I want to WIN!

Ok, so it's blatant self-promotion, but I wouldn't mind taking the crown here....

King of the Blogs

Go, vote for me....

Go Read a Book...

You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them. -- Ray Bradbury, U.S. science-fiction writer (1920-)

Reading is one of the pleasures in my life that I cannot let go of. No matter how busy everything else gets, I still find time to read, still need words and ideas and the time to explore others' ideas. Some of the books I've enjoyed:

• Guns, Crime and Freedom - Wayne LaPierre
• Guns and Violence - Joyce Malcom
• The Bias Against gun - John Lott
• More Guns, Less Crime - John Lott
• The Federalist Papers - Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay
• Anything by Carl Hiaassen or Isaac Asimov
• Almost any mystery, especially a decent procedural
• The Diaries of Adam and Eve by Mark Twain

I wish to share some of that last with you. If you love, or are loved, and did not come to it as if it were a bolt of lightning, that old "love at first site" thing, you may come to enjoy this as much as I do. If, perhaps, you came to love unevenly, with one loving before the other knew, you will value this. It begins:

Monday
This new creature with the long hair is a good deal in the way. It is always hanging around and following me about. I don’t like this; I am not used to company. I wish it would stay with the other animals. Cloudy to-day, wind in the east; think we shall have rain. ... Where did I get that word? ... I remember now—­ the new creature uses it.

Adam's story is one of exploration, frustration, surprise and, eventually, of love. Eve's is different. She loves first, knowing from the beginning that she is a part of him and always will be. Theirs is, as Twain is so capable of telling, the story of humans, their discovery of each other and of love, and their sharing of a life.

Early on, as my husband and I traveled down the eccentric path to finding each other, to coming to understand what love really could be to two people, I told him once that I felt as though I were a burden to him. That I had interrupted his life and that, much as Eve was to Adam, I was that "new creature with the long hair [who] is a good deal in the way."

He responded, "Wheresoever she was, THERE was Eden."

Buy the book. Give it to someone you love. Buy another and give it to two people who love each other.

Both Sad and Sick

Sometimes I see people doing things to children that make me sick. The latest example of this was when I went to go view a blog authored by an illiterate degenerate under house arrest for an undisclosed crime. Released from jail in August, 2004, his blog complains about being under house arrest, having to do community service, his filthy house, having to "piss in a cup" for his probation officer, paying his rent via loans from his mother-in-law (poor baby) and the sad story of his wife and son living in a house in a notorious drug zone on Spokane's West Side.

I looked at the picture of him and his child and up to that point, had been amused in a low level sort of way with this pinhead who thinks I should "die on public tv." But my focus immediately changes and I am no longer grinning at his stupidity and, in shock now, I have to wonder, "Why isn't anyone getting that child out of that environment?"


One assumes that the individuals involved in raising this child don't do it in a complete vacuum - that sometimes people go to their home and see the environment in which this child is being raised. Look at the picture "Daddy" chooses to share with the public. Even the little that one can observe shows trash strewn across the bed on which his child feeds him a piece of fruit.

Jailed for months, not allowed to drive for some unspeciifed reason, living off the wife's mother's contributions, functionally illiterate, certainly not employed (his part time job, he tells us, is trying to "sell shit on ebay"), evincing pride in being able to sit in his probation officer's office high as a kite -

so, i get more pain pills from the doc, and i take three of them before seeing d.o.c.. i was so high in there with my p.o. he knew it but he could not do a thing.

On probation and apparently heavily into drugs, living in a pig sty and this fellow is a "father." The child's grandmother would do well to find a way to get that child out of the hands of this sperm donor. Barring that, maybe she could offer to pay for a vasectomy. Heaven knows this guy doesn't need to be contributing any further to the gene pool.

I know a child advocate out in Seattle. If I could find out who this miscreant really is, I'd drop a dime on him in a heartbeat and see if she couldn't find anyone in Spokane to help this child out of that environment and into a decent life.

One of the saddest things about the direction of this country in the last forty years has been the cost to the children. Liberals cannot seem to understand what the cost is, in human terms, of people like this. They wring their hands, they wonder what can be done to help animals like this change for the better, but not once do they consider that perhaps, what might be best is simply to remove them from society.

Where is Darwin when you need him?

What Do People Want?

Back in 1969 a film and television critic, Clive Barnes, opined, “Television is the first truly democratic culture - the first culture available to everybody and entirely governed by what the people want. The most terrifying thing is what people do want.”

I wonder what he’d think of television in 2005.

According to the Nielsen Ratings, more than 27 million people watch CSI, which I am ok with – it’s a good show and I mostly enjoy it, which, of course, is why I am good with 27 million other people liking it as well. I'd like to see Vincent D'Onofrio replaced since, one, on a personal level, he's an idiot, and two, the character he plays is so tired, so overdone, so quirky, that it distracts from the show itself. I'll take any one of the Law and Order shows any time.

What doesn’t make sense to me, and probably never will, is that 24 million people watch Desperate Housewives and, even worse, although fewer people do so, is that 20 million people watch Extreme Makeover.

Extreme Makeover. There are people out there, 20 million of them, in fact, that lose an hour of their lives every week, in order to sit glued to the television, watching ugly people made… well, no different. Not that their looks aren’t changed, but who they are remains the same and I can tell you, that’s what makes the real difference in life.

David, a 36-year-old special education teacher for severely handicapped children from Highland, CA, always had a dream of becoming a rock star. With the help of his music idol, Tom Keifer from the '80s rock band Cinderella, David turns out rock hard and rocking. Not only did Tom surprise David with a meeting, but he also collaborated with David on a song written for his wife, Melissa. David had upper and lower eyelid lift, rhinoplasty, chin implant, neck sculpting, liposuction under chin and abdomen, removal of fat from lower eyes, mole removal, LASIK eye surgery, one porcelain crown, 15 porcelain veneers, tissue re-contouring of his lower gums and Zoom whitening.

Now, David’s apparently a really nice guy, doing good work, and was unhappy enough with his appearance to risk national exposure as an insecure guy, with some serious image problems. Well, ok, he does have Tom Keifer as an “idol”, and that does speak to some other problems with David’s psyche but what the hell.

So, two things.

One. David is going to find out, sooner rather than later probably, that appearance means nothing, especially to the person wearing the face. What does matter, of course, is what’s behind the face. David does valuable work, and I hope he does it well. The hands he holds, the hearts he touches, the minds he helps find growth, will never worry about David’s eyelids or droopy chin.

Two. If 20 million people have nothing better to do with their time, no higher ideal, no deeper thought than to sit and stare at a television screen while some near-middle-aged rocker wanna be with his priorities way the hell out of alignment with what really matters publicly humiliates himself, then it may be time for a purge.

Of course, I still like the movie Dogma, so who am I to talk….

And as an aside, if you ever do commit 135 minutes to watching Dogma on DVD, try this with Disc 1:

Select Scene Selections
Hit More until you're at the last page
Hit the number '3' twice on your remote control
Sit back and watch 'How Jay Thinks Kevin Directs' as acted out by the Jay and Silent Bob action figure theatre.

NOTE: You may have to hit 'ENTER' after each number on some players.

I love Easter Eggs.
I mostly hate network TV.

Neal Knox

From the Desk of

Neal Knox The Firearms Coalition
PO Box 3313
Manassas, VA 20108

5 January 2005

Dear Friends,

I’ve always made it a point to deliver the news to you straight – good or bad. Now I’m afraid I have some unpleasant news. As you’re aware, I have been fighting colon cancer for the past year. The doctors tell me that my fight is almost over.

I believe in miracles. I believe in God’s healing power and eternal life through Jesus Christ. I know it will take nothing short of a miracle for me to win this battle.

Should that miracle be granted, I will rejoice; but I rejoice nonetheless, for I’ve been blessed with a wonderful life, a great family, work that I love, and many wonderful friends. Most of all, I thank God for my long-suffering wife Jay Janen who not only put up with me, but has actively supported my efforts for the Second Amendment for nearly forty-nine years.

It’s been a great run!

I had always assumed that long life was my birthright. My father passed away just this past fall at the age of ninety-two.

I counted on the same sort of life-span and was planning accordingly. We’ve barely settled into that house in the country that I’ve been promising Jay for so long. I started rebuilding her classic Mustang convertible and have it in pieces in the basement garage. I’ve laid out a 100- yard range next to the house, and was looking forward to having my dear friend Ken Oehler help me set up a ballistics lab in the basement.

Time for those projects was budgeted into the next generation of the Firearms Coalition. The plan was to have sons, Chris and Jeff take more prominent roles in the fight, freeing me up to do other things like shooting and writing books. Jeff moved out here for that purpose over a year ago but my illness sidetracked those plans.

I have long wanted to evolve the Firearms Coalition into a resource for grassroots activists and organizations. The goals of the Coalition would be to provide activists with the resources, training, and technology they need to be more effective in the fight.

Now, I hope you will help Jay and the boys as it looks like they will be taking on this important task without me.

There will be more details in the weeks and months to come, including a new book that Chris, Jeff and I have been collaborating on. I regret that I am unlikely to see it in print, but I am confident in their ability to see it through.

I am thankful for you and the many other friends that have blessed my life making me a truly wealthy man. There have been disagreements, even fights, but the goal of freedom has been a unifying force.

I ask your prayers, both for me and for my family, especially for Jay who never expected to see me go first.

I urge you to continue the fight. Continue your support of the ongoing efforts of the Firearms Coalition and keep the grass roots growing.

Thank you for keeping me in the fight for all these years.

As always: Yours for the Second Amendment,

Neal

And from his wife:

Neal passed away early this morning, January 17. He was surrounded by our children and his brothers and went quickly without pain.

A memorial service has been scheduled for Thursday, January 20, at the Manassas Church of Christ, 8110 Signal Hill Road in Manassas, Virginia. The service will begin at 10:30 AM with a luncheon to follow.

It was Neal’s wish that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Firearms Coalition or to Rainbow Children’s Home in Gainesville, VA.

Firearms Coalition
P.O. Box 3313
Manassas, VA 20108

Rainbow Christian Services
6004 Artemus Rd.
Gainesville, VA

Neal’s condition deteriorated so rapidly that there wasn’t time to get the above- letter out before his death. He very much wanted to let you, as a faithful friend, know what was going on. We will post more information on the web site, http://www.nealknox.com/.

I can’t tell you how much Neal has loved the difficult work to which he has dedicated his life. It has cost us much while at the same time being extremely rewarding in so many ways. The greatest reward has been the love and friendship that we have found along the way.

You’re an important part of that.

Thank you so much,

Jay Janen Knox

His obituary:



Neal Knox

Neal Knox, former vice president of the National Rifle Association and long-time leader of the gun rights movement, died at his home on January 17, 2005 following a year-long battle with colon cancer. He was sixty-nine. He is survived by his wife, Jay Janen Knox (Shirley) and his four children; Christopher, Shan, Jeffrey, Stacey, and seven grandchildren.

Born Clifford Neal Knox on June 20, 1936 in Rush Springs, Oklahoma, Neal spent most of his early life in Texas, graduating from Vernon, Texas High School and attending Abilene Christian College. His early working years included eight years in the Texas National Guard, stints in insurance and the oil business, and assignments as a reporter for the Vernon Daily Record and, later, the Wichita Falls Times and Record News. At that same time, he was demonstrating his life-long interest in firearms as a freelance writer for several gun magazines.

Neal’s interest in guns eventually led to his becoming the founding editor of Gun Week newspaper, followed by the editorship of Handloader magazine and the creation of Rifle magazine. From 1978 to 1982, he served as Executive Director of the Institute for Legislative Action, the lobbying arm of the National Rifle Association.

Since 1984, as chairman of the Firearms Coalition, Neal has dedicated himself to writing, speaking and lobbying for the development and support of grassroots gun rights organizations.

During his life, Neal competed in, and often won, competitions in virtually every shooting discipline, including winning a national title in bench rest. In addition to his shooting interests, he was an accomplished pilot, holding instrument and multi-engine ratings.

A memorial service has been scheduled for 10:30 A.M., Thursday, January 20, at the Manassas Church of Christ, 8110 Signal Hill Road in Manassas, Virginia.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Firearms Coalition Neal Knox Memorial Fund, Box 3313, Manassas, VA 20108. Tax-deductible donations may be made to Academics for the Second Amendment Neal Knox Memorial Fund. Contributions may also be made in his name to the Rainbow Children’s Home in Gainesville, Virginia.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Neal will be missed by each and every one of us devoted to the Second Amendment fight. He was a part of my education on the issues and I enjoyed his writings, which live on as a part of his legacy.

Newdow is Old News....

From this morning's Legal Times:

Newdow Expected to Appeal Decision on Inaugural Prayer
Tony Mauro
Legal Times
01-18-2005

Time is running out, but Sacramento, Calif., atheist Michael Newdow still hopes to stop President George W. Bush from beginning and ending his Jan. 20 inaugural ceremony with prayers by two Protestant ministers.

Newdow is expected to appeal U.S. District Judge John Bates' decision late Friday rejecting almost every claim Newdow made in challenging the prayers.

Bates said Newdow's suit mirrored too closely a similar suit he filed and lost after the last inauguration. And Bates doubted he had the authority to enjoin the president from inviting whomever he wanted to speak at his inaugural.

At a hearing before Bates in U.S. District Court in D.C. on Jan. 13, Newdow -- who addressed the court by speakerphone from California -- had argued that the inaugural amounted to state endorsement of religion at "the grandest civic ceremony our nation has."

Newdow made headlines last year for his Supreme Court challenge against the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance.

The Honorable John Bates did that rare thing making a common sense decision and I applaud him for that.

More and more, I get the feeling that for Mr. Newdow, all that matters is the headlines. And for that, no applause is necessary or desirable.

I'd Rather Not, Thanks...

Giving credit where credit is due, NewsMax.com reports:

In a development first covered Tuesday morning by "Fox and Friends" host E.D. Hill, the report says:

"Heyward recalled speaking to Rather on Monday, September 6, and being told that the story was thoroughly vetted. Heyward also told the Panel that Rather said he had not 'been involved in this much checking on a story since Watergate.'” [page 104]

The only head left unrolled at CBS after the Memogate debacle, Dan Rather has pretty much represented himself throughout this as right, Right, Right, Right! Not politically, of course, because he obviously believes anyone to the right of Marx is still too Republican.

Unfortunately for Rather, he's been flat out busted and a couple of things finally came into play. First we get to see what media whores really do when TSHTF. They point their dirty little fingers and people start to go down. Rather only made it as far as he has for two reasons. One, the network thought it could weasel out of looking like it was run by a collection of idiots (first wrong assumption) and two, the network really cannot legally risk admitting Rather knew it was completely a put-up job - and make no mistake about it, it was - because of the legal hassles that could have enused. And still may.

Two and a half months after the incredibly stupid broadcast, Rather announced his retirement. Two months later, the report comes out and heads roll. Now with four people fired, we only need to wait two more months before Rather is gone. Unfortunately for See-BS, they'll need just a tad longer to regain any measure of credibility.

The simple fact of the matter is, Rather's ego outgrew his abilities and he took the big fall. I'll be happy to see him gone, but I have got to ask the Decison Makers at headquarters, "What the hell are you thinking? Do you boobs there behind the big, unblinking, myopic eye really think your credibility will be improved by hiring Katie Couric?"

One request I do have for the Rathers, Michael Moore and his oily ilk, the Power Mad Soros Group types and the rest of the Useful Idiots out there.

Will you please find something else to do with your time and let the elective process go forward as honestly as it can? Let the little guys among us make mistakes and the few of you knotheads that think you're so damned much smarter and richer that you ought to be able to decide who our presidents should be just shut up and leave us the hell alone. I, for one, am sick to death of you.

And I am not alone.

Funny bit - read it for your grin for the day:

Judge Judy talks to Dan and Ms. Mapes.

Detroit - Michigan's Shameful Reality

Honest to goodness, I think there's something in the water in SE Michigan.

Don't get me wrong - I am a huge fan of Michigan and if it were not for the deadly winters, I would never consider leaving (unless or until they go from Shall Issue on carrying a concealed firearm) but there is no doubt that we have our own fair share of absolute idiots. I'm going to give you three examples from this morning's news.

Police: Armed And Dangerous Man Steals Patrol Car

Troopers Were Transferring Man To Jail
POSTED: 7:17 am EST January 17, 2005

A man who is considered armed and dangerous has reportedly escaped authorities in a Michigan State Police cruiser.

State troopers arrested John Metzelburg in Groveland Township at about 11 p.m. Sunday at an area bar for carrying a concealed weapon without a permit, according to Local 4. The troopers were in the process of transferring him to the Oakland County Jail when he escaped and stole the cruiser.

Metzelburg was spotted driving south on Dixie Highway.

Anyone with information on the stolen cruiser should call police.

Refresh this page for updates.

Stay with Local 4 News and ClickOnDetroit.com for the latest developments.

Where, really, do you think there is to hide, Mr. Metzelburg? The LEO Community, and pretty much every citizen out there, wants to see you captured. And those who don't for strictly altruistic values, want the reward that will be paid.

And then we have:

Detroit Police Officer Convicted Of Drug Conspiracy

POSTED: 10:08 pm EST January 14, 2005
UPDATED: 10:27 pm EST January 14, 2005

DETROIT -- A federal jury has convicted a Detroit police officer of stealing illegal drugs and giving them to users who agreed to be filmed for his commercial Web site.

Ceiere Campbell was found guilty Friday of distributing crack cocaine and heroin and conspiracy to distribute the drugs.

Prosecutors said that between June 2002 and May 2003, Campbell stole the drugs from police raids.

The officer's Web site, StreetsIllustrated.com, no longer exists.

Campbell was suspended without pay after his arrest. Police said Friday's conviction means he'll be fired.

... and that he will forever be known as a dumbass....

And then we have the mayor, that oh-so altruistic jackass - he's taking a "ten percent" pay-cut because the City is in such Dire straits but he'll darned well make up for that....


Report: City Leases Luxury SUV During Budget Crisis

Deputy Police Chief Says Vehicle Purchased For Undercover Police Work

POSTED: 6:49 pm EST January 14, 2005
UPDATED: 7:54 pm EST January 14, 2005

Just two days after Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick announced major cuts to help eliminate a growing deficit, allegations are surfacing about the city's lease of a luxury sport utility vehicle, Local 4 reported.

The 2005 Lincoln Navigator, with a price tag of $57,000, was leased by the city through the Bob Maxey Lincoln-Mercury dealership on Jefferson Avenue in Detroit.

A 2005 Lincoln Navigator was leased by the city of Detroit with the words "mayor's lease" on the agreement.

Maxey told Local 4 that in December, a police officer came to the dealership inquiring about leasing a Navigator. Maxey said the officer told him he had a budget and wanted to sign for a one-year lease. An agreement was made on a two-year lease for the amount of $24,995, according to Maxey.

Local 4 learned that the lease deal has the words "mayor's lease" on it. Kilpatrick would not answer questions Friday regarding allegations that his wife, Carlita, had been driving the vehicle.

Deputy Mayor Anthony Adams denied that Carlita Kilpatrick ever drove the SUV.

"That vehicle was not used by the first lady, period," Adams said.

City officials claim the SUV was purchased to use in police undercover operations.

"To infiltrate that world, you have to look like a drug dealer," said James Tate, second deputy police chief.

Police said when local news organizations started asking questions about the Navigator, they decided it would no longer be safe to use it for undercover work.

When asked where the vehicle is now, Tate said, "It's still within our fleet. I don't know where it is exactly."

Tate said general funds were not used to purchase the SUV, but he wouldn't say if the money came from drug forfeiture proceeds, Local 4 reported.

An undisclosed source told Local 4 that other police departments typically work out shorter-term arrangements with car dealerships when leasing a vehicle for undercover work. The city of Detroit is apparently stuck with a vehicle it is no longer using until December 2006, the station reported.

Maxey said the price the city paid for the lease is a competitive rate.

Honest to gosh, this mayor simply cannot give up. He is definitely in my Top Five List of Really Bad Things that have happened to Detroit and its surrounding environs. The man is ghetto trash.

The Top Five List of RBT for Detroit, in no particular order:

• Coleman Young
• The Riots and the subsequent failure of motivation to recover and rebuild
• The almost total failure of the Detroit Public School system
• Affirmative Action
• Kwame Kilpatrick, Ghetto Mayor from Hell - bling, bling

Police: Storeowner Fires In Defense; Robbery Suspect Dies

Teen Suspects Charged As Adults

POSTED: 1:03 pm EST January 14, 2005
UPDATED: 1:20 pm EST January 14, 2005

A 17-year-old robbery suspect died late Thursday or early Friday after he suffered a gunshot wound when a storeowner fired in self-defense, police said.

Rashawn Edward Linnear, of Detroit, was armed with a .45 caliber handgun when he and two other teens -- 16-year-old Miguil Andrew Jackson and 15-year-old Deandre Lamar Benson -- entered the Oakland Party Store on Ten Mile Road in Southfield at about 9 p.m. Wednesday, Local 4 reported.

Storeowner Maurice Gorges fired a shot in self-defense after a 17-year-old robber pointed a gun at him, police said.

The three ordered the store's owner, 51-year-old Maurice Gorges, and a customer to the floor at gunpoint, police said.

Gorges, of West Bloomfield, said he asked the teens to leave after he emptied out his register for them.

"They kept saying, 'No. Give us the safe and the videotape (or) we're going to kill both of you,'" said the customer, whose name was being withheld.

Gorges, who purchased a gun eight years ago after his store was robbed, said he fired his weapon when Linnear pointed the handgun at him.

"I didn't want to do that … I gave him a chance, but that's his choice," Gorges said.

The 17-year-old suffered a gunshot wound to the head. He was taken to Providence Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

Jackson and Benson, both from Detroit, were arrested by Southfield police. One was chased and captured by a police officer and the other was tracked down by a K-9 unit, police said.

The teens were charged as adults Thursday afternoon.

Police said they do not expect the storeowner to face charges.

And if they did, I wouldn’t necessarily be surprised, but I’m really happy the Good Guy is safe and the Bad Guys are not free to feed. Now, to wait a few hours and check the news again for the whining from the parents of the Punk with the .45. "He was a peace-loving honor student devoted to his family."

Pfffttt.

Doctors for Sensible Gun Laws

I am always impressed by the sheer volume of discussion available on the internet on almost any subject. Politics, most specifically Second Amendment political discussion is particularly close to my heart and gets the majority of my attention.

When I discovered Doctors for Sensible Gun Laws, I was pretty darned happy. As a scientist and professional myself, I became involved with the public push for firearms rights simply because I felt I was part of a demographic that was not being seen by the public. I wanted to let people see a middle aged professional woman was also a gun owner and believer in the right to keep and bear arms, as our Founding Fathers intended the good citizens of our country to be.

I ran across an article on the DSL site and got quite a kick out of it.

In 1662 the Armarium Urguentum advised physicians on the treatment of gunshot and other wounds:

If the wound is large, the weapon with which the patient has been wounded should be anointed daily; otherwise, every two or three days. The weapon should be kept in pure linen and a warm place but not too hot, nor squalid, lest the patient suffer harm.[1]

Well, damn. I had to read it twice to be sure it said what I thought it said. This is where it all began, I guess. More than three hundred forty years ago, some idiot thought that treating the weapon was going to make a difference in the resultant recovery of an individual set upon and injured by someone using a weapon.

And it continues today. Fools and charlatans continue to blather on about “gun violence”, as if a gun has any inherent violent characteristic and was somehow able to behave in any many other than doing whatever its owner directs it to in his or her manner of use.

Read the article – these bright, dedicated, educated and articulate people have said it better than I ever could have.

With footnotes.

Oh, I am Not....

You Are 30 Years Old

Under 12: You are a kid at heart. You still have an optimistic life view - and you look at the world with awe. 13-19: You are a teenager at heart. You question authority and are still trying to find your place in this world. 20-29: You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences. 30-39: You are a thirtysomething at heart. You've had a taste of success and true love, but you want more! 40+: You are a mature adult. You've been through most of the ups and downs of life already. Now you get to sit back and relax.

What Age Do You Act?