Sunday, June 28, 2015

It's what they do.

Lie.

And now Bloomberg has created a collection point.. Propaganda presenting itself as journalism. Kinda like astroturf pretending to be grass roots.

Recently Read

David Weber's Sword of the South is the latest in the Bahzell series. I've not had the same level of interest in these books as I have his other series. It seemed a bit slow until the last third. Still, good and worth reading, but maybe not at the top of your stack.

Resistance: A Dave Hooper Novel by John Birmingham. Birmingham is a good writer and I've heard some compare it favorably to Larry Correia's Monster Hunter books. Larry's better, but these'll do until his next. Actually I wish Birmingham would get back to his Axis of Time universe. Oh, well.

1636: The Cardinal Virtues by Eric Flint and Walter H. Hunt is everything I expect from this series. Want more.

Saturday, June 27, 2015

Next...

Tink and the Wise Turtle.

Thursday, June 25, 2015

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

In [formerly] Great Britain...

...they're going after kitchen knives now.
British Police Call On Nation To ‘Save a Life, Surrender Your Knife’ As ‘Knife Violence’ Continues
BUT the prohibitionists tell us there are no slippery slopes.

Ninty-five percent of New York gun owners...

...tell Governor Andrew Cuomo and his NY SAFE Act to pound sand.
Low assault-weapon registration stats suggest low compliance with Gov. Cuomo’s landmark SAFE Act gun control law
Low...Huh? Nice way to put lipstick on a pig there bud. 95 PERCENT NONCOMPLIANCE! But ya know, failure is not an option with these Statists. It'll be "interesting" to see what's next.

Problem #6 is that the study came out of...

...the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Note the "B" word in there. They are another wholly subsidiary of Michael Bloomberg and any studies they released must be viewed through that light.
5 Problems with the New Study 'Proving' that More Background Checks Lowered Connecticut's Gun Murder Rate by 40 Percent
To summarize it. They cooked the books. Surprised?

Predestination

Predestination was released overseas in 2014 and in the US this year. It's now out on DVD. It is an adaptation of Robert Heinlein's short story '—All You Zombies—' by a couple of Australian guys, Michael and Peter Spierig. It is more than good. It is an accurate take on the story, and faithful to the spirit of the original material unlike some other Heinlein adaptions. Since it was released this year in the US it goes on the list. Rent it. Buy it. Watch it. You won't be disappointed.

Exactly.

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Bill Whittle: Death By Dynasties: Jeb, Hillary, and Disaster!

Notice the Difference?

Authorities seek gunman who opened fire at South Carolina church, killing 9
Sheriff: Man kicks in church side door, points shotgun
If you don't want to right click on the links to read the stories here's the gist. In one church a nutjob with a gun comes in and kills unarmed nine people. In the other church armed parishioners stop the armed nutjob before he can hurt anyone. No one dies including the nutjob. You might say that is the exception rather than the rule. Explain these other examples then.

Monday, June 22, 2015

North Carolinians Against Gun Violence...

...is owned by Bloomberg. I don't think there was ever any doubt. At this point I'd bet ALL the anti-gun groups are on the Bloomberg payroll.
When I tell you that Bloomie bought a state gun grabber group, you should trust me

Sunday, June 21, 2015

Happy Father's Day

I lost my Dad in 1981. This is the most recent photo I had of him. I miss him every day.

Recently Watched

You'll notice on the sidebar is a link titled Movies 2015. these are the movies I've watched this year that were released this year. I've been doing this for a couple of years. Some I watch on DVD. Some I see in the theater. I list them in my order of preference. Mostly I just list them over there and don't review them here. I'm not really into discussing why I like or dislike a movie. You should get a notion of how much I liked it by where it sits on the list. In the past week I've watched The Gunman, Woman in Gold, and Inside Out.

The Gunman stars Sean Penn and usually I can't stand that ******. I held off watching Eastwood's Mystic River years because that ****** and Tim Robbins were in it. I still can't stand him, but this movie is a decent action flick by the same director as the original Taken. I liked Pierre Morel's work enough to swallow my bile. It's a decent action flick but not a great one. I suggest you wait for it to show up on the boob tube.

Woman in Gold is about a woman's fight to reclaim a painting stolen from her family by the Nazis. It is well done in all respects plus it has Helen Mirren in the lead role. I liked Mirren even before she went full auto in Red. Ryan Reynolds is also in this film and he is good in it. Highly recommended.

Pixar's latest is Inside Out. I have mixed feelings about it that I'm still working on, but those issues will fly right by your kids. They'll like it.

Another Yep.

It is terrible to contemplete how few politicians are hanged. – G. K. Chesterson, The Cleveland Press, 3/1/21

Ummm...the bad guy might have died...

...before he managed to kill nine people.
Dem Strategist: ‘I Cannot Imagine the Horror That Could’ve Occurred’ if Churchgoers Were Armed During Charleston Massacre

Yep

Saturday, June 20, 2015

Whatever...

Attention Criminals: Uber is now a Gun Free Zone.
Before North Carolina legalized concealed carry my philosophy on the matter was if I carry properly no one will ever know and if the SHTF a concealed carry charge would be the least of my worries. I feel much the same in regard to Uber. They'll never know 'til the SHTF and at that point them dropping me from the platform will be the least of my worries. On the other hand, I'm not on the platform and have ever less inclination to use the service now. Uber has no concern for the safety of their drivers or passengers.

It's what they do...

...lie.
Clinton Operative Has No Problem Lying about guns…but I repeat myself.
He can't even cherry pick the data properly.

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

I'm looking for some payback in 2016.

A Neutered HB 562 Passes The NC House
Some Republicans in the House chose to bend over for the North Carolina Sheriff's Association and gave a victory to the Demanding Moms when they deleted the repeal of the Pistol Permit program. That was the part of the bill that mattered and they did what establishment Republicans always do. The stabs gun owners in the back. I hope they enjoy the support they from the NCSA and the Demanding Moms come 2016 'cuz they ain't getting any from me.

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

HB 562: Now Isn't That Interesting?

Apparently the North Carolina Sheriff's Association generated a report on North Carolina's Jim Crow era Pistol Permit Program. They then shelved it because it didn't support their case. Grass Roots North Carolina obtained a copy of the report and have provided it for you edification. The actual report is linked on their website.
Some highlights from the NCSA report with most in sheriffs’ own words:
  • “[NICS] reports included 165 or 23.5% of permits being subject to revocation in Camden County and 35,488 or 38% of permits being subject to revocation in Mecklenburg County.”
  • “…sheriffs’ offices [submitted] 674,806 permits for review representing 344,338 different permit holders. CJLEADS returned 26,637 permits to sheriffs as subject to revocation due to an event or condition that occurred subsequent to the issuance of the permit that would have disqualified the individual from receiving a pistol purchase permit at application.” [That rate is about 4%, or four times higher than NICS, suggesting that the PPP system is *inferior* to NICS at preventing criminals from getting guns.]
  • “Sheriffs have reported revoking 5,255 permits from 2,447 permittees as a result of the background check and review process through April 25, 2014. However, it should be noted that a sheriff has no way of knowing if a permit has been used since issuance.” [Translation: Perhaps only ¼ of 26,637 invalid permits were “revoked,” leaving potentially 22,000+ criminals in possession of permits and able to bypass background checks.]
  • “Sheriffs’ offices are staffed to review and process Pistol Purchase Permit applications and not to conduct periodic reviews of active permits…”
  • “Conducting an ongoing manual case by case review of 289 permits in Tyrrell County or 93,486 permits in Mecklenburg County is nearly impossible.” [So much for NCSA’s argument that sheriffs “know” who in their counties should have permits. If they can’t manually check them now, how can they do so before issuance?]
  • “Several sheriffs’ offices had over 40% of their permits reported subject to revocation in the NICS report.”
  • “Sheriffs’ offices cannot account for permits claimed to be ‘lost’…”
  • “Gun dealers do not know if a permit has been revoked…”
Call or email your Reps.

Monday, June 15, 2015

H.R. 1858, The “Firearms Tracing Act”

It was introduced by Illinois Rep Robin Kelley (D-IL) and Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) both Bloomberg proxies. The full text is here at Extrano's Alley. As Stranger says it looks pretty innocuous,but it's from the usual suspects. That should raise our suspicions in and of itself. So guys take appropriate action. Call your Reps and Senators and ask them to oppose.

Saturday, June 13, 2015

Damn

Borepatch has signed off.

Of course that's what the Democrats need to do with an upcoming election...

...push gun control.
Connecticut Gun Permit Law Prompts Federal Legislation
Sebastian is right. It won't hurt them in Connecticut, but it won't help them nationally.

Friday, June 12, 2015

Wednesday, June 10, 2015

In the House...

...Congressman Rob Bishop (UT-R) gives us HR 2710.
H.R. 2710, which is commonly referred to as the "Lawful Purpose in Self Defense Act," would:
  • eliminate ATF's authority to reclassify popular rifle ammunition as "armor piercing ammunition;
  • provide for the lawful importation of any non-National Firearms Act firearm or ammunition that may otherwise be lawfully possessed and sold within the United States;
  • protect shotguns, shotgun shells, and larger caliber rifles from arbitrary classification as "destructive devices" which under federal law subjects them to onerous registration and taxation provisions and creates a ban on possession of the firearm in some states;
  • broaden the temporary interstate transfer provision to allow temporary transfers for all lawful purposes rather than just for "sporting purposes."
Now lets see how it fares in the House. With the Republicans in control one would think it has a good chance of passage. Then again, usually it's our friends in the GOP that usually screw us.

FBI: Actually, When We Said Mass Shootings Were Up, We Were Just Talkin’

But late last week, J. Pete Blair and M. Hunter Martaindale, two academics at Texas State University who co-authored the FBI report, acknowledged that “our data is imperfect.” They said that the news media “got it wrong” last year when they “mistakenly reported mass shootings were on the rise.”
Which I'm sure was totally unintentional on their part. Well at least they 'fessed up after being called on it.

H/T to Sebastian.

Monday, June 8, 2015

DO IT NOW: Public Comment Period for ITAR Gun Owner Silencing Rule

From Sebastian:
A reader asked about the public comment period for the proposed rule by the State Department to muzzle free speech for gun owners. Here is what the proposal says about public comments:
DATES: The Department of State will accept comments on this proposed rule until August 3, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties may submit comments within 60 days of the date of publication by one of the following methods:

Email: DDTCPublicComments@state.gov with the subject line, ‘‘ITAR Amendment—Revisions to Definitions; Data Transmission and Storage.’’
Internet: At www.regulations.gov, search for this notice by using this rule’s RIN (1400–AD70).

Comments received after that date may be considered, but consideration cannot be assured. Those submitting comments should not include any personally identifying information they do not desire to be made public or information for which a claim of confidentiality is asserted because those comments and/or transmittal emails will be made available for public inspection and copying after the close of the comment period via the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls Web site at www.pmddtc.state.gov. Parties who wish to comment anonymously may do so by submitting their comments via www.regulations.gov, leaving the fields that would identify the commenter blank and including no identifying information in the comment itself. Comments submitted via www.regulations.gov are immediately available for public inspection.

So you have until August to submit a public comment. I encourage everyone to do so. Remember, they are legally required to address serious comments. If they receive even tens of thousands of them, it will seriously interfere with their ability to promulgate this regulation according to the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). If they are going to do this power grab, I see no reason to make it easy for them!

Stop Obama's Planned Gag Order on Firearm-Related Speech

The Left will say this is just NRA scaremongering. I don't think so. Obama has a confirmed history of at least floating regulations of this sort just to see if they get a strong reaction. Remember the attempted M855 ammunition ban? This is a direct attack on gun owners and our ability to communicate with each other via the internet about firearms. It is a clear violation of our First Amendment rights. It will no doubt be struck down by the courts but at what cost and damage to innocent gun owners.

Here is the NRA post in its entirety.

It's happening again— President Obama is using his imperial pen and telephone to curb your rights and bypass Congress through executive action.

Even as news reports have been highlighting the gun control provisions of the Administration's "Unified Agenda" of regulatory objectives (see accompanying story), the Obama State Department has been quietly moving ahead with a proposal that could censor online speech related to firearms. This latest regulatory assault, published in the June 3 issue of the Federal Register, is as much an affront to the First Amendment as it is to the Second. Your action is urgently needed to ensure that online blogs, videos, and web forums devoted to the technical aspects of firearms and ammunition do not become subject to prior review by State Department bureaucrats before they can be published.

To understand the proposal and why it's so serious, some background information is necessary.

For the past several years, the Administration has been pursuing a large-scale overhaul of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), which implement the federal Arms Export Control Act (AECA). The Act regulates the movement of so-called "defense articles" and "defense services" in and out of the United States. These articles and services are enumerated in a multi-part "U.S. Munitions List," which covers everything from firearms and ammunition (and related accessories) to strategic bombers. The transnational movement of any defense article or service on the Munitions List presumptively requires a license from the State Department. Producers of such articles and services, moreover, must register with the U.S. Government and pay a hefty fee for doing so.

Also regulated under ITAR are so-called "technical data" about defense articles. These include, among other things, "detailed design, development, production or manufacturing information" about firearms or ammunition. Specific examples of technical data are blueprints, drawings, photographs, plans, instructions or documentation.

In their current form, the ITAR do not (as a rule) regulate technical data that are in what the regulations call the "public domain." Essentially, this means data "which is published and which is generally accessible or available to the public" through a variety of specified means. These include "at libraries open to the public or from which the public can obtain documents." Many have read this provision to include material that is posted on publicly available websites, since most public libraries these days make Internet access available to their patrons.

The ITAR, however, were originally promulgated in the days before the Internet. Some State Department officials now insist that anything published online in a generally-accessible location has essentially been "exported," as it would be accessible to foreign nationals both in the U.S. and overseas.

With the new proposal published on June 3, the State Department claims to be "clarifying" the rules concerning "technical data" posted online or otherwise "released" into the "public domain." To the contrary, however, the proposal would institute a massive new prior restraint on free speech. This is because all such releases would require the "authorization" of the government before they occurred. The cumbersome and time-consuming process of obtaining such authorizations, moreover, would make online communication about certain technical aspects of firearms and ammunition essentially impossible.

Penalties for violations are severe and for each violation could include up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. Civil penalties can also be assessed. Each unauthorized "export," including to subsequent countries or foreign nationals, is also treated as a separate violation.

Gunsmiths, manufacturers, reloaders, and do-it-yourselfers could all find themselves muzzled under the rule and unable to distribute or obtain the information they rely on to conduct these activities. Prior restraints of the sort contemplated by this regulation are among the most disfavored regulations of speech under First Amendment case law.

But then, when did the U.S. Constitution ever deter Barack Obama from using whatever means are at his disposal to exert his will over the American people and suppress firearm ownership throughout the nation? Time is of the essence! Public comment will be accepted on the proposed gag order until August 3, 2015. Comments may be submitted online at regulations.gov or via e-mail at DDTCPublicComments@state.gov with the subject line, ‘‘ITAR Amendment—Revisions to Definitions; Data Transmission and Storage.''

Finally, please contact your U.S. Senators and Member of Congress. Urge them to oppose the State Department's attempt to censor online speech concerning the technical aspects of firearms and ammunition. Use the "Write Your Lawmakers" feature on our website or call the Congressional Switchboard at (202) 225-3121.

I REPEAT. This is an attack by the Obama Administration on gun owners. Respond accordingly. Call your representatives in Congress. NOW.

Saturday, June 6, 2015

More on HB562

As previously reported, the North Carolina Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House Committee passed a version of House Bill 562 containing an unacceptable delay to the repeal of the outdated Pistol Purchase Permit system. This delay would push the elimination of the Pistol Purchase Permit system back to 2021. Your NRA-ILA has now learned that Representative Allen McNeill (R-78) is intending to offer an amendment to H 562 which would remove the entire provision containing the repeal of the outdated Pistol Purchase Permit system.[emphasis mine]
Here's Representative McNeill's phone number and email address.

919-715-4946
Allen.McNeill@ncleg.net

Do what you will with it.

The Stupid is STRONG in these useless bureaucrats.

Lynn man's "Star Wars" stormtrooper costume triggers school lockdown

Cross was arrested on charges of disturbing a school and loitering within 1,000 feet of a school.

...because he was dresses as a fictional character carrying a fictional weapon. So tell me why is he responsible for the overreaction of the school principal or the police?

Bill Whittle: A Horrible Socialist Movie! The Tomorrowland Lie

The problem with utopias is that over the ridge there are always the camps where the the "deniers" are imprisoned and a bit farther on the unmarked graves.

Friday, June 5, 2015

It's What They Do.

Lie.
Mets Pitcher Says He Was Duped Into Wearing Gun Control Shirt

That 3 A. M. Phone Call...

BUMPED: Here's my problem with this "trade deal" the GOP and Obama...

...are intent on shoving down our throats. It's classified. It's secret. It's one of those "we have to pass it to see what's in it" things, and we know how well that turned out with Obamacare don't we.
GOP turns to Tea Party to win trade powers for Obama
UPDATE: AGAIN, I'm wouldn't necessarily be opposed to this trade deal if the details were available for all to peruse. They're NOT, and I'll be damned if I give the Emperor Jones one more smidgen of power to abuse.
Exclusive–Sessions to Obama: Why Are You Keeping Obamatrade’s New Global Governance Secret?

Action Needed on HB562

GRNC Alert 6-5-2015: 'Gang of Three' Nearly Kill HB 562
HB 562 made it through committee but that's no guarantee it will pass the House. Some Republican and our Governor seem to think they owe more to the North Carolina Sheriff's Association than they do the state's gun owners. There are links on the other side of the above link that will allow you to contact McCrory and his fellow Republicans by phone or by email and disabuse them of that notion.

Thursday, June 4, 2015

Like I said...

The biggest problem gun owners have in North Carolina isn't the prohibitionists. It's our so called friends in the Republican Party.
And They Call Themselves Friends Of Gun Owners...

Ted Davis (R-New Hanover)
919-733-5786
ted.davis@ncleg.net

N. Leo Daughtry (R-Johnston)
919-733-5605
leo.daughtry@ncleg.net

John Fraley (R-Iredell)
919-733-5741
john.fraley@ncleg.net

These are the guys that voted against H562 in the Rules Committee. If you live in their counties call them or email them and let them know how you feel.

What a twit.

Geraldo later denied that guns are used by law-abiding citizens to stop crimes. He asked fellow host Eric Bolling, “When was the last time you heard of a civilian stopping a crime with a gun?” And when Bolling said, “It happens thousands of times per day,” Geraldo responded by saying, “That’s a legend. You’re watching too much True Detective.”
OK Geraldo, how 'bout this?
Open carrier stops a mass murder
And that's just one instance out of many.

Ignorance is correctable except when that ignorance is willful.

Geller 3, Jihadis 0

Police: Original target of Boston terror cell was Pamela Geller
But so far they haven't sent their "A" team...do they have an "A" team?

H/T to Glenn.

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Huh?

Allow a NICS check when purchasing a pistol from a federally licensed firearm dealer in lieu of a pistol purchase permit or a concealed carry permit.
Why keep the permit system intact when your proposed change in the proposed statute allows purchase of a handgun without a permit as long as you undergo a NICS check? It makes no damn sense. Maybe I'm slow. It wouldn't be the first time I missed the point. Somebody please explain it to me. Oh wait...it still applies to private sales? Yeah, right.

Monday, June 1, 2015

HB562, the "Second Amendment Affirmation Act" is scheduled for a full House vote tomorrow.

GRNC has scheduled an event in support of the bill and opposition to Bloomberg's Moms scheduled protest. Details are here. If you can, be there.

A Nice Change.

A Hollywood actor who isn't an anti-gun zealot.
“Banning guns is like banning forks in an attempt to stop making people fat. Taking away guns, taking away drugs, the booze, it won’t rid the world of criminality,” said the star of the second season of “True Detective,” according to excerpts of the cover story published Monday.

“I support people having a gun in public full stop, not just in your home. We don’t have the right to bear arms because of burglars; we have the right to bear arms to resist the supreme power of a corrupt and abusive government. It’s not about duck hunting; it’s about the ability of the individual. It’s the same reason we have freedom of speech. It’s well known that the greatest defense against an intruder is the sound of a gun hammer being pulled back,” Vaughn said, adding that mass shootings have generally happened only in places where guns are not allowed.

A Zero Tolerance Moment

11-Year Old Suspended For Bringing A Foam Nerf Dart To School
This kind of stupid should hurt: the school system and its employees financially in a court of law. Zero tolerance is what school administrators do instead of think.

It's what they do...

...lie.
Surgeon General Vivek Murthy Intends To Push Gun Control As A Health Issue
After he he testified before Congress, “I do not intend to use the Surgeon General’s office as a bully pulpit for gun control.”

What else can we expect from an Obama appointee?

It's what they do...

...lie.
Everytown for Gun Safety numbers