Linoge has often said correlation does not equal causation with regards to analyzing the statistics around gun control.  For those who are still unsure what he meant by that we now have a comic.

Make sense now!?

This story seriously was just a blast to read and there's a few notes that everyone should be jotting down and paying attention to.  Go read the story, I'll wait.

1. This was a a successful DGU without a single shot fired or person injured.  The Brady Campaign and CSGV try to pretend that stuff like this never happens but it does and there were two such incidents within my own family.
2. This incident played out the way it did due to situational awareness.  He was paying attention to his surroundings and made eye contact with the suspect.  Predators do not like prey willing to stand up to them.  Doubly so to prey that can stop them with a permanency that cannot be undone.
   
3. It was a 3 man team with easily identifiable behavior.  Scout, Primary, and Get Away driver.  All three were doing their best to conceal their identity while appearing normal but out of place to those paying attention.

Had this man not have been paying attention the fact he was carrying probably would have been overlooked by the predator.  His strong side would not have been as likely presented and without his head turned the predator wouldn't have given him a second look.  The act of looking in his direction changed the status of the situation for the predator.  He was no longer a predator but prey should he pursue the robbery.  Criminals aren't interested in getting killed or injured in their line of work like anyone else and as such look for easy soft targets.  Condition Yellow, live it, love it.  It can not just save your life, but make it so you never even have to draw your weapon.

To sprrdhawk44, stay safe my brother and fellow traveler.

h/t Robb

Stumbled across this today and having done model aircraft when I was younger I can't help but look at this with a dropped jaw.

That is an operational scale V-8 engine. How operational?

• Fuel Pump
• Runs off of standard 87-octane
• Electric start
• Water Pump and Jacket
• Oil Pump
• Working supercharger
• Functional carburetors
• Distributor and Spark-Plugs

Naturally aspirated it pulls about 5.5HP at 9500 RPM. The supercharged version runs about 9HP at 9500 RPM.  Cost's a pretty penny though and I'm not that much of a gear head.  Though if I had a classic car I'd probably buy one to make a scale model replica.  It's cost prohibitive for anything I could think to use it for but I can't help but look at it and think it's freaking neat.  Find more info here.

Wife has has the majority of the past three days off, with the exception of a minor shift late Friday night for all of about 3 hours.  So instead of sitting in front of my computer I've been spending time with her since our schedules no longer line up our free time that well.  We got our Christmas decorations up, and now it's time to watch the little terror pull them all down.

She's got a long shift tomorrow and I plan on getting some blogging in coupled with some other work in the shop.  Computer work is definitely in the schedule though.

A Blue Ash police officer, charged by Milford police in April with operating a vehicle while intoxicated and reckless operation, pleaded guilty to the latter misdemeanor charge on Monday.

Everyone makes mistakes though, maybe this was his first time and he should get a deal.

The offense occurred while William Fritts, 42, of Miami Township, was off duty, and was his second reckless operation offense within a year, a Clermont County Municipal Court worker said. He was sentenced to three days in jail to be served at a residential intervention program, a one-year driver’s license suspension (with certain privileges), 80 hours of community service and $492 in fines and court costs.

Oh so obviously this wasn't the guys first rodeo.  I'm so glad he's out there making the streets safer from drunk drivers.

State Sponsored Criminal Count 192: William Fritts

Because someone in law enforcement should hold themselves to decent standards.  Especially with the long speeches of the dangers of drinking and driving.

At what point does ‘being a complete and utter dick’ go beyond peaceful assembly? Blocking a sidewalk on campus that requires non-participating students to be forced to travel well out of their way to get to where they need to go is one thing, but what happens when these infants decide that blocking traffic on a major thoroughfare is a ‘valid form of protest’? What happens when I cannot get to work or home to take care of my family or when an emergency vehicle is impeded? At some point, you have to say “Enough” and use force to remove the blockade.

Even the blockade thing I have a hard time believing is ‘peaceful’. When a country blockades another country’s supply line, it’s understood to be an act of war. Doesn’t matter which country is in the right. Getting in my way and saying “I will not let you pass because I believe what you are doing is wrong” is a form of violence; it’s restraining someone against their will. The issue is that most people don’t see it as violence and thus when someone has to use force to make it to work / class / church / whatever they’re called the aggressors when that is truly not the case.

Robb Allen - A cornucopia of thoughts, complaints, and rants

Bold is my emphasis.

---

[Last night I went on a similar rant describing exactly why I cannot and will not support the Occupy movement.  My closing statements actually came down to this exact issue above and Robb made a comparison I wish I had thought of when I wrote it.  That is exactly right, blockading traffic is a form of violence and internationally is construed as an act of war.  An act of war is not something that should be taken lightly and it is quite serious.  While it may be possible to do without inflicting injuries, it is still forcing your will upon another human being.  In doing so you are violating that persons rights.

Occupy is a bunch of spoiled rotten children who think that obstructing and preventing people from free travel and free trade.  What they are doing is NOT peaceable and to claim such is to ignore the facts of what they are doing as well as it's effect on those who are uninvolved.  As I said last night, your right to swing your fist ends at the tip of my nose.  -B]

I've been doubly busy at work, helped out with a bunch of stuff over the weekend and just have had about 0 time to spend on blogging.  When I have had time I just want to go and spend it on something else other than being in front of my computer.

I'm not dead, I've got a notepad of post ideas and a pile of articles to sift through it's just going to take time.  Blogging might be back down to the single post a day until this weekend though.  I've also discovered something else:  When I write something big up, Save it and then post it at the beginning of the week.

Today we come back around to the same agency that kicked off this series.

The suspect, Harold Glen Rodman, 52, allegedly was wearing his uniform and displayed a badge to the victim, a 37-year-old woman.

Police arrested Rodman on Nov. 20. He is charged with aggravated sexual battery, object sexual penetration, forcible sodomy and abduction with intent to defile.

So, he flashed his badge and then violated a woman. I wonder how many women he violated while being paid by the government to use that same badge.  This got filed under the ICHH as well since neighbors were shocked to hear about a neighbor facing charges.

Another rant is brewing, but I've covered the TSA so much I'm thumping wanting to just beat the living hell out of these people.  In the mean time keep your eyes pealed and feel free to send stuff in.

State Sponsored Criminal Count 189: Harold Glen Rodman

Because when the government issues you a badge and tells you to molest people, you just can't stop.

A bistate crackdown on the Latin Kings street gang on Friday snared two Chicago Police officers accused of using their badges to rob people in Northwest Indiana and Illinois.

Imagine that, officers of the law acting to the detriment of society to support their gang.  While these individuals were caught this is being included in the count because in Chicago, the city where they concealed carry is prevented, obtaining a firearm is overly difficult, and overall the leadership believes that one should rely on the police department for assistance.

State Sponsored Criminal Count:

186: Alex Guerrero

187: Antonio Martinez

Because if you live in Chicago instead of calling the police when you're being mugged, the police just show up and mug you instead.

h/t Dave Hardy.

So the gun grabbers are going into hysterics because the house passed HR-822.  My personal favorite quote was from none other than the founding case of Peterson Syndrome.

There were a lot of claims about concealed carry permit holders and the inconvenience of not being able to carry their guns into every state in the nation. I'll tell them about inconvenience. My family was inconvenienced when we had to plan a funeral for my sister, shot to death on an August day. The inconvenience of sneaking to the back of the church in a rented bus to avoid the press shouldn't have to be, but it was. It was inconvenient to watch my mother deal with the death of her first born child. It was inconvenient to watch my own children deal with the awful death of their favorite aunt. It was inconvenient to watch my sister's grown kids and step children deal with each other and with their grief. So really, I just don't feel sorry for these guys who can't carry their guns everywhere they go. Do they care about victims? Are their gun rights more important than the public's right to be safe from shootings of family members or friends? Are their rights to carry their guns more important than jobs, health care, housing, and other pressing needs? I believe that most Americans know the answer to this.

Emphasis mine.  I posted the whole quote so it was obvious I wasn't twisting something out of context or the emotional state was completely lost.  Loosing a loved one is hard, but again, given her logic I'm a victim of cancer.  But then we find news articles such as this article.

By surviving his ordeal two weeks ago in Noble County, the victim, whose name authorities haven’t released, helped uncover an elaborate scheme by at least two men to lure people with the promise of work from across the country to Ohio. Authorities say the real plan was to rob and kill them.

The first victim was lured across state lines and was robbed and killed, the second victim was lucky enough to have survived.  However she thinks the victim in this case had no right to be armed for self-defense.  They had no right to be as equally armed as the criminals of the state of which they're visiting.  As usual her pro-predator stance shines through like a light house.  Especially given the fact that she thinks that criminals should be allowed to retain firearms as they are necessary for their job.

Who needs guns then? Well, hunters need guns for the sport. Some people need guns for their profession- law enforcement, security guards, people who transport cash from businesses to banks, etc., gang members, drug cartels, felons, robbers and those who, without a gun, could not do their jobs.

She would rather disarm victims and ensure that they were easy prey for predators just because they crossed an invisible line in the sand that means nothing but a change in legal boundary.  As shown above can find prime examples of predators preying upon those from out of state due to the higher likelihood of the prey being disarmed.  National reciprocity guarantees those that can carry at home can continue to legally exercise their right to self-defense where ever they go*.

*It appears that the right to self-defense might be missing now in Massachusetts. 

It never fails.  When one friend comes back from one of the sand boxes I hear about another friend heading in.  Head over and give Daddy Bear a shout out. 

I haven't had the chance to meet him yet, but first time I do I'm buying.

*Well that's better news, it appears he's going to go play a jihadi for soldiers heading into the box.

Bainbridge police officer and Police Guild President Scott Weiss has been given a 160-hour suspension in lieu of termination after a Washington State Patrol investigation found that he followed Council member Kim Brackett to the home of Council member Bill Knobloch for “personal reasons.” According to a Notice of Discipline issued by City Manager Brenda Bauer and Police Chief Jon Fehlman, Weiss was on duty and in a patrol car when he followed Brackett after a meeting at City Hall in October of 2010.

Now this is a very creepy way to do some "investigative journalism". Though it ends up he violated ethical guidelines and departmental policy..

The Notice of Discipline noted that Weiss’s actions were directed at leaders of his employing agency, and cited numerous violations of the Bainbridge Island Police Department Canon of Ethics and General Orders Manual.

Given his willingness to violate them and then blog about it, wouldn't one deem it better for the public to actually fire his ass?

State Sponsored Criminal Count #184: Scott Weiss

Because ethics and general orders are really just a guideline and don't really have to be followed.

An Iberia Parish Sheriff's deputy has been arrested on charges related to child pornography. Troopers say the investigation was actually started by Iberia Parish detectives. They were investigating illegal use of child pornography and suspected one of their own deputies was involved. State Police was immediately contacted to take over the investigation.

First, what legal use is there for child pornography?  Investigation of the crime I can kind of see, but I wouldn't really call that a "legal use" as it is an investigation and collection of evidence of a crime.  This guy gets only an honorable mention for the following two reasons.

1. They do not believe any of this was obtained while he was on duty.
2. The sheriff has stated he will get no leniency as an LEO, and his employment was terminated immediately.
   

I'm glad he was caught and hope he meets someone in jail he put there.  Couple that with the reason why he's there he's going to be making the rounds in the showers.

Honorable Mention: Daniel Bourque

I've got nothing for this one, crap like this makes me feel sick.

A DUI case against a former Panama City Beach police officer has been dismissed because no one could legally prosecute the charges before the defendant’s right to a speedy trial expired.

One must really wonder though why they were not able to prosecute his case within the necessary time. Even with the conflict of interest, why was the case allowed to be overlooked? Why did the state prosecutor not even bother to attempt to pursue the case?

This is yet another example of the state looking the other way when it's their own breaking the law.

State Sponsored Criminal Count 183: David Lee Walker

Because when it's one of your own that's broken the law, kick it into someone else's court that absolutely won't care. Then he can get off on a technicality.

 A veteran Lowell police officer is on paid administrative leave pending an internal investigation into reports that he showed up for work the morning of Oct. 27 suspected of being drunk.     

The BFD here through for the department is he was drunk for work, just like any other company.  However no one questions how the officer got to work, probably drove, the fact that he was drunk and in possession of a firearm, or any of the many other things wrong with this situation.

State Sponsored Criminal Count 182: Michael Sylvester

Because DUI and carrying a weapon while intoxicated only really applies to those who aren't in law enforcement.

Joe, Ry, Caleb, and I all headed out to the Boomershoot site today to do some work on Mecca.

Normally I take pictures, but this time posting them falls upon Ry as I didn't take a single one.

It was productive, we assembled the new tables.  Drilled the holes for the input feed for the solar panel and WiFi.  Mounted the solar charge controller and the transfer switch.  Mounted the pole for the WiFi and started getting the brackets put together for the solar panel.  Joe has decided to mount the panel in a couple weeks.  I'll need to head out with him with some of my tools so I can take care of re-crimping his Ethernet cable.

Overall it wasn't a bad day other than by the end it was freezing cold since the first solid winter storm of the season is rolling in.  We actually left at a perfect time given we arrive in Moscow with snow accumulating and visibility becoming limited.

Our day started however with one of Ry's famous statements:

Joe: Want me to get out and check the field?

Ry: Yeah you probably should, (drives out on to the field without stopping all the way up to Mecca)

It's on video:

We didn't get stuck, though it did get a bit hairy at the end though it still wasn't much of a problem.  Expect pictures and video hopefully in the near future.  

Today's ear worm goes out to all of our veteran's currently over seas as well as those here at home.

A thanks to: Nick, Oliver, Mikel, Doug, Allen, Christine, John, Mike, Al, Tom, Ken, Andrew, Becca, Matt, and so many others that I know.

Last night was not one of my best nights.  Mainly it was compounded by one very sad annoying fact.  A woman who loved animals wouldn't just take the hint to drive on and leave.  It would have eased and prevented an extra 40 minutes of suffering.

Let me start at the beginning, on my way home I rounded a bend on the highway and at the top of a hill there was a car on the side of the road with it's 4 ways on.  At the last minute I saw the yearling lying in the middle of the road and swerved to avoid it.  I immediately pulled in in front of the car, grabbed flares out of the tool box lighting them up.  Some how in the process I burnt a shirt lighting them.  

While laying out flares for the deer it became quite clear to me how the night was going to end.  Broken spine, blood dripping from it's snout and mouth.  The deer was trying to stand up but it's rear legs wouldn't move.  It was a bad situation for the deer.

I told the woman driver to go ahead and go home and I'll take care of calling it in and reporting it.  She insisted on sticking around.  So the option of just dispatching the deer and moving it off the road is now out since I've got a witness who won't be supportive.  I call Whitcom, inform them of the location and what's happened, they attempt to connect me with WSP.  Every time they transfer the call, the call was lost.  I call Whitcom back, inform them the call was lost, and ask for the number for the WSP office handling the incident.  They tell me not to worry about it and just stay away from the deer.  I tell them again the deer is in the highway, alive, attempting to move, and needs to be dispatched.  He tells me to just wait for the officer.

I now begin the wait in the cold, the deer is obviously in a lot of pain and attempting to pull itself off the road whenever a semi rolls by.  It eventually pulls itself off the road and rolls down the embankment.  Wailing as it tumbles over.  Now that it's off the road I kick the flares off the road.  The woman gets out of her car to ask what happened.  I tell her and suggest that she just go home.  She suggests that WSU could take the deer, I know that will never happen.

A firefighter rolls up on his way home.  He calls in and gets authorization from State Patrol to dispatch the deer.  At this point he comes back with his revolver and the woman decides now is the time to leave.  One of us got authorization from the state for what needed to have been done 35 minutes earlier.  He fires one shot hitting the deer in the head.

About 45 seconds later the WSP officer arrives.  The firefighter informs him he just dispatched the deer.  The cop is elated because he won't have paperwork for discharging his service arm.  At about this point the deer starts groaning again and thrashing.  Now often animals will go into the death throws but this wasn't just the twitch of the nervous system shutting down.  The firefighter had already put his weapon back in his vehicle.  The officer said, "I'll go grab the shotgun."  Without missing a beat I said, "Would you like me to save you the paperwork?"  His response was, "That would be great.  Need a flashlight?"

I walk down with my tac-lite and pull my XD.  I plug two at the base of it's brain stem with the second making a obvious entrance wound.  Immediately it falls dead silent and only one leg continues to have a minor twitch.  At this point it's been about 40 minutes since I arrived on the scene.  The deer has been removed from any pain that it did have and the whole way home I was nothing but pissed off because it took 40 minutes to get me permission from the state to do what was ethically best for the deer.

Had the woman left I would have just dropped the deer and pulled it off the road into the ditch.  From talking to the officer after, had the dispatcher given me the number I would have been authorized to dispatch the animal.

Thanks to this whole mess, I now have the Colfax State Patrol number in my wallet.  This is by no means how I wanted to end up shooting my first deer.  Doubly so since I got to listen to it suffer for 40 minutes.  40 minutes of suffering for the animal so someone could feel like they're being a good Samaritan trying to save it.  

Blogging might be a bit light today and tomorrow.  I really wish I had just killed that deer on the spot.

Earlier last week an article was printed authored by a fudd who ended up being a member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns.  That fudd has been thoroughly beaten to death and it does nothing to beat a horse further after death.

However often there are times when I wish celebrities would keep their mouths shut.  That way they won't put their foot in their own damn mouth.  Today was one of those days.

It appears that Mr. Engvall is a fudd and doesn't think people should own semi-automatic firearms.

First of all, firearms are not only used for hunting but for other purposes as well.  These purposes range from competitive sports to self-defense.  Note at the end he claims to support the rights guaranteed by the Second Amendment completely.

Ahh, so now he believes in the rights of all firearms owners and just doesn't care for the AK-47.  It appears though he has made that statement not with regards to full auto but semi-auto given his tweet to Michael stating he doesn't need 60 bullets to shoot a deer.  While that is true, you may need two.  Depending on the game you're hunting you may want 5 rounds immediately accessible to deal with a group of varmints.  Lastly what about the defense of your home and family.  We come back around to the variety of different purposes for a rifle.

His statement though hits harder and farther with me than most people.  For those who don't know, The Minute Woman has radial nerve palsy .  This limits the ability for her to lift and open her hand.  Given those limitations you can probably guess that for her to operate a bolt action rifle is a difficult exercise.  Doubly so given the multiple axes required to charge the weapon.  An AR-15, or any of my other semi-auto weapons she can handle and use with very limited effect from her disability.  With an AR-15 she can easily go hunting with me and shoot a follow up shot quickly and accurately.  Where as with a bolt action rifle the time and awkwardness of cycling the action makes a second shot almost impossible.  

My wife can enjoy hunting through the use of semi-automatic firearms.  A sport that Mr. Engvall likes and enjoys, but apparently he wishes those to enjoy it just like him, disregarding technology that makes the sport safer and more enjoyable.  Mr. Engvall I can hunt the muzzle-loader season, does that mean all modern cartridge firearms should be banned?  Or I could go even further and just hunt bow, should all firearms be banned then?

Mr. Engvall, you have provided ammunition to the enemy.  You have attacked the rights of fellow hunters and citizens, intended or not.  Lastly your statements and beliefs serve to remove many from the sport of hunting.  Given those three pieces of information it is obvious that statement was as idiotic as reaching down and grabbing a muffler after test driving a car.  Here's your sign Fudd!

*It should be noted that he can redeem his position by realizing the contraindication in his statements and coming back to actually support the Second Amendment.  That will take more than words though, actual action will be required.

h/t Bitter

A Clermont police officer was fired this week after an internal investigation revealed that he falsely arrested a teenager on a drug charge and lied on the arrest report.

From reading the article it appears that the main reason this individual was fired may not be because of his actions in this particular case. Instead it is because of political wrangling between him and the chief. Never the less, the evidence of this officers unlawful actions stand on their own.

Given the gravity of the charges and potential damage to the defendant and the fact these were sworn statements it is disturbing that there would be any tolerance for perjury. If he wasn't sure exactly where they came from he should have reviewed his evidence instead of making it up. Then he continued to believe his own lie after other officers pointed out the inconsistency.

The actions of that officer are most definitely worthy of jail time. The other officers that were aware of the inconsistency contributed to the wrongful arrest. They had a duty to protect the wrongfully accused from their fellow officer who was intent on continuing his wrongful arrest.

State Sponsored Criminal Count: #167 - Officer Cecil Garrett is most guilty

These officers did not shield the wrongfully accused after discovering the mistake.

#168 - Mark Edwards

#169 - Marc Thompson

#170 - Dennis Hall

Given how depressing my State Sponsored Criminal Count is, I do try from time to time showing those who aren't sponsored.  Sadly these stories roll through my inbox much less frequently.  However tonight I got one that is perfect to kick of the Accountabilibuddyable sister series to the State Sponsored Criminal Count.

I say accountabilibuddyable because the public has a responsibility to ensure that officers who misbehave are held accountable for their actions.

The rules are simple, a police officer has to do something wrong, either by breaking the law, or violating someones rights, and then be held accountable for their actions.  The more accountable, the better, this first one is down right awesome.

A former Oakland police officer must pay $40,000 out of his own pocket to two men who were illegally strip-searched in public and have already been awarded at least $100,000 apiece in damages.

(Emphasis mine)  Given how often and how easily qualified immunity is thrown around it's rare you see an officer being held accountable for something he did.  Honestly I think he should have to repay back the funds to the city as well but I'm more than pleased to see at least this much of a result.

Officer Ingo Mayer has been held accountable for his actions.  More like this please!

So on the 2011 ballot for Washington is I-1183 which will allow stores to sell hard liquor.  As a red blooded libertarian I'm all for this.  Anything that removes a government monopoly on something makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.

A little history:

A year ago there was a similar measure, I-1100 on the Washington state ballot.  It died with 53% of the voters voting against it.  That's right 53% of the state of Washington was fine with the state monopoly on liquor.  46% of the state thankfully has a brain and was able to look at the facts instead of the FUD being spread.

Much of the FUD was quite similar to concealed carry with claims that drunk driving would go through the roof.  That underage drinking would increase, and it would increase the rate of alcoholism all around.

Same Crap Different Year:

Fast forward 365 days and we find ourselves in exactly the same position.  We have one side that is arguing with fact and logic.  Then we have the other side arguing with emotion, feelings, and general FUD.  My personal favorite is the fact they discuss Costco has spent 22 million dollars in support of the measure.

Costco has only donated 21 million dollars, and of the total amount raise they have only spent about half. While the total amount raised is 22 million, not all of that belongs to Costco.  Damn close but when people feel it necessary to fudge numbers when they don't have to it's a bit disconcerting.

The group pushing the negative ballot has only been able to raise 7.5 million dollars.  Their biggest contributor is "Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America Inc.".  All of the donors in fact all are in the business of wholesaling liquor.  The reason being is the state monopoly allows higher prices and price gouging of consumers.

Their big negative donors are not supporting the initiative because of the children or some want to aid in public safety.  Their campaign against it exists purely to insure their bottom line.  The funding against the bill shows the true colors of those opposed to the bill as being against free enterprise and for a government monopoly of the sale and distribution of products.

Dissecting Their BS:

The first "Fact":

Section 103 of the initiative allows for sales in mini marts- where teens and problem drinkers are 400% more likely to purchase liquor according to independent law enforcement studies.

This jewel is provided from the WA Liquor Control Board.  No citation of statistics or facts from states who have removed the government monopoly on liquor.  Just says some independent survey says that this FUD is real.  I am aware of no change coming to the state drinking age, so the line about teens is BS.  If they're going to break the law for alcohol they're going to do it with or without this change.

Secondly those who have problems drinking can stay out of the areas that sell liquor just as they stay out of the state liquor store.  400% more likely compared to what!?  400% more likely to buy alcohol than someone who doesn't have a drinking problem?  My assumption is they are saying someone is more likely to slip off the wagon if it's sold in a mini-mart.  You know they sell junk food in mini-marts, I like junk food, I can walk my ass in and out without buying more junk food.  If the act of walking into a mini-mart causes someone to slip off the wagon, they'd fall off visiting friends who don't have a problem.  This also ignores the fact they have a 10,000 square foot requirement to sell liquor.  That would take the mini out of mini-mart.

The argument that there is no extra provision for enforcement also fails in that the state will no longer be funding the operation of store fronts to sell liquor.  There is no change in the eligibility requirements to purchase liquor, do you want the police carding everyone instead of the store.  A store must obtain a license still under 1183 to sell liquor, and that license can be revoked.

Second "Fact":

The social costs of expanding liquor access and sales are staggering: The Centers for Disease Control estimate $224 billion in annual costs nationwide, with the majority of it falling to local law enforcement, domestic violence and health care related costs.

They then top this off with the icing that law enforcement and human service agencies are struggling.  Currently the State of Washington is in debt.  Our fearless leaders always have a habit of cutting vital services first to create a panic that will aid in passing tax increases.  Currently schools and many other areas are suffering in the funding department.

The state budget offices report an increase in state revenue by over $400 million.  That's $400 million towards the deficit.  That's $400 million that doesn't have to be obtained by blanket tax raises.

Fact, we are in debt, we do not have the money to pay all our bills, and we are running a monopoly on liquor that is costing us money.  In the world of finances, this is a very stupid decision.  The argument against correcting this issue is to play on the heart strings and emotions of others.  There are arguments about the increase in costs due to those who are drinking.  That relies on their assumptions of blood in the streets to be correct.  Further the increase in funding will help close the deficit and make sure departments get the funding they need.

Interestingly enough there are firefighters who agree with my statements above, but you won't hear the 1183 nay-sayers talk about them.

Third "Fact":

Alcohol kills more kids than all other drugs combined.  I-1183 would turn back the clock on successful efforts to keep liquor out of the hands of teens and problem drinkers.

Again, the drinking age isn't changing folks, it will still be just as illegal to sell alcohol to minors.  Again this relies on their prediction of blood in the streets.  News flash to these dumb asses.  Prohibition doesn't work.  Restraining availability doesn't work.  All it does is inconvenience the law abiding and general public.

Fact, not everyone buys alcohol even when it's available to them.  While some may be more likely to purchase now that wouldn't otherwise is inconsequential.  Drunk driving is illegal and will still be illegal, drinking under age is and will continue to be illegal.  Just because something is available doesn't mean that behavior patters are going to change by gross amounts.

The ability to buy liquor at the grocery store is not going to change the behavior of the law abiding or the public at large.  Those who do have issues with drinking will continue to have their issues.  Why should the state budget, the law abiding, and the public at large suffer for the actions of those who would violate the law anyway?

Closing:

If my crusade in gun rights has taught me anything, it's when you see emotional arguments that side usually doesn't have solid facts and logic to back it up.  Those screaming about how the passage of I-1183 is going to create an influx of drunk teens and alcoholics are doing nothing more than yelling about how the passage of concealed carry is going to result in blood in the streets.  What this will do is allow me and my wife to more readily be able to entertain friends and family without breaking the bank.  It will allow us to more easily obtain a wider variety of liquor at competitive prices.  Lastly when I discover I'm out of something I don't have to schedule my shopping trip around the hours of the only liquor store in the area.  Instead I can get what I need at the same time as everything else.*

I do not want the government being my nanny and saying when and where I am allowed to buy alcohol and at what price.  The state should not be in the business of anything, much less in the business of selling liquor.  The main groups against 1183 are against it purely for profit.  The state monopoly has aided them in having profit margins well beyond what the free market would actually support.

*For all you environmentalists out there, you should support it.  Think about all those extra miles driven just to visit the liquor store and all that gas that could be saved.

So I went up Moscow Mountain this morning to help with the Tri-State ARO repeater.  The antenna is having issues and is in need of replacement.  All was going well until we hit the last gate.  Someone had gotten stuck and left the entry way a mess.  Combine that with the fresh snow and ice on the ground the heavier rigs had problems since they'd slip in to the rut quite quickly and be headed for impalement by the gate.   When you backed back down it was all polished up too so you'd start sliding towards the side of the embankment to tumble down Moscow Mountain.

I tried to crawl up and scrub my way through the rut but it just didn't help.  While I turned around the one rig that could make had the antenna so he took it up to drop it off and the tower climber went up as well to aid in some other trouble shooting.

It was about 3 minutes after they left I realized I had all the tower climber's stuff in my rig and had my camera with me.  I was stuck waiting for them, and I was not going to get what I originally came for.  I then began the 2 mile hike to the radio tower.  It paid off.

Sorry, I forgot to take pictures of the tower after I took the panoramic.  As Alan would say these are just "cute little towers" since up here in the north west we actually have mountains and hills to put them on top of.  So we need a little elevation but nothing like what he needs in the flats of Texas.

We're currently in the process of planning a return trip on either quads or snowmobiles.  If they do it on snowmobiles I'll rent one for myself to tag along.

Hudnall pleaded guilty to buying a .45-caliber firearm at a Canton gun shop. He admitted with his plea that he made a false statement on the Firearms Transaction Record form to obtain the firearm for an individual known by Hudnall to be a convicted felon and, therefore, prohibited from possessing a firearm.

I don't know if he was currently the chief at the time of this incident but the act is so egrigious that I cannot let it pass.  Doubly so considering the very light sentence he was given.  Had it been someone who wasn't in law enforcement their ass would have been grilled to the wall.

State Sponsored Criminal Count 163: William Hudnall

Because it's the job of police and law enforcement to arm felons.  Just ask the ATF.*

*You would think that joke would get old, but seriously, it just doesn't considering how horrible the ATFs actions are yet those responsible are all walking away.

So Wirecutter fuffilled a deam that oh so many of us have the other day. Some asshat from occupy wallstreet tried to get up in his grill.  His response was priceless.

I gassed him. I hit him full in the face with a looooong blast of pepper spray. I mean, I leaned out the window and followed him all the way to the ground with it.

Seriously read his whole run in.  It put a smile on my face and made a small tear of joy go running down my cheek.  I just wish I had been able to get it on video.  Instead I'll watch this clip from Southpark and just imagine it with real people instead.

Wire cutter if you're reading this.  You sir are down right fucking awesome!

*via JayG

**Sorry Jay, I forgot to toss this in last night.

No matter what you think, you're going to need more magazines.

They've moved into the destruction of private property and are nothing more than a bunch of mindless zombies.  Defending your property has a habit of deterring the zombies from your AO.  Still, make sure to have enough ammunition on hand to effectively eradicate the disease should it be necessary.  They may attempt to overrun you should you run out.

Surprisingly the TSA has been out of the count for a while, but they came back strong today!

Two former TSA workers at JFK Airport pleaded guilty yesterday to grand larceny after they were caught swiping $40,000 from somebody's luggage. Coumar Persad, 44, of Jackson Heights, Queens, and Davon Webb, 31, of the Bronx will each serve six months in jail for their crime, which was perpetrated in January after Persad X-rayed a piece of baggage headed for an American Airlines flight.

So two TSA miscreants incapable of getting any other employment see a fat wad of cash in someone's checked luggage.  They then opened the bag which they now looked at as their personal bank and made a $40,000 withdrawal.  They didn't completely drain their new bank account though leaving the balance at $130k.

The only reason they were busted was because one of their fellow workers reported them.  The lesson in that is to provide a kickback to your coworkers.

State Sponsored Criminal Count 159: Coumar Persad

160: Davon Webb

Because a passengers luggage is merely a personal bank account for TSA agents.  If there's something in it they like, you're not around to stop the theft, it's a perfect criminal environment.