Huckabee Shmuckabee

This is just like* when GoDaddy.com announced that they pulled a Super Bowl ad because it was simply too racy to show on network television. The decision to pull the ad was subsequently embraced by the mainstream media as genuinely newsworthy. Naturally, this resulted in countless viewings of said ad on the internet, garnering them far more viewers than a bazillion-dollar commercial during the game would have.

Bruce's Rules of Thumb - #17: When your presidential campaign has to resort to GoDaddy.com tactics to get your message out, something ain't screwed in right.

I won't be shedding too many tears if this proves to be the pin that finally breaks the surface tension of the Huckabubble.

Mickey Kaus writes:

Press pros on the ground (excitable Joe Klein, Marc Cooper, the First Read crew) are convinced Huckabee's press conference today--in which he announced he was pulling a negative campaign spot and then showed it to the press anyway--was so disastrous as to be Dean-screamish. [...]

Boy, talk about Happy New Year.

*Only schmuckier

Get Your Scorecards (and Horse Floggers) Out

Law-abiding Massachusetts residents who neglect to keep their address current on their car registration?

A clear and present threat to those around him and to society in general, unsuitable to be licensed to own a firearm.

Police officers convicted, in a court of law, of beating their wives?

Here's your gun and badge back. Sorry for the inconvenience.

POLICE OFFICERS who physically abuse their spouses or intimate partners too often elude justice. That certainly would apply to Boston Police Lieutenant David Murphy, who returned to work last week after spending eight months on paid administrative leave.

In May, a Maryland judge ordered Murphy to serve 18 months probation for punching his wife in a Baltimore bar. The officer's conviction for second-degree assault will be expunged when he fulfills the conditions of his probation. The plea deal was sadly typical of domestic violence cases involving police officers.

Prosecutors and judges need to put an end to the inside game that favors batterers with badges. Strong federal laws forbid anyone, including police officers, to own a gun if convicted of a misdemeanor or felony domestic violence offense. But officers routinely avoid such career-ending consequences through favorable plea bargains.

Welcome to the People's "Progressive" Republic of Massachusetts. Please check your ability to process rational thought at the door. And, oh yeah, be sure to vote more left-wing hack dingbats into office when next you go to the polls. You wouldn't want to effectuate any kind of change down there, now, would you? Perish the thought.

I wonder if Ted "Alleged Champion of Women's Rights" Kennedy's office will have any comment on this matter. He's all about getting guns out of the hands of violent criminals, right?

Yeah, right. Just so long as your definition of "violent criminal" includes the phrase "everyone not on the government payroll, whose job description includes the enforcement of leftist doctrine".

(link via Zendo Deb)

Quote of the Day

Fred Thompson:

There'll be no change in strategy. There'll be no change in message. There'll be no change in Fred.

This is why I see Mitt Romney as nothing but a huge liability to the survival of the Republican Party in the fall of '08.

If he becomes the party's nominee, he will be forced to spend most, if not all, of his time on the campaign trail re-iterating just what his current positions are, explaining his past statements that stand in strict contrast to his stump speeches of today, and trying to convince people he's not a flip-flopper cast from the same mold as his fellow Bay Stater, John Kerry.

The hair isn't all those two have in common.

Gettin' My Wang Chung On

Just putting the finishing touches on the ripped and bleached jeans I'll be wearing to the 80's theme New Year's Eve party we'll be going to tomorrow night. I can't believe I ever threw away my skinny black leather tie.

What was I thinking?

Any other suggestions as to what I could wear? Had I planned way ahead, I could have been rocking the mullet by now, but that ain't happening.

My 1984 Rush concert t-shirt will be making an appearance, with the collar turned up on whatever I wear over it. I guess I could pick up some Wayfarers knock-offs at Wal-mart to round out the outfit.

Dork-o-rama.

UPDATE: Six hours to go, and I think I've got the "ensemble" all set to go.

Scored a sweet Def Leppard t-shirt at Wal-Mart today for $7 and change. The funny part is, it's exactly the shirt I was hoping to find - an exact replica of the Def Leppard t-shirt I won 24 years ago at the Cumberland Fair (black t-shirt with the Pyromania album cover on it).

Classic.

Though, the Journey and AC/DC shirts were pretty tempting.

And, because anything worth doing is worth doing to excess, I added quite a few more rips to the Whamtastic pants. Now, add the studded belt, four-dollar biker wallet, blue bandanna, and a pair of well-worn shitkickers.

Pour some sugar on that, bitches.

UPDATE II: In case you missed it the last time around...



Yeah, baby!

UPDATE III: From Whamtastic to craptacular, here's one that cranks the Mullet Quotient (MQ) way past 11.

Who Knew Armed Robbery Could Be So Funny?

Two wrongs don't necessarily make a right, but in this case, they do provide a significant dose of comic ... er ... make that karmic relief.

Wrong Address Backfires On Robbery Suspect

NEW BEDFORD (WBZ) ― What was initially thought of as a fool-proof plan completely backfired on one robbery suspect in New Bedford.

Daniel Cabral, 22, was arrested on Wednesday and charged with burglarizing a UMass Dartmouth building. Police say he gave police a false home address when he was taken into custody.

Cabral was arraigned and released until his next court date.

Hours after his arraignment, he was robbed at gunpoint while walking home from a bar. When Cabral reported the robbery to police, he gave them his real address instead of the phony address he had given earlier.

Police obtained a search warrant for Cabral's real address and allegedly found the computer equipment that had been taken from the UMass building.

Police say they also found power tools that were reported missing from a local theater.

Cabral was arraigned again on Thursday and held on $5,000 bail.

Straight Shooting

Fred Thompson lays it down:

Every once in a while I am more thankful than ever for today’s technology which allows me to talk to you directly instead of having to go through the filter of the main stream media.

Some of them are intent on making the outcome of the campaign dependent upon their pre-conceived notions. Every once in a while their incomplete and slanted coverage makes this clear.

Today I had this story written about me regarding what I said at a Town Hall event in Burlington, Iowa by a reporter who wasn’t even at the event. Incidentally, I declined to be interviewed by this particular reporter yesterday for reasons which will soon be apparent.

In referring to me, she reported “he doesn’t like modern campaigning, isn’t interested in running for President, and will not be devastated” if he doesn’t win.

The following is a transcript of what I actually said in response to a question by a local Burlington resident which was the basis of the reporter’s story:

Read the rest.

Pre-game Checklist

Beverage? Check.
Chips? Check.
Salsa? Check.
#12 Jersey? Check.
HD plasma? Check.
L.L. Bean Wicked Good Slippers? Check.

Let the game begin.

>>> Giants draw first blood, up 7-0.

>>> Pats settle for three on their opening drive.

>>> Brady to Moss for the touchdown to start the 2nd quarter! Pats up 10-7.

Brady now tied with Manning for the single-season TD record. Moss ties Rice for TD receptions in a season.

But, like my Dad always told me, "Ties are for losers!".

>>> Well, so much for this one being a walk in the park. The Giants just ran back the ensuing kickoff for the go-ahead score, 14-10. Gotta re-beer myself.

Back later.

>>> Pats pull it off in the 4th quarter to win 38-35.

16-0, baby!

And, the road to the Super Bowl goes through Foxboro!

Bring it on!

I Believe Jim Croce Said It Best

You don't tug on Superman's cape
You don't spit into the wind
You don't pull the mask off the old Lone Ranger
And you don't mess around with Fred.

...or throw snowballs at his friends.

Fred Thompson defends aide Bob Davis from Christine
Byun of ABC and John Bentley of CBS in snowy Iowa.

Dumbass of the Day

What was this idiot thinking?

MBTA police have arrested a young man who allegedly tried to steal an agent's gun Thursday night. The incident was captured on surveillance tape.

Transit police say 17-year-old Nelson Otuechere of Roslindale tried to take an MBTA Revenue Collection Agent's handgun at the Chinatown station as she and her partner were collecting money from the ticket machines.

The partner intervened and stopped Otuechere. The first agent pushed her panic button and called for back-up. Otuechere was arrested outside the station on Washington Street.

He is charged with attempted robbery.

I mean, why go through all the trouble of assaulting and robbing someone just to get a gun, when (according to a certain fact-fornicating Boston Globe columnist) all anyone has to do is drive north to New Hampshire where all the firepower any gangbanger could want can be had for a song.

I know that's true, because I read it in the Globe.

Rhetorical Question of the Day

How can you tell when the NOPD is lying?

The NRA says the city seized more than 1,000 guns that weren’t part of any criminal investigation after the hurricane. Police have said they took only guns that had been stolen or found in abandoned homes.

Gun-grabbing fascists not telling the truth?

Color me startled.

To Quote Lynyrd Skynyrd

Ooh, ooh that smell.
Can't you smell that smell?

I tossed a turf briquette on the fire tonight. My whole neighborhood reeks of burning Irish peat now.

Pity I'm out of Guinness.

I guess it's Black Bush time.

Because Some Things Deserve Their Own Post

Mmmm...Stuckey's Honey Roasted Pecans.



Just...damn.

My Favorite Salad*

Romaine lettuce
Red grapes, quartered lengthwise
Goat cheese
Honey-roasted pecans

And, of course, Dijon vinaigrette (previously blogged here)

*2007 Finalist: Least Expected Post Title on Bruce's Blog

Fred Thompson on the Bhutto Assassination

Pretty much sums it up.

HARRIS FAULKNER: Senator, your reaction, first, to the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.

FRED THOMPSON: It is a tragedy, of course. It reminds us that things can happen in faraway places of the world that can affect the United States. I think this should be of great concern to us. It is almost a perfect storm in a very bad sense because two forces are operating against each other that are both desirable. One is democracy: they were making progress in that regard in that country. Former prime minister Bhutto was an important part of that process. But the other is stability. Pakistan is a nuclear country, and we cannot afford to let nukes fall into the hands of dangerous Muslim radicals. We are hoping those two things can be balanced out. We can see the continued progress toward a democratic society but also maintain stability in the country, which seems to be very much in doubt right now.

FAULKNER: I know you are running for the White House, so I don’t want to put you in a position to second guess the president. But I’m interested in your opinion. President Bush is due to talk with Pervez Musharraf shortly. What do you anticipate that conversation should be like?

THOMPSON: Those two things that I mention probably would be high on the agenda. What could be done to not impose martial law, to not crack down, but be mindful of the fact that there are radical elements in that country, and perhaps even within the government, that would like to see instability and chaos and see those weapons fall into the wrong hands. This is part of a bigger problem. We need to understand that this is not a criminal investigation any more - so we find the bad guys and bring them to justice - it’s a war.

Presidential.

UPDATE: Compare and contrast.

Huckabee Reaction to Bhutto Assassination

ORLANDO, FLA. -- With about 150 supporters crowded around a podium set up on the tarmac of Orlando Executive airport (and about 20 Ron Paul supporters waving signs outside) Mike Huckabee strode out to the strains of “Right Now” by Van Halen and immediately addressed the Bhutto situation, expressing “our sincere concern and apologies for what has happened in Pakistan.”

Apologies???

Who is this talking?

Michael "America is a terrorist state!" Moore?

Jimmy "Blame America!" Carter?

Granted, the source is a CBSNews.com blog, and the quote is likely less than complete, possibly lacking additional context that might serve to clarify what Huckleberry meant to say there, but if he's saying what it seems like he's saying...

Screw you, pal!

And don't forget to write once you've got yourself settled in at your new place in the broom closet of political irrelevance.

UPDATE II: Ace thinks Huckabee meant to offer condolences, but the wrong word came out. Possible.

UPDATE III: From Townhall.com.

UPDATE: From Team Huckabee:

"Gov. Huckabee while speaking at a campaign event earlier this morning in Florida, intended to extend his deepest sympathies to the people of Pakistan when he used the word apologies. He is outraged and saddened by the attack and the loss of a world leader whose life he believes was a profile in courage."

OK, I'll give Huckaloogie here the benefit of the doubt.

But, still not my vote.

It's All About the Fredjamins

Via Rightwing Nuthouse:

I propose Thursday, December 27 for the Blogburst. If you have an email list, I would urge you to ask your subscribers to donate. If you know of other bloggers who support Fred, please forward this email and ask them to participate as well.

Give 'til it hurts...

...then give a little more.

Quote of the Day

Kim du Toit:

Use long staples.

We Have a Winner

Presenting, Paul Petersen, the most clueless police spokesman ever.

A Kent man who shot and killed a suspected intruder inside his home Saturday was armed with his own handgun when he walked in the door and found the stranger inside his home, police said.

A man and woman came home to their condo on Kent's East Hill at 6 p.m. Saturday to find another man inside. The 28-year-old homeowner used his own gun to shoot the suspected intruder, said Kent police spokesman Paul Petersen.

It's unknown why the homeowner had a handgun, Petersen said.

Translation: It's unknown why anyone wouldn't want to put their safety and well being in the hands of a criminal who has just forced his way into their home.

If brains were drill bits, this guy wouldn't be able to put a hole through a slice of American cheese.

(link via Zendo Deb)

Merry Christmas, You Hosers

I Wonder If Alcohol Was Involved

Or, rather, how much alcohol was involved?

A young male was seriously injured Sunday when he jumped from a 17-foot high pedestrian walkway heading towards the stores at Patriot Place, prior to the Patriot's game, police said.

Sgt. John Chandler said the jumper expected to land in a snow bank near Gillette Stadium when he made the leap about 3:15 p.m., but he landed on concrete.

Ooh, I hate when that happens.

I'm putting the over/under at eight Bud Lights and two shots of Southern Comfort. Any takers?

Journalistic Boobjob of the Year

Meet Roger Simon, Chief Political Columnist of Politico.

...a New York Times best-selling author.

...has won more than three dozen first-place awards...

...also won the National Headliner Award three times...

...inducted into the Chicago Journalism Hall of Fame...

Which translates, in layman's terms, to having the journalistic integrity of damp sawdust.

Here's the story.

Quick Summary: Some agenda-driven hack writes a blatant anti-Fred Thompson hit piece, based on nothing most of us would describe as reality, only to get called out on it when video of the event he allegedly witnessed is posted on the internet.

Gee, that sounds familiar.

What's Wrong With This Picture?

WMUR:

MANCHESTER, N.H. -- A safe full of high powered rifles was emptied from a Manchester home while the owner was at work.

According to the owner of the guns, the three rifles and one shot gun (sic) total about 13-thousand dollars.

Must've been an awfully small safe.

UPDATE: Just watched the video. Seems the victim didn't lock his safe. Oops.

Message From Fred

T.F.B.

Check back tomorrow.

And, FWIW, this is my 3,000th blog post here. You'd think I'd have made it a bit more special. Oh, well.

Guns Don't Kill People

Turkey clubs and ham sandwiches do.

Concord – New Hampshire ranked fifth in the country for its work giving inmates access to vegetarian food, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said yesterday.

"Prison food has traditionally gotten a bad rap, but you won't hear many complaints from vegetarians and vegans who are serving time in New Hampshire. The delicious vegetarian shepherd's pie, pot pies, lentil 'meatballs,' and tofu sandwiches have inmates asking for seconds," PETA said in an announcement of the rankings yesterday.

"Whenever you see convicted criminals turning away from a violent animal-based diet, it's a good sign," PETA vice president Bruce Friedrich said.

Ask not for whom the cuckoo clock tolls...

Though, I have to say, serving convicted felons lentil "meatballs" is one form of cruel and unusual punishment I can wholeheartedly support. That thought was going to be the crux of this post until I saw that absolute gem of a quote from Mr. Friedrich there.

"Weapons of Unusual Lethality"???

This idiotic Mitt Romney quote...

MR. RUSSERT: But you stand by your support of the Brady Bill.

GOV. ROMNEY: …to make sure, to make sure that the, that the crazies don’t buy guns.

The, the current Brady Bill is, is a different measure than the original. The original had a waiting period because it took a long time to check on people’s backgrounds. Today we can check instantly on backgrounds. I don’t want to cause a waiting period that’s not necessary based upon today’s technology. But my position is we should check on the backgrounds of people who are trying to purchase guns. We also should keep weapons of unusual lethality from being on the street.

...is as good a reason as any to re-post this.

Pop Quiz time, Governor.

Here are two bowling pins, or what's left of 'em, which have been shot by two very different firearms.


And, here are the two types of firearms in question.

Marlin 1895 lever-action rifle (.45-70 Govt.)
One of the only kinds of gun you'll be allowed to own if the
majority Socialist Branch of Congress has its way with us.

AR-15 rifle(.223 Rem)
As if you'd even be allowed to look at this picture on your
computer in Ted Kennedy's Utopian "workers' paradise"
with all its "commie-sense" gun laws.

Seriously, could he have used a more moronic and meaningless phrase? The AK-47, a weapon of "unusual lethality" in Mitt's world, fires a round with ballistic characteristics similar to that of the popular .30-30 rifle cartridge.

I'd have thought such an experienced hunter as Romney would know that. Though, perhaps, Mitt was referring to the "unusual lethality" of bayonet lugs, folding stocks, and barrel shrouds. Who knows?

What a tool.

And, to show you just how out of touch Mitt Romney is, regarding the current efforts of our country's gun-grabbing politicians...

GOV. ROMNEY: Let’s describe what it is. I signed–I would have supported the original assault weapon ban. I signed an assault weapon ban in Massachusetts governor because it provided for a relaxation of licensing requirements for gun owners in Massachusetts, which was a big plus. And so both the pro-gun and the anti-gun lobby came together with a bill, and I signed that. And if there is determined to be, from time to time, a weapon of such lethality that it poses a grave risk to our law enforcement personnel, that’s something I would consider signing. There’s nothing of that nature that’s being proposed today in Washington. But, but I would, I would look at weapons that pose extraordinary lethality...

Um...HELLO???

H.R. 1022: Assault Weapons Ban and Law Enforcement Protection Act of 2007

[...]

Status: Introduced

Maybe, the pundits are right. There very well may be a lot of people who won't vote for this guy simply because he is a Moron.

Oh, wait...

More here on Mitt's adoration of Massachusetts gun laws.

For the Record

The Bud Light "dude" ad is still funny.

Pats Improve to 14-0

A couple times it looked like they might cough this one up. The missed FG attempt by the Jets was pretty big.

Meanwhile, the 0-13 Dolphins are going into overtime against the Ravens.

Could this be the week?

UPDATE: Well, I had my "Guess not." update all set to go, but Baltimore missed what would have been the game-winning FG from 44 yards out.

I ask again, could this be the week?

UPDATE II: 'Twas indeed.

Fred Tide Rising

I'll give it a week (ten days, tops) until the Huckabubble pops, triggering a surge of support for the Thompson campaign.

This race is Fred's to lose.

I don't care what the New York Times or any lamestream media outlet has to say regarding his "laziness" or his campaign's lack of razzle-dazzle. The last thing the liberal media types in this country want to see is Fred Thompson, a man of principles and integrity, standing opposite their anointed one in a presidential debate.

He would so thoroughly clean their clocks, it would border on unwatchable [read: Pass the popcorn!].

As to his laid-back style, I say this. If you're the type of person who would buy a used car based on which dealer had the most flags flying on his lot, or the biggest inflatable gorilla on the roof, be my guest. You're free to make such choices for yourself.

Me? I'm looking under the hood to see what's inside. I'm looking for a safe, reliable vehicle that'll get me and my family from point A to point B in comfort, without draining my checking account in the process. For me, the clear choice is a '42 Thompson.

Got Gas?

A little heads-up to anyone in the Epping, NH area heading out to fill up their gas cans in anticipation of Sunday's storm. The Mobil and Sunoco stations at Exit 7 on Rte. 101 (Rte. 125) are out of gas. The Cumberland Farms up the road, across from Walgreen's, only has a couple pumps up and running.

Your best bet - no lines, no waiting, as of 3:00 this afternoon - the Shell station up the road a ways at Rte's. 125 and 27.

The Epping Lowes only has a handful of 5-gallon gas cans left. I grabbed an extra one, just in case. And, as long as you don't mind the long lines, the Wal-Mart beer aisle is packed to the gills. So, no worries there as far as stocking up on canned goods is concerned.



Now, bring on the shitty weather. Just don't knock out the cable. I got beer, pretzels, and some football games to tend to.

Still Pertinent After All These Years

The Bill of Rights turns 216 years old today.

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Amendment II

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Amendment III

No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

Amendment IV

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Amendment V

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Amendment VI

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

Amendment VII

In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

Amendment VIII

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

Amendment IX

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Amendment X

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

Fred gets it.

Others, not so much.

UPDATE: Case in point, John Edwards and the Bill of Lefts.

Nailing It

To the wall.

Hard.

Hillary, Obama, and the rest of you deluded denizens of liberal fantasyland can stick that in your progressive "pro-choice" peace pipes and smoke it.

Alternate Post Title: Reason #8,511 Why I'm Voting For Fred

UPDATE: Must've been a sale on hammers somewhere.

Thompson: Don't let the government tell you what to eat

"I'm telling you, I don’t think that it’s the primary responsibility of the federal government to tell you what to eat," Thompson said to applause when asked if his health care plan included any details on preventative care, a priority for Democratic candidates.

"The fact of the matter is we got an awful lot of knowledge,” said the former Tennessee senator. “Sometimes we don’t have a whole lot of will power, and I don’t know of any government program that's going to instill that."

Amen.

Also, if you're on my list for a Fred '08 sticker, they're going out this weekend. Sorry for the delay, been busy.

(link via Les Jones)

Compare and Contrast

I was counting sets of deer tracks in the freshly fallen snow this morning, while taking Finn on his morning walk. Much nicer than counting folding chairs and traffic cones sitting in freshly shoveled parking spaces.

It's been just about a year (as of the 19th) since we closed on the new house, and I still have no regrets* for having fled Meninostan.

Imagine that.

* as is plainly evident by my daily Kim du Toit-style Happy Dance out in the front yard, which none of my new neighbors seem to mind all that much.

Environmentalist Manifesto

Number 24 on the list of people who can kiss my ass.

The environmental group Friends of the Earth, in attendance in Bali, also advocated the transfer of money from rich to poor nations on Wednesday.

“A climate change response must have at its heart a redistribution of wealth and resources,” said Emma Brindal, a climate justice [oh, please - ed.] campaigner coordinator for Friends of the Earth. (LINK)

Calls for global regulations and taxes are not new at the UN. Former Vice President Al Gore, who arrived Thursday at the Bali conference, reiterated this week his call to place a price on carbon dioxide emissions. (LINK)

It's never been about "climate change". It's never been about saving the environment. It's never been about restricting carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere.

It's about Global Socialism.

It always has been.

It always will be.

At least, now they seem to be more openly acknowledging this fact.

And, needless to say, none of these bozos will be getting my vote next month.

(link via Hot Air)

This Just In!

It's snowing in New England in mid-December!

A lot of snow on the highway tends to slow down traffic!

Where would we be without the nightly news to enlighten us?

And, oh yeah, professional ballplayers are on dope.

Who knew?

Question

Alan Keyes was allowed to participate in the yesterday's GOP debate [for lack of a better term] because...???

Quote of the Day

Reality Insulation Headwrap (R-factor immeasurable) Edition

Via NewsBusters:

You know, that is the most inane statement I have ever heard.

(link via Say Uncle)

Simply Having a Gun Is Not Enough

Here's an interesting account of the Colorado Church shooting, featuring the eyewitness statements from a Vietnam combat vet who was at the church when the shooting took place.

Larry Bourbonnais, a combat-tested Vietnam veteran, said it was the bravest thing he's ever seen.

[...]

Bourbonnais, 59, had just finished up a hamburger in the cafeteria on the sprawling church campus when he heard gunfire, he recalled.

He headed in the direction of the shots as frightened people ran past him looking to escape to safety.

"Where's the shooter? Where's the shooter?" Bourbonnais kept yelling, he recalled.

Near an entryway in the church, Bourbonnais came upon the gunman and an armed male church security guard who was there with his gun drawn but not firing, he said.

Bourbonnais said he pleaded with the armed guard to give him his weapon.

"Give me your handgun. I've been in combat, and I'm going to take this guy out," Bourbonnais recalled telling the guard. "He kept yelling, 'Get behind me! Get behind me!' He wouldn't hand me his weapon, but he wouldn't do anything."

There was an additional armed security guard there, another man, who also didn't fire, Bourbonnais said.

[...]

Bourbonnais ducked behind a hollow, decorative pillar and was hit in the arm by a bullet and fragments of the pillar.

At about that moment, Assam turned a corner with a drawn handgun, walked toward the gunman and yelled "Surrender!" Bourbonnais said.

The gunman pointed a handgun at Assam and fired three shots, Bourbonnais said. She returned fire and just kept walking toward the gunman pressing off round after round.

A gun is not a magical object. You can't wave it around like you're Harry Potter conjuring up a disappearing spell and expect all your troubles to vanish into thin air. There's a lot more to armed self-defense than "Step 1: Draw your weapon.".

Thankfully, Ms. Assam understood this and was willing and able to return fire and eliminate this piece of garbage before any more innocent lives were lost. She didn't put on her gun that morning hoping she'd get to kill someone that day. No one in his or her right mind does. But, sometimes, doing the right thing means doing something you'd rather not do.

To paraphrase something I said earlier on the topic: People who carry handguns for self-defense aren't looking for trouble, but trouble has a way of finding us, anyway, so we'd best be ready for it.

The alternative ending is something I'd rather not experience.

(link via Wizbang)

Compare and Contrast

A tale of two churchgoers.

Later, at New Life Church, a gunman wearing a trench coat and carrying a high-powered rifle opened fire in the parking lot and later walked into the church as a service was letting out.

Jeanne Assam, a church member who volunteers as a security guard, shot and killed Murray, who was found with a rifle and two handguns, police said. The pastor called her "a real hero."

"When the shots were fired, she rushed toward the scene and encountered the attacker there in a hallway. He never got more than 50 feet inside our building," he said. "There could have been a great loss of life yesterday, and she probably saved over 100 lives."

Boyd said the gunman had a lot of ammunition and estimated that 40 rounds had been fired inside the church, leaving what looked like a "war scene."

Jessie Gingrich, who had left New Life and was in the parking lot getting into her car, saw the gunman get a rifle from his trunk and open fire on a van with people inside. Gingrich said she cowered in her vehicle, fumbling with the key.

"I was just expecting for the next gunshot to be coming through my car. Miraculously—by the grace of God—it did not," she told ABC's "Good Morning America."

Kill or be killed.

Defend yourself or cower and pray.

Take responsibility for your own safety or rely on the "compassion" of a mentally deranged, subhuman psychopath.

The choice is yours.

Unless, of course, you live in a state or municipality controlled by so-called "pro-choice" liberals, who don't think dangerous individuals such as yourself should be allowed to own or carry defensive firearms.

Playing Catch-Up

Reader "1894C" sent me a heads-up to a story I missed earlier.

Boston Herald:

A Boston firefighter is mending from what could have been deadly stab wounds he suffered early yesterday morning when he was allegedly jumped in East Boston while off duty by a group of Hispanic males who told him they “don’t want any gringo here.”

Though police are not classifying the incident as racially fueled, the Boston Police Department’s Community Disorders Unit is investigating. The 32-year-old jake, whose name officials were not releasing, is white.

Yeah, no racial implications there.

Uh-huh.

I suppose if six white kids in Southie were to send a black postal worker to the hospital with multiple stab wounds, after telling him they "don't want no niggers around", it would just be another stabbing.

I'm sure Jesse and Al would have nothing to say on the matter.

Sure.

MacDonald said the firefighter had gone to Chivas Restaurant in Day Square to grab takeout when “six guys started exchanging words with him. He indicated he was just there to get a sandwich and that he was a firefighter. They pushed him.”

Hoping to avoid a confrontation, MacDonald said the firefighter got into his car and headed for his station for safety’s sake, but the pack followed him on foot. It was shortly before 2:45 a.m.

“As soon as he got out of his car, six guys jumped him and started kicking and punching him,” MacDonald said. “He felt two sharp pains in his chest and knew he had been stabbed.”

Thank heavens Mayor Menino's victim disarmament policy remains in place down there. Someone could have gotten hurt otherwise. A firefighter (or nurse, architect, gas station attendant, college student, etc.) getting stabbed on the street is but a fraction of the price Mayor Menino is willing to pay to ensure that law-abiding citizens remain defenseless while they're out enjoying life in Menino's "world-class" city.

Note: this guy did everything he could do to avoid a violent confrontation. The animals who attacked him did everything they could do to ensure such a confrontation took place.

So, you can spare me all that "You'll never have time to whip out your gun to defend yourself" crap that the anti-gun fruitbats are so fond of repeating. If this guy was armed and prepared to use lethal force to defend himself, the population of Boston would be down at least a couple of scumbags, and one less "good guy" would be recovering in a hospital bed.

Rule #1: Avoid situations where deadly force would be justified.

Rule #2: If Rule #1 falls through, you have a couple options.

a) Draw your weapon and fire at the target until the threat is neutralized.

b) Make sure you fall with your "good side" up for the best-looking chalk outline possible. Bonus style points will be awarded to your next of kin if you hit the sidewalk in the "Walk Like an Egyptian" position.

What's Better Than Watching the Pats Win?

Watching them win on your new 42" HD plasma.

Frickin' sweet!

SD is for suckers.

Busy Busy Busy

Back in a bit.

This Just In!

That cowardly little turd was a convicted felon, prohibited by existing state and federal gun laws from purchasing and possessing any kind of firearm.

That's impossible. We are told that these laws keep us safe.

Oh, wait.

They make us feeeeeeeeeeeeeeel safe. I forgot.

As If You Had To Ask...

The Westroads Mall, where that psychotic little shit took out eight people before doing society a favor by eating the barrel of his rifle, is a posted gun-free zone.

To paraphrase Zendo Deb:

It's not a gun-free zone if you get shot there.

I'm sure all the "No Guns Allowed" signs were of great comfort to the people bleeding out on the floor of the mall. They must have felt mighty safe as their last breath was passing their lips.

Liberalism: Doing what feels good, so you don't actually have to do anything that produces results.

Gun control is but one of countless examples.

This Just In!

CNN still a bunch of clueless hacks, shilling for the DNC and incurably biased against the Republican Party, the 2nd Amendment, and the American gun owner population.

Via NewsBusters:

CNN has posted a Political Ticker entry trying to create a "gotcha" on 2nd Amendment supporter, Fred Thompson. CNN's South Carolina Producer Peter Hamby has breathlessly announced that "Thompson does not have hunting license," but the question is... so what? Do you HAVE to own a hunting license to be for the 2nd Amendment? Does Fred not owning a hunting license disqualify him as a gun rights advocate? Well, it appears that CNN imagines that you are illegitimate if you claim to support the 2nd Amendment yet you don't have a valid hunting license. What we end up with here is proof that CNN doesn't have a clue what it means to own a gun, what it means to support gun rights, nor do they understand the 2nd Amendment itself, or that there are various "gun cultures" and levels of interest and usage for guns in the United States.

Not only that, but how the hell can Thompson even call himself a supporter of the 1st Amendment? Last I heard, he doesn't even own a printing press.

Sheesh...what a hypocrite.

Why I Carry a Gun While Christmas Shopping

...or any other time I have to leave the house, for that matter.

Gunman Kills Eight, Then Kills Himself, at Omaha Shopping Mall

Some pretty sick shit can go down anywhere at anytime.

"Lay down and wait to be killed" is not an option.

YMMV.

Timewaster of the Week

I made the near-fatal error of clicking on this link over at Eric's place sometime after the football game ended last night, instead of doing the smart thing and going to sleep.

Ended up at 20,135 points.

OK, I Can Exhale Now

The undefeated season rolls on, as the Patriots win a nailbiter in Baltimore, 27-24.

The Quest Continues

So, I think the sale price on that Sony TV disappearing from the Circuit City website yesterday (though it came back today) was a sign from the HDTV gods, telling me to hold off on that purchase for a little while longer.

Taking the advice of some of my readers, I began looking at the Panasonic plasma sets. Gotta say, I'm liking what I'm seeing. The TH-42PZ700U has racked up quite a few favorable reviews. And, the folks at CNET and Consumer Reports liked it a lot.

(click to biggify)

Now, this begs to obvious question. On a 42" screen is the difference between 720p and 1080p resolution really noticeable? I will be watching mostly HD cable from Comcast, and depending on how well the TV handles SD DVD's, may be purchasing a Blu-ray/HD-DVD player to go with it.

I've read that a 42" screen can't even make full use of a 1080p signal. But others have said there is an appreciable difference between the two sets, even on a 42" screen.

What's the deal?

The 720p Panasonic (TH-42PX77U) got CR's "Best Buy" stamp of approval. I'm not exactly a fan of the appearance of the side-mounted speakers, but that wouldn't be a deal breaker for me. It's $1,200 at Circuit City right now.

I guess it's back to the store to have a look.

UPDATE: OK, I think I'm almost there.

Circuit City has the Panasonic TH-42PX75U on sale for $1,049.99. That's 70 bucks less than Amazon's current price, and no shipping involved.



UPDATE II: Pulled the trigger. Picking it up this afternoon.

UPDATE III: This thing rocks! I'm watching SD Comcast digital cable right now, and apart from the stretched image, it looks really good, considering. We'll be getting the HD cable box shortly.

As for the screen reflecting the lights from the room, you almost have to look for the reflections while your watching in order to see them. Not an issue. I'm glad I went with this model instead of the anti-glare screens, as they seemed to wash out the picture a bit on the sets I looked at.

Also picked up this Sony DVD player - upconverts standard DVD's to 720p/1080i. I'll put R30 on at halftime and see how she goes.

Two thumbs up here.

Go Pats!

#$%&@ Internet Pricing

So, I was all set to pull the trigger on the Sony TV today. I was going to buy it online from Circuit City and pick it up at the Portsmouth store tomorrow morning. It was on sale for $1,499.99 (about $50 more than Amazon - worth the extra dough to get it locally, IMO).

But, of course, yesterday I heard an ad on the radio for another local retailer that's having a big two-day sale this weekend. I decided to see what they were asking for the TV. They were $200 higher than Circuit City.

Just when I was about to call them back to see if they'd match or beat Circuit City's sale price, the sale price had disappeared from the Circuit City website, and the TV's back up to $1,899.

Just gotta listen to the voice in my head saying, "Patience, Grasshopper, the lower price will return."