It's Not My Place To Second-Guess...

The Tacoma, Washington Tribnet.com has this story:

Bedridden homeowner shoots burglar who entered his room

As his back door was kicked in Monday afternoon, a South End homeowner - confined to his bed because of a disability - called 911 with one hand and grabbed his 9 mm Glock handgun with the other.

Within seconds, a burglar was in the bedroom and inching closer.

"He didn't stop coming toward me until he was looking down the barrel of a 9 mm," said the 64-year-old homeowner, who didn't want to be identified out of fear for his safety.

The burglar, disguising his face with a handkerchief, backed off several steps and called out to someone else.

"I thought he was going to take off, but he turned back around and he said, 'I'm going to get you,'" the homeowner said. "That's when I shot him."

Injured and bleeding, the burglar and his accomplice ran out of the house. Police had not found him late Monday.

Investigators have alerted area hospitals and clinics to be on the lookout for a man with a gunshot wound to the hip, Tacoma police spokesman Mark Fulghum said. The suspect is described as white, in his 20s and about 6 feet tall.

Officials suspect at least two men broke into the home on South 88th Street about 12:30 p.m. It appeared the homeowner fired his gun in self-defense, Fulghum said.

"He's bedridden, and a guy came around the corner and he felt threatened," Fulghum said.

The homeowner said he has kept a gun in his home for years for protection. He had not fired it outside of the range before Monday.

"I didn't shoot him to kill him," said the homeowner Monday evening as he lay on his side in bed. "I'm thoroughly convinced this guy would have killed me."

The homeowner said he first heard a loud noise behind the house shortly after his wife left to run errands. He thought she might be moving the garbage cans around.

"I never know what she's doing," he said.

Moments later, someone kicked in the back door. The homeowner grabbed the phone and dialed 911. As it rang, he searched for his gun. He called out.

"Is that you?" he said, asking for his wife.

A man's voice responded. Then the man entered the room and moved toward the homeowner.

"He came at me like he was going to choke me," the homeowner said.

He fired a single shot.

"I didn't say a word," the homeowner said. "If he'd grabbed a gun, it would have been me."

A 911 dispatcher answered the homeowner's call moments after the shooting. The dispatcher called the man's wife and told her to come home.

"He thought he had a helpless victim," the homeowner said of the man he shot. "All of a sudden he realized he wasn't in charge any more."

Gun in one hand, phone in the other. You'll note which of the two stopped the attack.

I'm not going to second-guess the man, but I'd have put half the magazine in him. And I wouldn't have been aiming for the hip.

Remember - defending yourself this way in England will put you in jail. Doing it in NYC without paying the government for permission will too.

The More Things Change...

Donald Sensing has an interesting piece up concerning the lessons learned from the war in Iraq.

Lesson One: Infantry rifle combat distances unchanged since World War I

Long range marksmanship has its place, but in combat it's still up close and personal, apparently. According to this Strategy Page piece:

The role of snipers is changing. There are still, "one shot, one kill and get out" situations. But often the sniper is concealed in friendly territory and facing multiple targets that all need prompt attention. This has made semiautomatic sniper rifles like the SR25, and refurbished (and upgraded for better accuracy) M-14s popular with many combat snipers. Sniping ranges are often quite short, making a slightly less accurate (than a bolt action sniper rifle) SR25 popular. For this kind of shooting, every round does not have to hit within a inch of the cross hairs. Two or three inches will do if you are aiming for the trunk, and not the head, and at 200-300 meters, a trained sniper can do this with a high quality semi-automatic like the SR25, and do it quickly enough to make a difference. "Semi-automatic sniping" is becoming more popular with troops who have not gone through extensive sniper training. It's becoming more common to have one or two men per squad trained as designated sharpshooters. They are selected for their natural skill at shooting, given some additional training and a better scope for their M-16, and trained to be, well, the squad sharpshooter. It's also more common to equip all combat troops with some kind of scope for their M-16, and make available night vision and heat sensing scopes as well. All of this comes from the basic idea that better trained troops mean soldiers who have more practice with their infantry weapons. More skill means more can be done with additional equipment like scopes. So far, this approach seems to be working. And it should, because during both World War I and II, years of combat brought out thousands of natural snipers, who made it dangerous to stick your head out when too close to the enemy. With the introduction of the 12.7mm sniper rifle in the 1980s, it became possible to hit someone two miles away. It's dangerous out there. If you're the one with most of the snipers, that's just the way you want it.

So even most "sniping" is done at relatively close range. Those incidents where extreme-range shots are taken are very, very rare.

Dept.: Our Collapsing Schools

Michelle at a small victory links to this short piece at National Review's The Corner

STARVE THE BEAST [John Derbyshire]
I urge all my fellow Long Islanders who read The Corner to go out and vote down the school budgets being presented to us today. In my town, the budget proposal asks for an increase of 5.52 percent over last year. Did your family's income increase 5.52 percent last year? If not, you can't afford this budget. The only way to kill socialism is to starve the beast--cut off its food supply. Vote down the budget and keep voting it down, till the school boards get the message that in tough times, the public sector has to tighten its belt with the rest of us. Similarly, when you vote for school board members, vote for the ones who are NOT shills for the public-sector unions. It's not hard to figure out who they are from their mission statements.

Michelle's response is worth the read.

I'd like to add my 2¢:

My sister is a public school teacher. She's a damned good one, too. I don't know anyone who works harder at a job than she does, and anyone who believes that it's the teachers who are primarily at fault hasn't been paying attention. The problem has two origins, the top: administration, starting at the Department of Education and falling all the way down to the school district; and the bottom: the parents who use the school system as daycare. Yes, there are some really bad teachers out there, but it's the job of the administration to weed them out. And it's the job of the parents to ensure that they do.

I'm with Derbyshire - STARVE THE BEAST. Perhaps then the bloated administration will have to be cut, and perhaps then the merely unaware parents will have to become involved.

Every other solution I've got involves tar, feathers, and rails.

I Don't Know His Politics, but I LIKE This Guy!

Keanu Reeves, according to reports, is giving away quite a bit of what he is projected to make from the two Matrix sequels. And he's giving it to the people who made the movie possible - the special effects and costume crews.

The interesting thing to me is, when I ran a Google News search, 90% of the reporting on this was in the UK. I found two local outlets that picked the story up. All the others were England, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand.

Joke of the Day

Just got this by e-mail with no attribution:

Hillary Clinton goes to a primary school to talk about the world.

After her talk she offers question time. One little boy puts up his hand, and the Senator asks him what his name is.

"Billy"

"And what is your question, Billy?"

"I have three questions.

First - Whatever happened to your medical health care plan?
Second - Why would you run for President after your husband shamed the office?
Third - Whatever happened to all those things you took when you left the White House?"


Just then the bell rings for recess and Hillary informs the kiddies that they will continue after recess.

When they resume Hillary says, "Okay where were we? Oh, that's right, question time. Who has a question?"

A different little boy puts his hand up. Hillary points him out and asks him what his name is.

"Steve"

"And what is your question, Steve?"

"I have five questions.

First - Whatever happened to your medical health care plan?
Second - Why would you run for President after your husband shamed the office?
Third - Whatever happened to all those things you took when you left the White House?
Fourth - Why did the bell for recess go off 20 minutes early?
Fifth - What happened to Billy?"

Not That This Surprises Me...

I took the Thudfactor: Are You a Geek quiz

You are 45% geek

You are a geek liaison, which means you go both ways. You can hang out with normal people or you can hang out with geeks which means you often have geeks as friends and/or have a job where you have to mediate between geeks and normal people. This is an important role and one of which you should be proud. In fact, you can make a good deal of money as a translator. Normal: Tell our geek we need him to work this weekend. You [to Geek]: We need more than that, Scotty. You'll have to stay until you can squeeze more outta them engines! Geek [to You]: I'm givin' her all she's got, Captain, but we need more dilithium crystals! You [to Normal]: He wants to know if he gets overtime.

Take the Polygeek Quiz at Thudfactor.com

Damn, I'm Famous!

Welcome to visitors from The Rightwing News, where "The Smallest Minority" has been named "Web Site of the Day."

I'm Honored.

(Now if I can just get The Brady Campaign to link to me...)

Socialized Medicine - Equally Bad Care for All

England now has a Brilliant Idea:

Smokers and overweight people will be asked to sign contracts with their doctors to agree a programme to quit smoking and lose weight under radical plans being drawn up by the government.

Or else what? You just let them die on the front steps of the hospital?

Labour sources insisted last night that the plan, outlined in a Labour party policy document as part of preparations for the next general election manifesto, did not mean patients would be denied treatment if they refused to sign.

YET.

Here's an example of the efficacy of socialized medicine that I wrote about last week.

I wonder if John Russell was overweight and / or smoked.

At least nobody in England is suing over Oreos - yet.

As a Follow-on to the Last Post:

Alphecca has a good piece up on Presidential hopeless hopeful John "F." ("I eat 'em with Heinz ketchup") Kerry, inspired by this piece of fluff entitled "Hunter, Dreamer, Realist" in which we learn that Mr. Heinz Kerry is a hunter! Oooooh!

Dove, quail, duck, deer. Kerry described how to hunt and gut them, talking as he sliced through a steak at midnight after campaigning all day in Iowa for the Democratic presidential nomination. Carve out the heart, he said over dinner, pull out the entrails and cut up the meat. Bad table manners, perhaps, or good politics.

Did he beat his manly chest, too?

I have nothing against hunters. I have a real problem with politicians, though. And crap reporting like this:

Kerry, 59, is the only combat veteran in the field. He stands 6-foot-4. He rides a Harley, plays ice hockey, snowboards, windsurfs, kitesurfs, and has such thick, aggressive hair he uses a brush with metal teeth.

"I AM the Alpha Male," he roars. And the women become moist and weak-kneed. Jebus! Who edited this piece? Oh, wait:

"He doesn't need a consultant to tell him how to dress like an alpha male," said his friend Ivan Schlager. "He is a damn alpha male."

Take THAT, Al Gore!

Read Alphecca's piece and his internal link. I can't deal with too much more of the Washington Post's saccarine drivel, so let me quote a few of the choicer lines:

Occasionally, he'll even write poems, like the one he reluctantly read to a reporter: "I had a talk with a deer today/ we met upon the road some way . . . between his frequent snorts/He asked me if I sought his pelt/cause if I did he said he felt/quite out of sorts!"

"See? I'm sensitive!

This was Primal John, the pilot who flies barrel rolls, who relaxes by windsurfing in a squall, who ran with the bulls at Pamplona and, when trampled, got up, chased the bull, and grabbed for its horns.

ARR! ARR! ARR! (Can't you smell the testosterone?)

"This is Five Papa Juliet at 120 degrees, climbing to 7,500 feet," he told the control tower as the ground dropped away.

Said Captain Steve as he checked the bombload one last time...

Kerry, the son of a Berlin-based American diplomat, was sent to a Swiss boarding school at age 11.

"See? he's multicultural!

He biked around, saw the rubble of Hitler's bunker, sneaked into bleak East Berlin (until his father found out and grounded him), and was awakened to the impact politics had on people's lives.

"See? He's rebellious, but he cares!

Often on his own, he tested his survival skills.

Oh, for jebus's sake...

Kerry likes to quote the French writer Andre Gide: "Don't try to understand me too quickly."

"See? He's well-read and complex!

On a recent afternoon in his Senate office, Kerry was challenging himself with a piece of Spanish classical guitar music. "It's very hard," he said, mid-strum. "I broke one of my nails."

Oh. My. Freakin'. GOD. That is just too cute for words. He broke a nail playing Spanish guitar. Manly and feminine. And they call him "ambivalent." Imagine that.

Just one more song. A Beatles tune from 1965. He strummed the guitar and belted: "Yesterday. . . ."

And he's a BEATLES FAN! Well sign me the f&*k up!

And who is he, really?

I thought we'd answered that. He's GI Joe, Papa Hemingway, Jimmy Doolittle, Phil Donahue, John Lennon, and Oprah, all rolled into one well-married guy.

Citizen-soldier. Linking patriotism to public service. It wasn't complex after all; it was Kerry.

He smiled and aimed his finger: "Pow."

Arrest that man! He has an unregistered finger! Oh, wait - he's a government employee, so it doesn't count.

And the media wonders why the public eschews the traditional news sources these days.

They'll Blame This on the Republicans NRA...(again)

Democrats shunning gun control

Democrats appear to have abandoned gun control as a political wedge, declining to push the issue in Congress despite being given the opportunity by congressional Republicans.

Tired of losing seats?

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat, upbraided President Bush earlier this month for not pushing fellow Republicans to bring the assault-weapons ban up for reauthorization before it expires in September 2004.

"The president has announced that he supports the assault ban, and it would be helpful if he used his good offices to do that," Mrs. Pelosi said at her last weekly press briefing before the Memorial Day recess. "I don't know whether he intends to or not."

House Republicans consider it a pretty safe bet that he won't, and House Majority Leader Tom DeLay of Texas has stated that the chances of a renewal of the ban coming to the House floor are slim.

Yet Democrats still have options - both rhetorically, by trying to make gun control a hot-button issue again, and legislatively, by filing for a discharge petition to get a vote on the floor.

Mrs. Pelosi, however, has declined to commit to either strategy and acknowledged that if the vote comes to the floor, many Democrats would not vote to renew the ban.

"We would probably lose some votes," Mrs. Pelosi said early this month. "It won't be something that we would be whipping."

Asked whether she would push for a discharge petition, which requires support from a majority of House members, to force an up-or-down vote on the assault-weapons ban, Mrs. Pelosi balked, saying that "our discharge focus is now on unemployment compensation."

What? These evil weapons of mass destruction aren't more important than unemployment compensation?

After the press briefing, however, Mrs. Pelosi said the Democrats might revisit guns "when the issue is ripe."

AKA - "When we get a chance to wallow in the blood of the next high-profile shooting incident."

Republicans see that as a dodge.

"There seems to be a disconnect between Leader Pelosi's desire for the administration to utilize its 'good offices,' while at the same time maintaining that they don't intend to whip the issue," a high-level House Republican staffer said.

"If you want something done in this town, you have to be willing to lift a finger at the very least. But on this issue and so many others, it's apparent that the Democrats aren't interested in results, just rhetoric," the staffer said.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, California Democrat, has introduced a bill to reauthorize the ban on 19 types of "assault weapons," which first passed in 1994. It has garnered eight co-sponsors after several weeks of courting.

Meanwhile, a bill protecting firearms manufacturers and gun-store owners from liability if their guns are used to commit crimes passed in the House on April 9 by a vote of 285-140, with the support of 63 Democrats.

The Senate version of the bill has 52 co-sponsors and is expected to pass during the summer.

Andrew Arulanandam, director of public affairs for the National Rifle Association, sees these as signs that the political tide turned long ago against those who support further regulating firearms.

It's a sign that, after we kicked your ass in the legislatures we're not going to let you use the courts to accomplish what you want.

He pointed to the defeat in the 2000 presidential election of Al Gore in such Democratic-leaning yet pro-gun states as West Virginia, Arkansas and his home state of Tennessee.

And in the 2002 midterm elections, 230 of 246 House candidates endorsed by the NRA emerged victorious.

I imagine that did get your attention.

"If you look at the results of the last two elections, you see a trend that candidates who are supporters of gun rights for law-abiding citizens tend to prevail," Mr. Arulanandam said.

Gun-control groups, however, suggest that the issue may be dormant now, but is apt to become an electoral factor by 2004.

Oh, I hope so.

"No one is particularly focused on this," said Matt Bennett, spokesman for Americans for Gun Safety. "There is no hook for this issue quite yet. But when the public realizes that unless Congress acts [by September 2004], that 'street sweepers' and Tec-9s will hit the streets again, it will become hot again."

Oh, yes. They were such a problem. Much like those pesky armored limousine penetrating .50 caliber rifles that politicians are so worried about.

Democrats abandon the gun issue at their peril, said Blaine Rummel, spokesman for the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence.

No, they abandon the gun issue to get re-elected.

He disputed the NRA's political success stories, noting that Mr. Gore won Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin - states where advocates on both sides of the gun issue spent heavily on political advertising.

"There isn't a shred of evidence that says gun control is a political loser," Mr. Rummel said. "It hasn't cost a candidate a political race anywhere."

Put down the bong and step away.

Mr. Rummel also pointed to the failed campaign of Senate candidate Jean Carnahan, Missouri Democrat, who tried to woo gun owners by wearing hunting camouflage in her political advertising.

We're not stupid, Mr. Rummel. You only imagine that we're all single-toothed pickup-driving relative-impregnating rural single-wide renters with single-digit IQ's. Shocks the hell out of you when we see what you're actually doing, doesn't it?

"The Democrats ran away from gun safety in the 2002 elections, and look where it got them," Mr. Rummel said. "Whoever is advising them on gun control should be shot."

"SHOULD BE SHOT?!?!?!" Arrest that man! He committed a thought crime!

Democrats "foolishly believe the NRA is going to go easy on them" if they register a vote for the liability protection or keep quiet about the assault-weapons ban, Mr. Rummel said.

"This issue is never going to go away," he said.

The NRA "goes easy" on whoever supports the Second Amendment. Ask Zell Miller. Ask John Dingell.

So long as you use "gun grabber" to define "Democrat" then, no, the NRA won't "go easy" on them.

THIS Guy Won't be Facing Charges and Deportation!

2 suspects shot dead in robbery - Store's owner `feared for his life'; drew gun after threatened

A southwest Houston grocery store owner shot and killed two men Saturday night while they were allegedly robbing his business, police said.

Khaled Farah Yousef, 31, opened fire on the two men about 8:15 p.m. during the holdup at the Frutilandia #2 store at 7235 Hillcroft. Police said one of the men was killed inside the business while another made it outside, where he died. A third man, who apparently was unarmed, fled and was later taken into custody near the grocery.

"When he gave the money, the suspects had the opportunity to leave and didn't leave," said Houston police homicide Detective Phil Yochum. "The store owner feared for his life."

That was when Yousef pulled a .45-caliber pistol from the waistband of his trousers and began firing. The man with the gun was shot in the chest and died inside the store while the knife-wielding man collapsed in the parking lot.

The .45 is apparently quite effective. And you'll note - he kept his head and shot the two who were obviously armed.

Perhaps New York City should pay attention to how Houston treats its shop owners and workers?

Y'think?

Here's an Interesting Article on the Third Amendment

Concept of civilian-controlled military is American

There are plenty of opinions on what the Bill of Rights says. But it would take some effort to find many media pundits opining about the neglected Third Amendment. Not these days. With the most technologically sophisticated military in human history, it is hardly likely that U.S. leadership might resort to putting soldiers in American homes anytime soon. The notion seems as antiquated as flintlock muskets.

Yet, the Third Amendment underscores a most important constitutional issue — civilian control of the military. In his debate in 1788 with Patrick Henry over the quartering issue, Bill of Rights author James Madison noted that the argument was not over the actual quartering of troops. The issue was, he said, that quartering was ''done without the consent of the local authority, without the consent of America.''

It details the history of the amendment, but it doesn't mention Engblom v. Carey an obscure 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that "incorporated" the 3rd Amendment against state infrigement under the protection of the 14th Amendment.

IN 1982!

From the opinion:

We first address the novel claim based on the Third Amendment, a provision rarely invoked in the federal courts. We agree with the district court's conclusion that the National Guardsmen are "Soldiers" within the meaning of the Third Amendment. Moreover, we agree with the district court that the Third Amendment is incorporated into the Fourteenth Amendment for application to the states.

(My emphasis.)

Even the THIRD Amendment gets an incorporation decision. But not the Second.

Here's hoping that the Supreme Court will hear Silviera v. Lockyer. Let's answer this question, finally. Seventy years is far too long a time to have waited.

"Unfortunately, justice can be unforgiving"

Others have covered this. I did, too, last week. But now it appears that Jose Acosta, the 69 year-old man, a resident of the U.S. for 25 years, faces possible deportation for using an unlicensed firearm to defend himself during an armed robbery attempt.

And all Mayor Bloomberg has to say is "Unfortunately, justice can be unforgiving."

I suppose Mr. Acosta should have just submitted and let the City protect him like it protected Mohammed Conteh. And he could be pushing up daisies in a NYC graveyard rather than facing deportation.

That's OK, Sr. Acosta. Our border's so pourous you can be back at your bodega in less than 30 days.

Mayor Bloomberg? Voters can be unforgiving, too. One term - if you make it that long before a lynch mob comes after you.

And does anybody have an update on Ronald Dixon?

HOLY @*&!, I WON!

After sitting a distant third all week in N.Z. Bear's first New Blog Showcase, somehow my entry pulled ahead in the final furlong with NINE links.

Thanks, y'all! And thank you very much N.Z. Bear for running the contest.

Oh, and Venomous Kate? I withdraw my concession.

The linkers are:

Publicola

AlphaPatriot

Kiwi Pundit

Sperari: Taking 20

Jay Solo's Verbosity

RandomActOfKindness

The Colorado Compound

The Peoria Pundit

boone country

Lead and Gold

A Coyote at the Dog Show

Across the Atlantic

Feces Flinging Monkey

Courtney

Obviously not all linked to the submitted post (a requirement) but all have linked to this blog. Thank you very much. I think I got you all. If I missed anyone, let me know.

If They're So Deadly, and Only Good for "Spray Fire" - "Laying Down A High Volume of Fire Over a Wide Killing Zone" - Then WHY ARE THE POLICE ARMED WITH THEM?

And why do they get the eeeeeevil short barrels and collapsible stocks?
(Thanks, Mac.)

WOOHOO! 500 Visits!

(ahem!)

It's not like my life revolves around this thing, but it's nice to know that blogging isn't just me playing with myself.

The blog is not yet three weeks old, and it's had 500 hits.

Thanks for reading. Thanks to the few of you who have commented (when the comments were actually working.)

And I'm still waiting for my first hate mail.

"For one thing, I don't think it would be enforceable,"

I've seen this a few places, but this story is the one I found most interesting.

It appears that the plan to disarm the Iraqis has racheted down a bit. The current plan has been revised to prohibit the possession of anything more powerful than 7.62mm caliber assault rifles. Handguns, shotguns, bolt-action rifles, everything up to and including AK-47's are OK for civilians to keep. Heavier weapons; crew-served machineguns, RPGs, anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons, mortars and other "indirect fire" weapons, mines and explosives are not allowed.

Here's the money quote:

While U.S. officials gave no public explanation for amending what had been a much tougher plan to rid postwar Iraq of heavy weapons, military officials have said they recognize the difficulties in disarming citizens at a time when Iraqis feel their personal safety is still at risk.

I have news for you. It's not enforceable here, either. Feinstien, McCarthy, Schumer et. al., take note.

REPEAL THE 17th AMENDMENT!

The Plain Truth has a piece on the 17th Amendment up that I fully concur with. There is also this piece on the CNN website from back in 2002 on the same topic by John Dean. (Yes, THAT John Dean.) There's a whole movement for the idea, as exemplified by this piece from the Ludwig von Mises Institute, this column from Enter Stage Right, this site dedicated to the idea, and there are several more links at this site.

I don't know how the rest of you feel about it, but as far as I'm concerned the Founders knew what the hell they were doing. The 17th Amendment was every bit as boneheaded as the 18th, and far more damaging to our Republic. It was the biggest step this country took towards becoming a true democracy, with all that that entails. Stupid, stupid, stupid. And we've been paying the price ever since.

And if you don't know what the 17th Amendment was, shame on you. Go READ.

This Will Put Their Panties in a Wad

I imagine if Diane Feinstien and Carolyn McCarthy saw THIS

they'd get really uptight.

No flash hider. No bayonet lug. No collapsable or folding stock. Post- PRE-ban 30-round mags fit & function. Made in the good old USA buy Robinson Armament Co. for $1,899.99.

Yup. I expect the gang-bangers are lining up to buy these weapons of mass destruction.

Robinson Armament Co. is based in Salt Lake.

Somehow I doubt the Mormons would be willing to surrender their "assault weapons" if McCarthy or Feinstein got their way.

(Edited to fix the cranial flatulence)

See? Like Doonesbury, Only FUNNY!

Day by Day

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