Blog
Those demon guns
Facebook And Instagram In Talks With Gun Control Advocates Seeking To Ban Gun Sales On Social Sites
Two of the country’s most influential gun control groups are in talks with Facebook’s legal team in an effort to see gun sales banned on the world’s largest social network and its sister site Instagram.
This video recently appeared on Youtube...
It seems to me that if those "buy back" schemes that we often see advertised work so well, that Bloomberg would be taking advantage of these listings, and using some of the money that he likes to throw around, to buy these guns that are advertised on Facebook. Could it be that it just doesn't work?
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Law & Order
Recalling the 'Miami Shootout'
The subject of the April 11, 1986 shootout between 8 FBI agents and 2 armed robbers in Pinecrest (Miami), FL recently came up on one of the many online blogs. Now, with nearly 28 years of critique, training, and dramatic license associated with that incident, one thing stands out in retrospective analysis: If there were as many citizens licensed to carry concealed firearms back then as there are now, the perpetrators would have likely been removed from society long before they had the opportunity to shoot agents Grogan and Dove.
Even though the perps obtained some of their weapons from innocent armed citizens, they did it by surprise; the same surprise would have worked just as well against the perps if only there had been more armed citizens at the time.
Current crime statistics seem to agree with this notion.
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2nd Amendment
Progress
The above chart shows the nationwide trend of states going from "may issue" to "shall issue" of citizen's permits authorizing the carrying of firearms.
As of 1986, slightly less than 10% of the U.S. population lived in states where there were objective and fair procedures for the issuance of concealed handgun carry permits. About a third of the population lived in states where there was not even a process to apply for a permit. The majority of the population lived in states where issuance in permits was highly discretionary, and many issuing authorities refused to issue to ordinary law-abiding citizens.
By 2014, the percentage of people living in the Red states, with no possibility of even applying for a permit, has declined to zero. Illinois’ 2013 reforms ended the problem of states not even having a process theoretically available. (The problem persists in DC, but this chart is only for states.)
As of January 2014, about 2/3 of the population lived in a Green state, with a Shall Issue licensing statute.
Purple states (concealed carry is allowed without need for a permit) have increased from Vermont only in 1986 to several states comprising about 4% of the population. Currently, the Purple states are Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Vermont, and Wyoming (residents only).
The Yellow states (arbitrary permitting) were the national norm in 1986, but they are now outliers. Unless the 9th Circuits’ decision in Peruta is overturned, California and Hawaii will have to become Shall Issue states.
This will leave Yellow states at less than 1/7 of the U.S. population.
Moreover, some parts of the Yellow “may issue” states are already issuing permits as if they were Green. In New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Delaware, permits are issued by local authorities, and in some jurisdictions, local authorities issue in a manner consistent with respect for the right to bear arms. Permits are rarely issued in Maryland, and are extremely rare in New Jersey.
The six hold-out states are increasingly isolated. Not counting tiny Rhode Island and Delaware, the four larger hold-out states each are all bordered mainly by Green states. (Mass. by upper New England and Connecticut; NY by Penn., Vt., and Conn.; NJ by Penn.; Maryland by Penn., Vir., and WV). It should also be noted that in two of Delaware’s three counties, permit issuance is often approximately what a Green state would do.
Rhode Island is sui generis. There are two licensing statutes: a “may issue” statute for the Attorney General, and a “shall issue” state for municipalities. Getting a municipality to follow the statute and issue a permit may require great persistence, and even that is not always successful.
Thanks to Rob Vance for gathering the data and producing the chart.
Even though requiring a law-abiding citizen to obtain a firearm permit can be considered an infringement of the civil right guaranteed by the 2nd amendment, progress is being made toward the reduction of repressive laws and rules.
A wag of the tail to David Kopel for this info.
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Suspense
Strange Feeling
Did you ever get the feeling that something is about to happen—but you're not quite sure what?
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Law
Ninth Circuit strikes California’s restrictive rule against licensed carry of handguns
Synopsis:
The Ninth Circuit’s decision in Peruta v. San Diego, released today, affirms the right of law-abiding citizens to carry handguns for lawful protection in public.
[O]ne may apply for a license in California to carry a concealed weapon in the city or county in which he or she works or resides... To obtain such a license, the applicant must meet several requirements. For example, one must demonstrate “good moral character,”complete a specified training course, and establish “good cause.”
Good cause had been “evaluated on an individual basis” and may arise in “situations related to personal protection as well as those related to individual businesses or occupations.” But, concern for “one’s personal safety alone is not considered good cause.”
Plaintiffs in this appeal, all residents of San Diego County, and all concerned for their personal safety, were either denied concealed-carry licenses because they could not establish “good cause” or decided not to apply, confident that their mere desire to carry for self-defense would fall short of establishing “good cause” as the County defines it.
Thanks to some recent United States Supreme Court opinion regarding a citizen's civil right to keep and bear arms, the old way of doing business in California was appealed to the Ninth Circuit.
And the Ninth Circuit's ruling...
...San Diego County’s “good cause” permitting requirement impermissibly infringes on the Second Amendment right to bear arms in lawful self-defense.
REVERSED and REMANDED.
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Fighting Crime
Why do citizens need to be armed?
Here's a good example of the reason why. Only this citizen happens to be an off-duty cop.
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Seamanship
NTSB Report on The 'Bounty' Sinking
Accident Summary
On October 29, 2012, the tall ship Bounty sank off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, while attempting to transit through the forecasted path of Hurricane Sandy. Three of the 16 people on board were seriously injured, one crewmember died, and the captain was never found. The vessel's estimated value was $4 million.
Probable Cause
The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the sinking of tall ship Bounty was the captain's reckless decision to sail the vessel into the well forecasted path of Hurricane Sandy, which subjected the aging vessel and the inexperienced crew to conditions from which the vessel could not recover. Contributing to the sinking was the lack of effective safety oversight by the vessel organization.
NTSB Full Report: PDF
I point out in every basic seamanship class that it's just a matter of time until you get caught in some nasty weather, and it's a good thing to learn how to deal with it—and how to avoid it. But, only a fool ventures out of a safe harbor into the face of a known storm. The most upsetting thing about this incident was the unnecessary placing into jeopardy of the people who were called upon to try and rescue these fools.
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Shed Rally
Gettin' out
This looks like a great way to get the family out of the house, into the woods, and have some fun.
Some tips:
COMMENT: You don't need an ATV to do this!
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'Stand Your Ground' law
Is it any wonder?
Is it any wonder that main-stream America sees "stand your ground" law as a form of legalized murder, when the main-stream media cannot distinguish the difference?
Example:
Aside from the fact that the Zimmerman case had nothing to do with 'stand your ground', there is no way that 'stand your ground' can make murder legal. I expect to see this fact corroborated in the Dunn trial.
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"Ghost Gun"
Jerry & 'Casper'
A while back, I commented on the 'politicoidiocy' exhibited by the ilk of the Kevin deLeon's. Now, when it comes to "magazine clips", "ghost guns", and 3,600 rounds per minute rates of fire, expert Jerry Miculek has "something to talk about."
I have no idea if Jerry's AR has a name, but I thought that with the light gray color of the lower, in this context, that the name "Casper" would be appropriate.
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Mayors Against Illegal Guns
Former Bloomberg Ally Says ‘Mayors’ Group’s Goal Is Gun Confiscation
John Tkazyik, the mayor of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., said he quit the former New York City mayor’s group, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, after he realized its objective was outright confiscation of firearms from law-abiding citizens.
It did not take long to realize that MAIG’s agenda was much more than ridding felons of illegal guns; that under the guise of helping mayors facing a crime and drug epidemic, MAIG intended to promote confiscation of guns from law-abiding citizens. I don’t believe, never have believed and never will believe that public safety is enhanced by encroaching on our right to bear arms, and I will not be a part of any organization that does.
It seems that the membership roll of Bloomberg's MAIG automatically dwindles into two categories. Either the ex-member has been indicted and brought up on criminal charges, or the ex-member has experienced the epiphany of truth that Tkazyik articulated.
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Marine Salvage
Costa Concordia
The latest video shot from drones of the Costa Concordia wreckage off Giglio Island in Italy shows the ship which is currently in stage 3 of Titan Marine's parbuckling project. The video shows how little of the wreckage is above the water now that the ship has been righted. In the video, as the drone flies around the starboard side of the vessel (nearest the land), it shows the damage and discoloration caused when the ship rested on that side underwater for more than a year.
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NRA
2013: A Record Setting Year - Over 412,000 Members Recruited!
In 2013 the strength of the NRA grew by almost a half-million members, which is a significant step in helping to combat the ever growing assault on our Second Amendment.
As an NRA member benefit, you receive a $2,500 No Cost ArmsCare Firearms Insurance policy, but it must be activated to take effect. ArmsCare Firearms Insurance protects your valuable firearms and accessories from direct physical loss, damage, fire and theft. Serial numbers are not required. If you haven't already, take a minute now to activate your coverage.
Not an NRA member? You can sign up through this website and receive a $10.00 discount on an annual membership.
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Navigation: Marine Charts
OceanGrafix to Print Litho-look Charts
OceanGrafix will soon be offering NOAA charts in a "litho-look" format! Printed on similar paper with traditionally used colors, these charts will replicate the look and feel of lithographically printed charts. The litho-like charts will be printed via print-on-demand (POD) which delivers the most current nautical information to the mariner with all updates and changes complete at the time of printing.
This is good news. I hope that the new medium resists fading better than the old POD medium.
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