Another Revolution around the Glowing Orb

So we close out another year here at the windy castle on the plateau.  It’s been a big year for the blog.

Last January I switched hosting providers and finished up the rest of the transitions last November.  In June probably the biggest change occurred, I moved from Drupal to WordPress.

Here’s some quick stats though on this year:

I haven’t done a lot of planning for how I want to expand the blog in this next year.   I have a few ideas and I want to grow the video side of the blog as well. 

Some of you have probably noticed I have ads on the blog now.  My goal is to subsidize the cost of the hosting and possibly buy me a lunch from time to time.  I’m trying to make sure that they are where they will generate revenue but also stay out of the way.  Up until last month the blog has been running at a loss for me since I ran it ad free.  There is a nice part of being ad free, but at the same time it’s burning a hole in my pocket and I would rather buy toys and review them or have extra ammo to  train with.

This next year I’ve got a pile of stuff on the plate, including a possible/probable trip to visit a friend.  Neither the wife or I want to deal with the TSA and we need to chat with a travel agent about prices as well for what we’re thinking about doing.

So since it’s New Year’s eve, here’s Auld Lange in probably one of the best versions I’ve heard:

h/t To Caleb on that one.  And you thought I was all rock and violin didn’t you?

The Mass Shooting that Wasn’t

Title ripped off from Uncle.

Let me start by saying this was originally a comment to Uncle’s post but eventually I turned it into a post because honestly this needs to be out in front.

Antu says the man headed toward the theater and shot a male in the lot. The age and condition of the victim wasn’t immediately known, but Antu says his injuries did not appear life-threatening.

The gunman entered the theater, Antu says, where he fired a shot but did not hit anyone. An off-duty sheriff’s deputy working security then shot the gunman.

Now why would I make a post out of this?  Because last night on Facebook, god knows where at this point, someone left a comment along the following lines:

That was because it was an off duty officer! They’re tested so such a high standard that no mere citizen could qualify. That’s why this armed individual was able to stop this criminal!

For those who don’t feel like clicking the link, here’s the video shown in that post, which gives more details:

So lets bust this whole thing open shall we?  First up we have statistics showing police vs. civilian response.  14.3 deaths during a police response to 2.3 deaths when armed civilians response.  Admittedly a limited sample pool given you’re more likely to be struck by lightning.  Moving forward though there’s the argument that an armed citizen will more likely hit bystanders than the police.  Lets compare and contrast two videos shall we?

NYPD score, 1 bad guy, 9 innocent civilians.  A block of “highly trained” individuals.

Old guy with a CCW score: 2 injured assailants, no civilian casualties.

Again, why do we want more than 10 rounds in a magazine?  The idea of a one shot stop is a myth.  The idea that police are some how superior is a myth.  The idea that a gun free zone will some how make you safe is a myth.  The idea that an armed citizen cannot take care of themselves is a myth, one easily disproven I might add.

Why is it one side of this debate consistently argues myths instead of facts.  The reason the national news doesn’t cover this is because it doesn’t fit their narrative of myths.

SSCC #490–IMPD

This one is in the count because of the ongoing history with the IMPD.  As I have said previously, an incident of blatant corruption usually indicates a deeper issue within a department and it appears we have another data point.

Detectives from the IMPD Special Investigations Unit arrested 40-year-old John Haggard of Indianapolis. He was arrested for burglary, criminal recklessness, criminal confinement, pointing a firearm, domestic battery and battery.

Details are light, but interestingly the IMPD is conducting the investigation.  I wonder if it will be like their DUI investigations.

State Sponsored Criminal #490: John Haggard

Because things like burglary and criminal recklessness are only crimes if you’re not anointed.  Being anointed means they give you a gun and are exempt right?

h/t Tam

Quote of the Day – Massad Ayoob (12/30/2012)

For one thing, defensive firearms are meant to be “equalizers,” force multipliers that can allow one good person to defend against multiple evil people.  To allow one good person to defend against a single evil person so much stronger and/or bigger and/or more violent than he or she, that the attacker’s potentially lethal assault can be stopped.  History shows that it often takes many gunshots to stop even a single determined aggressor. Most police officers have seen the famous autopsy photo in the cops-only text book “Street Survival” of the armed robber who soaked up 33 police 9mm bullets before he stopped trying to kill the officers.  Consider Lance Thomas, the Los Angeles area watch shop owner who was in many shootouts with multiple gang bangers who tried to rob and murder him.  He shot several of them, and discovered that it took so many hits to stop them that he placed multiple loaded handguns every few feet along his workbench.  That’s not possible in a home, or when lawfully carrying concealed on the street: a semiautomatic pistol with a substantial cartridge capacity makes much more sense for that defensive application.

(Emphasis mine.)
Massad AyoobWhy Good People Need Semiautomatic Firearms and “High Capacity” Magazines
December 29th, 2012


[First it’s worth reading the whole thing.  My usual response currently about why do you “need” currently is, “It’s a bill of rights not a bill of needs.”  Massad does a fantastic job of destroying their “need” argument.  As Massad points out: If semiautomatic rifles and pistols with high-capacity magazines are so ineffective for defense, why do police carry them?  If all they can do is aid in criminal activity, why are the police allowed access?

Our opponents will admit a gun in the right hands is a net positive.  They will not argue to disarm representatives of the state.  So how does taking a firearm from an innocent law-abiding citizen, the right hands, fix the negative of criminals gaining possession.

Ultimately gun control has nothing to do with crime and everything to do with control.  Crime has been decreasing even with an increase in firearms ownership in America.  There is no causation despite what they claim.  Never mind that the numbers say this is quite unlikely to occur.   That isn’t to say it isn’t a tragedy, it’s just not worth throwing freedom and liberty away for ineffective measures to try to stop a statistically unlikely event.

So in the end, why would anyone want to limit access to that effective equalizer? -B]

Quote of the Day–A Girl and Her Gun(12/29/2012)

Those in power, the ones telling you that you are kinder and more gentle if your turn in your weapons, they are not going to take it. The President isn’t going to take it. He has armed security because he feels that his life is far more valuable than yours or mine. Of course, he should be protected by the the best of the best at tax payers expense. Again, in all fairness, if we are going to compare lives of worth, his does rank at the top. He is after all the leader of the Free World…well, semi-free world, well, America. We are free right?

A Girl and Her GunValue

December 28, 2012


[I am reminded of a lecture I listened to quite recently.  One that I will more than most likely give next year.

The Level reminds us that we are descended from the same stock and partake of the same nature, yet no eminence of station should make us forget that we are brethren and that he who is places on the lowest spoke of fortune’s wheel may be entitle to our regard; because the time will come, and the wisest knows not how soon, when all distinctions but that of goodness shall cease, and death, the grand leveler of Human greatness reduces us to the same state.

One cannot argue that their life is worthy of armed defense while arguing to disarm others of the tools to do so.  In that hypocrisy one shows they do not actually view their fellow man as equals, but rather slaves. –B]

Hypocrisy Knows No Bounds…

And here’s a nice listing from Colion Noir.

Here’s another one from Colion:

More Linkey Less Thinky

Time for a round up of good stuff I’ve seen elsewhere and haven’t had the time, or just don’t have anything else to add.

Anyone who’s into radio will absolutely love this post I just found.  It is a tour of the Edward R. Murrow transmitting station and it’s down right fascinating.

As has been posted in numerous other places already, Larry Correia did a fantastic piece on gun control, if you haven’t read it go now.

A letter from a mother on her thoughts after the tragedy.

Laws for Thee not for Me!

There’s probably more.  I’m a bit behind on the blog reading, I took the weekend through Christmas off.  I’m trying to get back in the groove but the break felt good!

SSCC Honorable Mention – TABC

Former Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) agent Martin Herrmann is out of jail, but he’s facing a charge of improper photography or visual recording.

Fort Worth police arrested the 50 year old Wednesday night. News 8 has learned the alleged victim is a 24-year-old woman.

The good news is they actually canned his ass.  There’s not much in the way of details on how the predator found the victim.  It may have been while in his professional capacity or maybe not.

Due to the lack of details and the fact they canned him, this one’s going in the HM column barring his reinstatement.  If you hear about that happening, please bump an email and he’ll get a number.

State Sponsored Criminal Honorable Mention: Martin Herrmann

Because… I’ve got nothing on this one.

h/t Bob S.