and dads from Dorchester to Duxbury make hard decisions and tough sacrifices for their children. Some work two jobs. Others do what my wife has done and set aside successful careers to raise their children.

You could fill these parents’ homes with enough guns to stock a tax evader compound in New Hampshire, and still those children would be safely in bed at 11 p.m. Sunday.

Yelling about a “war on guns” is easy. That’s why the mayor does it. Holding the citizens of Dorchester responsible for the community they’ve created is hard. But it’s got to be done.

Liquarry and other children like him deserve it.

Amen.

Have a great week, kids!

Gun Control...

...because the rights of a couple scumbags to force an elderly man into the restroom at a sandwich shop and take his wallet are more sacred, and deserving of governmental protection, than that citizen's right to prevent them from doing so.

PLANTATION -- One gunman is dead and another is in critical condition after they tried to rob a sandwich store and were shot by an armed customer Wednesday night, authorities said.

Donicio Arrindell, 22, of North Lauderdale, and Fredrick Gadson, 21, of Fort Lauderdale, entered a Subway restaurant at 1949 N. Pine Island Rd. and demanded money at gunpoint about 11:17 p.m., said Detective Robert Rettig, a police spokesman.

They then attempted to rob the lone customer, John Lovell, 71, of Plantation, by forcing him into the restroom, but Lovell, who was legally armed, pulled his gun and fired, police said.

"They just happened to pick on the wrong guy at the wrong time," said Wesley White of Yulee in north Florida. White said he's known Lovell for 19 years.

Lovell is a former Marine who was a member of the helicopter detail that transported Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, White said. He also was a former Pan Am and Delta airline pilot who worked out regularly and was in good condition, White said.

"He's also one heck of a shot," White, 50, said.

So, you see, kids, there are, in fact, "Two America's".

There's John Lovell's America where law-abiding citizens have the right to defend themselves, their families, and their communities from violent predators.

And, then there's the America of Ted Kennedy, Hillary Clinton, Jesse Jackson, and Tom Menino where having a 71-year-old man get beaten and robbed in the men's room at a sub shop is more preferable a scenario than having him defend his life and human dignity.

(link via Zendo Deb)

File Under: There Ought To Be a Law

If a legislator is unable to effectively summarize the entire contents of a bill (including any and all amendments) on one side of a 3-by-5 index card, using a medium tip ballpoint pen, he or she will not be allowed to bring that bill up for discussion on the floor of the House or Senate.

There Were No Earthquakes in NH Today

What you felt was the presence of Fred Thompson rippling across New Hampshire as the would-be candidate made his first official non-campaign stop in the Granite State.

Thompson appeared to be targeting conservative voters during the trip. His first stop was Riley's Gun shop, where he told customers that he supports property rights, rule of law and limited government.

Just like Hillary, except for, well, everything.

FDT: Limited government
HRC: Big, friggin' monstrosity government

FDT: Respect for American citizens' 2nd Amendment rights
HRC: Disarm American citizens

FDT: Find terrorists, then kill them.
HRC: Find out why they're angry at us, then "fix" it.

FDT: Economic growth through lower taxes
HRC: Marxist redistribution of wealth through higher taxes

FDT: Freedom of expression of thought
HRC: Cuban-style government control over radio content

FDT: Secure the border
HRC: Qué?

Yeah...that would be a tough call.

Gun Control...

...because the right of a vicious animal to tear you open is more sacred than your right to prevent it from doing so.

DELTONA -- Memories of an Easter Sunday pit bull attack four years ago came rushing back to Christine Bruce on Monday night as a pit bull charged toward her while she was jogging with her dogs.

Unlike four years ago, this time she was ready.

She pulled out her .38-caliber handgun and fired a shot at the charging pit bull as she was screaming at it to stop, she said Tuesday in a telephone interview.

The attack four years ago -- a pit bull ripped open part of a body cast on her right arm while she was recovering from spinal surgery -- prompted Bruce to start carrying the gun for self-defense, she said.

Well done, indeed, except maybe for the "screaming at it to stop" part.

And, not that it needs to be said, but...

The NRA is as responsible for the nation's drug-fueled gang violence as the AKC is for vicious dog attacks.

Tools That Rule

Been putting some of my new tools to the test over the last couple of days. To say I'm merely "pleased" with some of my purchases would be a grotesque understatement. So, without further ado, here's this week's installment of "Tools That Rule".

First up, the 3rd Hand Support System from FastCap.



What do they do, you ask?

Shit, what don't they do?

Here's how I've used them, so far.

- Securing sections of beadboard paneling in place after glue-up (with a length of 1x4 stock between the paneling and the foot of the support).

- Load strut across the bed of the pickup. I can carry stuff in Rubbermaid bins across the back of the bed and keep them easily accessible at the tailgate.

- Holding up a load of _______ that's longer than the bed of the truck, until I can close the tailgate and then set the _______ down so it rides on top of it.

- Holding up the end of the monkey bars on the girls' wooden swingset so I can line up the bolt holes.

I've probably left out a few.

And, yeah, they'd probably rule at holding up crown molding too. These are going to see a lot of use, and I'll probably be getting another pair. Though, they should rename it The BallSaver.

"Don't break your balls. Grab a BallSaver, instead!"

Next up, is this 15 Amp Benchtop Table Saw from JET.



It's too bad you can't do a Spinal Tap with the Amazon reviews and have this sucker go up to six stars.

A quiet, powerful, belt-driven benchtop saw by a reputable manufacturer for about $200? Doesn't get much any better than that (with the possible exception of the crappy little miter gauge that comes with it, but hey, that's what miter saws are for).

And this portable stand by Bosch is the frosting on the cake.

Last one for today is the 6.4 Amp Barrel Grip Jig Saw from Bosch.



Damn.

Just, damn.

OK, so maybe they could have made the on/off switch a little easier to reach with your thumb, but still...

Damn.

Next week: Tools That Rule - the Milwaukee edition.

Damn Good Question

To be filed under "If You Have to Ask..."

Political expression in America is being liberated as has never before been done in human history. Why does that bother Feinstein, Boxer, Clinton, Kucinich and other Fairness Doctrine advocates?

(link via Instapundit)

UPDATE: Via Drudge...



Douche.

This Must Be a Typo

Massachusetts' has a mandatory seat belt law that's supposed to prevent this kind of tragedy from happening. Why, it's almost as if it's simply not possible to (a) legislate personal choice (isn't the protection of personal choice something the Massachusetts liberals have been rallying for over the last few decades?) or (b) instill common sense through the passage of feel-good, do-nothing laws.

Who knew?

Words of the Day

Adjective: bozotic

Proper noun: (the) Obamessiah

Jesse Jackson's Worst Nightmare

Black clergy and armed Rabbis in Connecticut unite to rid their community of drug dealers and gangbangers.

Louis Farrakhan probably wouldn't be all too pleased about it, either.

(previous post on the Edgewood Park Defense Patrol here)

You Don't Say

Here's a strong contender for the 2007 "No Shit, Sherlock" Quote of the Year honors.

"The reality of life and of restraining orders is that if a person is intent on harassing someone, just because a judge has ordered them to stay away, doesn't mean they're going to do that," said former prosecutor David E. Frank, a reporter for Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.

Wow.

Did they teach you that in law school?

Also from the same article:

"It's bad," said Rieves, 46, who has been taking out restraining orders against Mathis, the father of her 15-year-old daughter, since 1993. "I just wish (the courts) would try to do more for the victims and stop being so lenient with the offenders."

Sheesh, lady, what are you? A republican or something? That qualifies as hate speech in Massachusetts. You better watch yourself.

Where's your sense of compassionate progressivism?

Everyone deserves a 87th chance!

Gun Control...

Because the right of an armed scumbag to shoot your pregnant wife in the belly and rob you of your hard-earned money is more sacred than your right to prevent him from doing so.

A suspected would-be robber found himself fighting for his life while another remained at-large Saturday night after a convenience store clerk fired at the men, Metro police said.

A white New York Yankees cap [Figures. - ed.] lay on the sidewalk outside the door of Tienda La Paz, 819 Main Street, as police investigated the scene where two men had entered with a rifle around 7:15 p.m., according to Capt. Rich Foley.

Upon seeing the men, the store clerk, whose name was not released, fired at them with a handgun, critically wounding one man in the upper body, Foley said.

An immigrant, hard at work trying to achieve the American dream, successfully defends the lives of his wife and unborn child, and removes a violent criminal from society, by use of a handgun, without any help from the government.

Let's play "Count the number of things in that sentence that really piss off Ted Kennedy and Hillary Clinton".

(link via Zendo Deb @ TFS Magnum)

Quote of the Day - HillarycareTM Edition

From Mark Steyn:

On the former point, the unloveliness of any British city after six in the evening - the dolly birds staggering around paralytic, the pools of "pavement pizza", the baying yobboes gagging for a shag and hurling bollards through the bus shelters to impress the crumpet - is a natural consequence of what happens when the state relieves the citizen of primal responsibilities.

Amen and Vote Fred!

R.I.P. Rod Beck

Former Red Sox reliever dead at 38.

What's Wrong With This Headline?

Alternate Post Title: Remind Me Again Why I Chose to Live in that City For As Long As I Did

From the Boston Herald:

T riders driven to violence: ‘It’s hard to even express how on edge you are’

At first glance, one might be led to believe that MBTA personnel are acting in a hostile manner toward their customers, provoking a discernible pattern of violent reactions from the peaceful travelers on the subways and buses.

MBTA workers are being pummeled, spit on and even beaten unconscious at a soaring rate, making the basic job of working for public transit an increasingly risky one.

The number of MBTA employees assaulted over the past three years has risen 48 percent, from 119 in 2004 to 176 last year, according to agency statistics.

“It’s incredible that people trying to serve the public should be threatened with violence,” said state Sen. Mark C. Montigny (D-New Bedford), a member of the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Transportation. “It’s pretty sad when your life’s in jeopardy for trying to collect a fare.”

Or not.

I guess "Violent, Aggressive Scumbags on the T" was too judgmental for them.

Besides, everyone knows that violent behavior is caused by external forces acting to turn otherwise docile individuals into raving lunatics, hellbent on destruction and thuggery.

Personal responsibility? Please. That's so 1950's.

...[one bus driver] was kicked so badly by an irate passenger, he was out of work for three weeks.

I blame Halliburton.

Last January, he said, a rider whose pass he had asked to look at spit on him, regurgitating the food from his mouth.

Just another one of the many perils of global warming!

One bus driver told of a co-worker who was punched by a woman who refused to pay her fare and, when he protested, was dragged off the bus, beaten unconscious and left lying in the street by the men she was with.

If only they were making a "living wage".

Damn you, Exxon!

In another instance, the first driver was himself threatened by a passenger who pulled a knife because another rider bumped into his nephew.

Clearly the fault of New Hampshire's lax cutlery control laws.

And, for todays's QotD:

“We’re basically sitting ducks,” said one Orange Line motorperson who considers herself “lucky” because she has “only” been verbally abused in the nine years she has worked for the T. “We’re easy targets because a lot of people know we can get fired if we try to defend ourselves and fight back.”

Sounds about right for what passes as common-sense public safety policy in Massachusetts, where the right of depraved, criminally-inclined individuals to spit food on you, kick you, beat you, and stab you is infinitely more sacred than your right to prevent them from doing so.

Ahhhh...progressivism.

New Baby in the Family

A new Baby Browning clone, that is.

(click to biggie size)

Yeah, I know. Depends on one's definition of the word "new".

This particular European knock-off, of which there were many, is stamped on the slide with the tradename "UNION I", indicating, according to one source I could find, that it was made by Esperanza y Unceta, the Spanish company which would later be known by the more familiar name, Astra.

Sure, it's nowhere near the quality of the original, but this will never, God willing, become my primary self-defense firearm*. And, for the price I paid, or lack thereof, you won't hear me complaining.

Now, just for fun, here's the .25 ACP cartridge sandwiched between a .22LR and a .45 ACP cartridge.

(click to super-size)

* More like my "use this gun to get to the big handgun (or the bad guy's handgun), which will then be used to get to the stash of rifles, shotguns, and ammunition" gun.

Night and Day

Just put up the new room-darkening blinds by Levolor in the kids' bedroom. Here's a picture of one of them next to the old one. Yes, there's a "blind" in the window on the right.



Now, maybe, they'll start sleeping a little later in the morning.

Ouch!

Free Advice For the Romney Camp

Lose the cop wanna-be.

Yesterday.

State Police are investigating one of Mitt Romney's top campaign aides for allegedly impersonating a trooper by calling a Wilmington company and threatening to cite the driver of a company van for erratic driving, according to two law enforcement sources familiar with the probe.

Jay Garrity, who is director of operations on Romney's presidential campaign and a constant presence at his side, became the primary target of the investigation, according to one of the sources, after authorities traced the cellphone used to make the call back to him. The investigation comes three years after Garrity, while working for Romney in the State House, was cited for having flashing lights and other police equipment in his car without proper permits.

Not that it will save him from the impending tidal wave of Fred Thompson victory parades, but it never hurts to do the right thing.

Unless, of course, you're a politician form Massachusetts. So, I'll understand if Mitt decides to keep this guy on board.

To Serve and Protect...

...their own.

Free Bird Gun - Update w/ Pics

A couple taps on the wooden dowel and the .410 insert slid right out without much trouble at all.

(click to enlarge)

Tried to take a picture of the bore, which, for its age, is in pretty damn good shape. So, for the price of a two-dollar dowel, I got a nice-looking shotgun.

(click to enlarge)

Now, the follow-up question.

What is the lightest 12-ga. load I can get my hands on? Or, what is the heaviest load you'd consider shooting with this?

Stupidity Unlimited

Alternate Post Title: Never Underestimate the Ability of Massachusetts Politicians to Come Up With Ideas Immeasurably More Ass-Reamingly Stupid Than They Did the Week Before

From the Boston Globe:

Saying it's a novel way to protect bar patrons from date-rape drugs and other substances that can be slipped into drinks, a city councilor wants bars in Boston to start serving cocktails sealed with plastic covers.

Because actually putting rapists in jail is so "1980's".

A measure by Stephen J. Murphy proposes that the city require -- or at least encourage -- bars to make available thin plastic membranes, about the size of a coaster, that are designed to seal the mouth of a glass.

[...]

The covers require that drinkers pierce the covers and imbibe through a straw, a notion that produced some skepticism about how well they would be received.

Gee, I can't imagine why.

Mandatory sippy-cups for grown-ups.

They don't call it the Nanny State for nothing.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go out in my backyard and do the "Thank God I Don't Live Down There Anymore" Dance.

Quick Shotgun Question

What can anyone tell me about this J. Stevens shotgun?

(click to enlarge)

Here's a close-up of what I need to know.

(click to enlarge)

Is that .410 insert removeable? It doesn't extend the full length of the barrel.

He Shoots. He Scores.

(click to enlarge)

(via Bitter)

Not For Nothing, But...

...don't you think a song put out by an American artist would be slightly more appropriate?

Though, picking a song by a Canadian artist is a nice little tribute to her plans to bankrupt our country with her socialistic, Euro-inspired, universal health care wealth redistribution program and her desire to eradicate our nation's borders.

Contrary To What You Might have Heard...

Fred Thompson is not the next Ronald Reagan.

Ronald Reagan was the previous Fred Thompson.

UPDATE: While this report is, as noted, "statistically insignificant", its real-life significance cannot be overlooked or understated.

Fred Thompson now sits on top of the Republican presidential candidate field according to the latest poll from Rasmussen Reports. According to a morning story on the polling firm's website a national telephone survey finds the 'Law & Order' actor on the top of the heap even though he has still yet to officially declare his candidacy.

The report notes that former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson earning support from 28% of Likely Republican Primary Voters. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani attracts support from 27%. While Thompson’s one-point edge is statistically insignificant, it is the first time all year that anybody but Giuliani has been on top in Rasmussen Reports polling. A week ago, Thompson and Giuliani were tied at 24%.

And, for Jim and the rest of the Ronpaulyannas^TM.

The combined total for five other candidates in the race is just under 3%. Those candidates are Congressman Ron Paul, Congressman Tom Tancredo, former Governor Tommy Thompson, Congressman Duncan Hunter, and former Governor Jim Gilmore.

El defenso resto.

Quote of the Day - Painfully Obvious Edition

From Coach TC at Sondrak.com:

Poor people stay poor because of stuff like this.

"Chrome wheels cause poverty!"

Can These People Do Anything Intelligent?

Presented without commentary.

Disarmed in RPV

Who knew a 2-inch toy army man could cause such a stir?

A fifth-grade promotion ceremony in Rancho Palos Verdes turned into a free-speech battleground Thursday, when students were asked to remove weapons from toys that had been placed on mortarboard caps because of the school's zero-tolerance policy for weapons on campus.

Each year, students decorate wide caps with princesses, football goal posts, zebras, guitars and other items to express their personalities and career goals. Cornerstone at Pedregal School is the only Palos Verdes Peninsula public school to practice the tradition.

On Thursday, before the ceremony, one boy was told he couldn't participate unless he agreed to clip off the tips of the plastic guns carried by the minuscule GIs on his cap. Ten others complied with the order before the event.

[...]

RTWT.

(link via Jim at Free New Hampshire)

Wow. Just...Wow.

Just when you think this incestuous coalition of fruitcakes and monkeynuts couldn't possibly top their monumentally idiotic banter from the week before...

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said that the slaughter in Darfur was triggered by global climate change and that more such conflicts may be on the horizon, in an article published Saturday.

Therefore, imposing a 25% carbon tax on the profits of every corporate entity operating in a capitalist, western nation will bring about world peace.

It's so simple.

How could I have missed that?

And, we're funneling how much in American taxpayer dollars to these useless turkeys every year, exactly?

(link via Sondrak)

OK, This Time I Mean It

See you Monday.

Vocabulary Lesson

Equality.

It's a word tossed about by a lot of folks on both ends of the political spectrum, but sincerely understood by a relative few.

Merriam-Webster defines it as:

Equality (noun): the quality or state of being equal

And with today's vote by the Massachusetts legislature to strike down a proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, the liberal "side" of the Massachusetts blogosphere is (with the predictability of high tide) holding this up as evidence of Massachusetts' courageous commitment to equality for all its citizens.

It just depends on your definition of "all", I suppose.

Eeka, blogging at Universal Hub, says:

I'm so proud to live in a state where equal rights are valued.

"Equal" rights? Hardly.

Oh, the politcally-correct ones? Sure.

The day a poor, black, single mom in Dorchester can exercise and enjoy the same right to self defense as a rich, politically-connected denizen of Beacon Hill is the day I'll lend some credence to your words.

Until then, they're but hollow platitudes of the Massachusetts Leftist persuasion.

Try, "I'm so proud to live in a state where leftist ideology and politically-correct viewpoints are valued".

Yeah, that fits.

Case in point #2, from the Great Bloviator of Hyannisport:

"The nation’s eyes were on Massachusetts today, and they saw a triumph for civil rights and fundamental fairness.

Unless you're of the belief that all persons should be afforded their Constitutionally-protected right to keep and bear arms, regardless of one's income or social status.

Today's historic vote will have a national impact on civil rights for years to come. Massachusetts has led the nation in education, in health care...

Actually Massachusetts recently came in 8th place in a study that rated each of the 50 states on "measures that included quality of care, access to care, avoidable hospitalizations, costs, and avoidable deaths", behind New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, five New England states that haven't passed any over-bearing and intrusive laws requiring their residents to purchase health insurance, in many instances, against their will.

Yeah, that could've been a separate post, but, oh well.

...and in biotechnology, and today Massachusetts renewed its commitment as a proud leader in civil rights."

Constitutional rights? Not so much.

Meanwhile, Louise Outler, from Jamaica Plain (Boston, MA) gives us one of the more concise paragraphs I've ever come across on this subject, without driving into the deep end of the Olympic-sized Swimming Pool of Left-Wing Hypocrisy.

From her letter to the editor of the Boston Globe:

Marriage is a civil contract, which incidentally may also be a religiously based compact. A couple can be legally married by a civil authority anywhere in the country without the blessing of any religious entity, but no couple can marry legally in a church without licensure by the civic body. There is no rational argument to allow a particular class of citizens to enter into only some civil contracts while being excluded from others.

That's been my argument from Day 0.

Marriage, in the eyes of the State, is but a contract entered into by two people seeking to gain the socio-economic benefits provided them by a civil marriage and the State, the grantor of said benefits.

The State cares not whether a couple has plans on procreating or not. Anyone who would make the argument that such plans are any of the government's business needs to have the lump of gray matter between their ears examined.

Further, the State cares not in which faith a couple plans to raise their children, or in which church, temple, or mosque they might plan on having their marriage blessed. Again, nor should they.

Heck, the State doesn't even care if two people even love each other.

None of that is a prerequisite for being granted a license to marry.

Oh, just one thing.

They do want their marriage license fee, paid up front.

On that matter they care quite dearly.

What's He Do? Nibble Your Bum?

OK, maybe a couple more posts before I sign off for the weekend.

Squirrel goes on rampage, injures 3

BERLIN (Reuters) - An aggressive squirrel attacked and injured three people in a German town before a 72-year-old pensioner dispatched the rampaging animal with his crutch.

I was gonna have a hard time letting such a choice Python tie-in slide until Sunday night.

Tim: There he is!

King Arthur: Where?

Tim: There!

King Arthur: What? Behind the rabbit?

Tim: It *is* the rabbit!

King Arthur: You silly sod!

Tim: What?

King Arthur: You got us all worked up!

Tim: Well, that's no ordinary rabbit.

King Arthur: Ohh.

Tim: That's the most foul, cruel, and bad-tempered rodent you ever set eyes on!

Sir Robin: You tit! I soiled my armor I was so scared!

Tim: Look, that rabbit's got a vicious streak a mile wide! It's a killer!

Sir Galahad: Get stuffed!

Tim: He'll do you up a treat, mate.

Sir Galahad: Oh, yeah?

Sir Robin: You manky Scots git!

Tim: I'm warning you!

Sir Robin: What's he do? Nibble your bum?

Tim: He's got huge, sharp... er... He can leap about. Look at the bones!

King Arthur: Go on, Bors. Chop his head off!

Sir Bors: Right! Silly little bleeder. One rabbit stew comin' right up!

Boston Mayor to Launch Hand Buyback Program

Clearly, this is all the fault of neighboring states like Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermoint and their dangerously lax laws concerning their citizens' right to bare hands.

Fatal punch strikes fear in Mattapan: Neighbors wary of ‘rowdy bunch’

Residents of a tight-knit Mattapan neighborhood are living in fear of roving teen thugs after a 41-year-old dad died from a sucker punch allegedly delivered by one of the local punks.

Michael Hansbury, a father of a 7-year-old boy, died yesterday, a week after he was brutally and unexpectedly slugged in the face by a teenager on Monson Street. Hansbury, an avid fisherman and golfer who worked for Stop & Shop for years, fell to the ground, slamming his head on the pavement, police said.

He suffered severe head injuries and never awoke after the 11:30 p.m. assault on June 5, leaving relatives and neighbors reeling from the vicious attack, which a witness said appeared unprovoked.

[...]

Neighbors said a group of teens has been wreaking havoc in the neighborhood of late, shooting out windows with BB guns, threatening people and vandalizing property. In December, four teens beat and robbed another teenager on nearby Caddy Road, snatching the victim’s MBTA bus pass and his earring, according to police.

Could someone give the mayor's string a pull?

(click to biggie size)

Taking a Long Weekend

We've got the twins' fifth [GAH!] birthday party tomorrow and a family reunion in Vermont this coming weekend. There will be much merriment. Not to mention, late-night sing-alongs and heated political discussions over a few several glasses of single malt scotch and other assorted beer, wine, and spirits.

Back Monday.

I hope.

The way I see it, if I can make it through tomorrow in one piece, with my sanity intact, I'll be all set for whatever else the weekend might throw at me.

A Well Regulated Militia...

Alternate Post Title: What's Yiddish For "FUCK YEAH!"?

From the New Haven Independent:

Members of a politically influential yeshiva led by Rabbi Daniel Greer (pictured at top) -- who have spent more than a decade rebuilding their stretch of Edgewood -- have organized an armed citizens patrol.

They made the announcement Monday afternoon at Yeshiva of New Haven (aka The Gan School) on Elm Street. They plan to begin patrolling Monday evening in two-person teams wearing "Edgewood Park Defense Patrol" T-shirts and carrying concealed, licensed firearms.

Law-abiding American citizens volunteering their own time and resources to help keep their communities safe? That's certainly not very "progressive" of them.

Where are the calls for additional government spending? Where are the gun buyback programs? Where are the cries for more compassion and understanding of the criminal psyche?

The organization has also worked with neighbors to combat prostitution in the area, instituting a successful "John of the Week" effort which featured pinched patrons' names on flyers.

"We are unwilling to give up," Greer said at Monday's announcement in a classroom on the school's second floor. Family members from the yeshiva as well as neighbors -- including Alderwoman Liz McCormack and 24th Ward Democratic Co-Chair Hank Campbell -- joined him.

"We can fix all the houses up. We can plant trees. But if we cannot walk our streets securely, all our efforts are for naught," Greer said. Rather than be victims or depend any longer on the police department, he said, the group is determined to tackle crime head on.

People not wanting to be victims?

How barbaric!

People not wanting to rely on the police and politicians to protect them at all times? Something that is not only impossible for them to do, but also not required of them.

Heathens!

A longtime ally of Mayor John DeStefano, Greer did not alert City Hall in advance of plans to announce an armed patrol. Greer did communicate, repeatedly, his dissatisfaction with Police Chief Francisco Ortiz. Monday he called Ortiz the "Donald Rusmfeld" of the police department.

"There's only one solution -- to remove the chief," Greer said. "He's a very sweet guy. I would love to have drinks with him. But he cannot run the police department."

Asked about the armed patrols right before the press conference, DeStefano said he had no comment yet because he hadn't known about them.

After the press conference, DeStefano backed Ortiz and disagreed with the patrol idea.

"The chief has my full support. Chief Ortiz is doing a good job," DeStefano said.

Gee, that sounds familiar.

And now, from the Connecticut Department of Libocrisy, we get today's money quote from Mayor DeStefano.

Anyone who patrols the street with a gun "is putting themselves and others at risk," he said.

Well, Mr. Mayor, if that's true, you'd best ,ask order the police officers under your authority to surrender their sidearms, forthwith.

For the children^TM, and all.

You understand.

More from the Mayor:

"In response to proposed armed civilian patrols, I believe that individuals who carry weapons with the intent of enforcing their view of appropriate behavior in the neighborhood is a recipe for disaster."

Yeah, because it's so much better when only the criminals are the ones "carry[ing] weapons with the intent of enforcing their view of appropriate behavior".

Schmuck.

(link via Instapundit)

Watch Out Behind Beside You, Rudy

Via Rasmussen Reports:

2008 Republican Presidential Primary
National Poll: Giuliani 24% Thompson 24%

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has to share his spot atop the field of Republican Presidential hopefuls this week. The newest face in the race, former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson, is now tied with Giuliani. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds each man earning support from 24% of likely Republican Primary voters. A week ago, Giuliani had a six percentage point lead over Thompson, 23% to 17%.

FWIW.

UPDATE: Just a reminder...

It's doubtful that he'll be toting a saxophone ala Bill Clinton but undeclared presidential candidate Fred Thompson will be in Burbank today to appear on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno." The former Tennessee senator has yet to enter the raise but one poll has him statically tied with frontrunner Rudy Giuliani.

If Only...

A guy can dream, cant he?

(click to enlarge)

Of course, the fact that the poll is attached to a Drudge-linked Fred Thompson story might have something to do with these results.

In a World Without Guns (cont.)

Today's peek into the Feinstein/Kennedy Crystal Ball comes from the town of College Hill, Ohio.

CINCINNATI -- Police said they are seeking help in their efforts to try to arrest two men who punched a 72-year-old woman in the face and took her vehicle in College Hill, Ohio.

Remember, kids, guns cause crime.

Observation du Jour

A few days ago, I commented:

Reminds me of the people who ask Congressmen what bills they passed, as if that's a measure of their job performance (i.e. more new laws = better job performance). Whereas, if a congressmen told me he had a 90+% success rate at getting bills killed in committee, then I'd be impressed.

Needless to say, that sentiment is not shared by some members of the Massachusetts General Court, even the conservative ones (relatively speaking, of course).

State House Minority Leader Rep. Brad Jones (R-N. Reading) slammed his colleagues in the Legislature this week for holding just 17 formal sessions in the first six months of the year and passing just 44 of the 6,300 bills filed.

A 99.3% kill rate? What's the problem?

"If we went any slower over here we’d be going in reverse," he fumed.

You say that like it's a bad thing, Brad.

I can't think of anything that would benefit the Commonwealth more than a complete reversal of course. The only downside I could see would be the "un-migration" of jobs and skilled workers leaving New Hampshire to return to their homeland.

Someone's Been Huffing the Aqua Net

What's wrong with this picture?

ROCHESTER — Presidential hopeful John Edwards said Friday he will win much of the South and help the Democratic Party win more U.S. House and Senate seats in the Midwest as well if he is the 2008 nominee.

Hint:



So, according to Edwardsian logic, if John Kerry had picked him as his running mate, instead of that other guy, things would have turned out quite differently.

Seriously, the voters in his own state didn't want to send him back to the Senate. What makes him think they'd want to put him in the Oval Office? I mean, other than his vast delusions of grandeur and severe disconnect from reality, that is.

Quick Question

Dear AC/DC,

What about those who have rocked in the past, or are currently rocking?

Just askin'.

- Bruce

Live Fred or Die

Fred Thompson plans late-June trip to NH

Manchester – Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson will make his first visit to New Hampshire as a potential presidential candidate later this month, a high-ranking Republican says.

State Senate Minority Leader Ted Gatsas, R-Manchester, told UnionLeader.com this morning that Thompson has agreed to appear at a June 28 fund-raiser for the Senate Republican PAC.

Perfect. No conflict with the Rush concert in Mansfield, MA the night before.

Gatsas said the event will be held at the Wayfarer Inn in Bedford.

Tickets are $50 for a general reception and $500 for a private reception with the former senator.

Fifty bucks is fifty bucks, eh?

Hell, I paid $53 to see Kiss back in '96 on their "Cover Up the Wrinkles With Make-Up" reunion tour. I think I can swing $50 for this.

National I.D. Meets the New Hampshire F.U.

Score one for the good guys.

CONCORD, N.H. -- Calling the federal Real ID Act "repugnant" to the state and federal constitutions, New Hampshire lawmakers have voted to join other states in rejecting the federal Real ID Act as tantamount to requiring a national ID card.

The House voted Thursday to send a bill to Gov. John Lynch that would bar the state from complying with the federal law, which sets standards for state-issued driver's licenses. Lynch's spokesman said Friday the governor will sign it.

I'll be taking my unregistered handgun to the range this afternoon to celebrate.

Just What We Need, Another Mall Rampage

Alternate Post Title: Disco Pants and Haircuts

A 19-year-old from Long Island decided to tear up a local shopping mall with an assault weapon last night. Yet, surprisingly [read: not] the anticipated calls from the usual suspects to ban such weapons will be non-existent.

MASSAPEQUA, N.Y. --A teenager drove to a crowded suburban mall on Thursday, smashing through the entrance and cruising past clothing stores before exiting the car to deliver a speech to onlookers, police said.

The 19-year-old man drove through the mall's main glass doors at around 7 p.m., continued past a JCPenney, passed the mall's central court, knocked over a kiosk and then made two left turns before exiting near a McDonald's, Nassau County police said.

Insert obligatory Blues Brothers reference here.

Elwood: Baby clothes...
Jake: This place has got everything.

I blame John Landis.

After breaking through the second set of doors at Westfield Sunrise mall, the driver exited the car and started giving a speech before being restrained by a passer-by until police got there, Officer Thomas Brussell said.

[snip]

Brussell said he did not immediately have information on what could have driven the man to take a spin indoors. Charges were pending.

I would freakin' hope so.

As the Revoving Door Turns (cont.)

It's another stunning "victory" for Massachusetts liberalism - presented with minimal commentary.

From the Boston Herald:

Dressed in drag to evade capture, notorious Boston cop killer Thomas Shay is the target of a massive manhunt after violating his probation, for the third time, since he killed one BPD officer and maimed another in a 1991 bombing, the Herald has learned.

Cops are chasing Shay on state and federal arrest warrants stemming from probation violations after he was busted for assaulting yet another local police officer in Boston and other charges in the town of Spencer, said U.S. Marshal Jeff Bohn.

Bohn, along with the Boston Police Department’s Fugitive Unit, believes that Shay is donning a wig and a dress to avoid detection. Shay, who has a long arrest record for male prostitution, could be selling his body as a transsexual, investigators believe.

"He's cross-dressing. He's transient. And we are very actively looking for him," Bohn said.

BPD Deputy Superintendent Dan Coleman, commander of the Fugitive Unit, said his officers are making "every effort to track and locate Thomas Shay."

On Oct. 18, 2005, Northeastern University Police arrested Shay after he posed as a Boston University physical therapy student so he could "entice college-age males to massage them for money," according to a BPD report obtained by the Herald.

Students complained that he sexually assaulted them, prompting the university police to set up a sting. As police approached, Shay fled, knocking down two students, and then ripping off the badge of a detective who tackled and cuffed him.

The BPD report noted that Shay was on federal probation at the time of his arrest and had been convicted of killing a Boston cop.

That arrest came just three months after U.S. District Court Judge Rya Zobel extended Shay’s probation rather than return him to federal prison after he vanished from a halfway house in May 2003, fleeing the state shortly after his release.

Are you sitting down?

Have you removed all breakable objects from within reach?

"He needs a great deal of encouragement," Zobel said when she stretched Shay’s probation from 2007 to 2008 but allowed him to remain a free man.

Congratulations, Judge Zobel. You've done the impossible. I am officially at a loss for words.

Shay was found guilty in 1993 of conspiracy and malicious destruction of property for planting a bomb under his father’s car in Roslindale.

The bomb detonated, killing BPD bomb squad officer Jeremiah Hurley and critically wounding his partner, Frank Foley. Last December, another BPD cop, Denise Corbett, who was a rookie when she responded to the blast, took her own life - an action that BPD Commissioner Edward Davis said was likely spawned by the trauma of having a fellow officer die in her arms while another lost his eye.

In July 2006, Spencer police responded to a report that Shay had stolen money from two young boys with whom he was sharing a house. Police found drugs in the house, but Shay was long gone and has not met with his probation officer since, Bohn said.

And, now, the Understatement of the Year:

"The system has failed when dirtbags like this can still walk the street after killing a Boston police officer," said Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association President Tom Nee. "And he remained on the street after racking up additional arrests? It's shameful."

It's not "shameful". It's Massachusetts.

In Massachusetts, shameful is what they call it when law-abiding citizens are allowed to possess firearms for the purpose of defending themselves from scumbags like Thomas Shay.

As far as I'm concerned, Judge Rya Zobel, should, at a minimum, be removed from the bench and made to pay restitution to the state for every penny spent by every law enforcement agency dedicating what limited resources they have tracking down this scumbag.

I'll leave it up to your imaginations to guess what I'd rather see done to her. There may or may not be lampposts and bayonets involved.

Meanwhile, stories like this will continue to go right over the head of Boston Mayor Tom Menino as he blindly marches on with his campaign of blaming New Hampshire and Vermont's pro-choice gun laws for the violence and lawlessness running amok in his city.

Feeeeelings! Nothing More Than Feeeeelings!

From the Massachusetts Department of Feel-Good, Do-Nothing Legislation:

A background check for companies doing business with the state would reach back almost 400 years under a bill pending on Beacon Hill that would require corporations to detail historical connections to slavery.

I'm surprised no one in that socialistic workers' paradise has proposed yet a similar bill to require multi-generational background checks on firearms license applications.

"Sorry, sir, our computer records indicate your great-grandfather's third cousin from his second marriage was once suspected of stealing eggs from his neighbor's chicken coop. No charges were ever filed, but, nonetheless, we're going to have to deny your application."

OK, I'll shut up now before I give them any more ideas.

The measure would force companies to submit an affidavit describing what -- if any -- role they played in the slave trade. It would require details about the treatment of slaves, profits earned from the trade of human beings, and a record of the names of anyone the company may have owned.

The proposal was spearheaded by state Representative Byron Rushing, a Boston Democrat, and is scheduled to be debated at a hearing before the Administration and Regulatory Oversight committee this afternoon at the State House. It has drawn the support of 10 cosponsors in the House, including Representative Ruth B. Balser, a Democrat from Newton.

I guess since they've finally solved all the real problems facing the Commonwealth (violent crime, illegal immigration, homelessness, poverty, teen pregnancy, population loss, etc.), it only makes sense now to take up important matters such as this.

"It really is about creating a historical record and remembering," Balser said today in a telephone interview. "We shouldn’t whitewash our history. We should recognize and acknowledge crimes committed against humanity."

No, it's about taking more money from the people and using it to fund useless, politically-correct initiatives, that serve no real purpose other than making people feel all noble and self-righteous, while creating yet another governmental expenditure, which will be used further down the road as justification for raising people's taxes.

Gee, I miss that place.

Not.

The legislation would not require companies to pay restitution for any profits reaped from the slave trade.

Yet.

I'd give it less than two years for that amendment to be filed. That's how these intrusive little parasites operate - one seemingly innocuous step at a time.

On a more humorous note, check out the URL for that story.

...city_region/breaking_news/2007/06/bill_would_scru.html

Indeed.

I'm With Fred

In case you haven't noticed, I'm with Fred.

And just to make it official...

The proprietors and editors of this website (that's me) do, hereby, endorse the candidacy of Fred Thompson for President of the United States of America.

- lower taxes
- less government spending
- secure borders
- gun rights

Help elect the anti-Hillary. Contribute here.

It's For the Children

From the "How To Guide", a local advertising supplement of the Carriage Towne News...



Needless to say, I got more than a small kick out of the picture and the caption attached thereto. Try running that in a half-page spread in the Boston Globe and the phones will be ringing off the hook at the local 911 call center, following the ensuing wave of heart attacks and stress-induced brain aneurysms.

Alas, the accompanying write-up (below) is about youth archery, and not that nice-looking back wall full of rifles.

You did see the bow in that picture, right?



Do stop in to see Gene if you find yourself in Plaistow, New Hampshire and in need of any new archery equipment (or some scary, non-MA-compliant handguns). But, be forewarned. Gene, despite his mild-mannered exterior, possesses some kind of evil, Jedi-like mind control abilities that have caused me to purchase firearms from him on multiple occasions.

I was powerless to resist, I tell you. Powerless.

Here's a Tax Proposal I Can Support

State Senator Proposes Tax On Alcohol In Mass.

(WBZ) BOSTON Should there be a tax on alcohol in Massachusetts?

A state legislator thinks it's a good way to raise money to help people with substance abuse problems.

Punishing the majority of the consumers of a product, who use said product responsibly, to pay for social programs aimed at the few people, relatively speaking, who use the product in an irresponsible manner.

How utterly Massachusettsian of her.

State senator Marian Walsh (D) of West Roxbury told WBZ Radio that a 5-percent tax would raise about $92 million a year for substance abuse treatment programs.

Actually, what it would likely do is drastically increase the number of people driving across the state line into New Hampshire for all their beer, wine, and liquor needs. This will bring more money into the New Hampshire economy, and help keep the people working in the alcohol industry up here gainfully employed.

Therefore, I whole-heartedly support Ms. Walsh in her quest to further advance the socialistic, big-government ideology that has made Massachusetts what it is today.

Of course, some people up here (Representative Mulholland, please call your office) would see that as a bad thing, because much of the increase in revenue will stay in the hands of the proletariat, and not be transferred to the government via a confiscatory tax code, as is so popular with our "progressive" neighbors to the south.

Walsh says 43 other states have an alcohol tax.

Again, the famous "Everyone else is doing it, why can't we?" argument. I'm sure her like-minded proposal to reform the Commonwealth's gun laws to allow all law-abiding residents of Massachusetts to purchase, possess, and carry a firearm for self-defense purposes - if they CHOOSE to do so - will be out shortly.

After all, 38 other states are doing it.

I honestly have a hard time putting into words how good it feels to no longer have Marian Walsh as my state senator.

Boston Firefighters Attacked

Boy, if ever there was an irrefutable argument for protecting an individual's right to armed self-defense, this would be it.

It was late Sunday when the tractor-trailer pulled up to Charlestown's Sullivan Square fire station, a routine stop for truck drivers who get lost trying to navigate the nearby rotary.

Lieutenant Chris Corwin and Firefighter Daniel Donahoe gave the driver directions and started helping him back up the 18-wheeler when a sedan tried to sneak around the rear of the truck. When Corwin asked the driver to wait, the driver started swearing, telling Corwin he would run him over if he did not move, Corwin said.

Then, four men wearing New York Yankees caps, all believed to be in their 20s, rushed out of the car and began beating Corwin, hitting him with a club and kicking him, Corwin and Donahoe said.

Stay tuned for Boston Mayor Tom Menino's press conference, where he will be blaming this senseless act of violence on the residents of Louisville, Kentucky for their irresponsible and careless promotion of a "baseball bat culture" run amok.

Corwin received at least 14 stitches. He had a broken eye socket and bruises. He spent the night at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Gun Control: Because the right of an armed thug to gang up with three of his scumbag buddies and break your eye socket with a club is unquestionably more sacred than your right to prevent such an event from occurring.

Quote of the Day Last Week

From the Buckeye Firearms Association:

It seems Mr. Romney isn't the only Republican presidential-hopeful who thinks gun owners are as easy as that airheaded college girlfriend who watches as their date gropes and fondles waitresses, but forgives him as soon as he says "I love you baby. Now go get me another beer."

(link via Keep and Bear Arms)

Slappy McDouchebag Strikes Again

What a loser.

As the Revoving Door Turns (cont.)

From the Boston Herald:

A man notorious for serving just a few short years for the 1991 executions of two Boston children on a dare was arrested early yesterday after allegedly pulling a gun on his former brother-in-law.

Damien Bynoe, 31, pleaded not guilty to a charge of assault with a dangerous weapon and was ordered held on $75,000 cash bail by Judge Edward R. Redd in the Roxbury Division of Boston Municipal Court.

"It’s been 16 years and he’s still getting into trouble,” said a disgusted Monique Taylor, 33, whose 11-year-old cousin, Charles Copney Jr., was shot dead by Bynoe in cold blood alongside victim Korey Grant, who was 15 at the time.

[snip]

When he was 16, Bynoe was put in Department of Youth Services lockup for the shocking child slayings, which he allegedly carried out on the order of an Orchard Park gangbanger, Willie Dunn. Dunn was later acquitted of second-degree murder in the notorious case.

Charges were dismissed against a third youth, Tarahn Harris. After Bynoe killed Copney and Grant, he, Dunn and Harris treated themselves to pizza.

Judge Paul McGill, who issued the juvenile sentence, which was decried by many as a wrist slap, called Bynoe “an all-American boy who made a mistake.”

Allowing convicted murders to walk the streets with impunity and commit violent crime upon violent crime, with no regard for the law or the well-being of others.

Welcome to "progressive" America.

Of course, when asked to address the escalating problem of gang violence in his fair city, Boston Mayor Tom Menino continues to point the misguided finger of blame at the laws in New Hampshire, and other states, that allow for all law-abiding citizens to exercise their right to bear arms in defense of themselves and their communities, regardless of an individual's wealth or social stature.

Equality for all. What a novel fucking concept.

Too bad the liberals running Massachusetts - empty, feel-good rhetoric notwithstanding - are incapable of adhering to such a radical principle.