Gun Control Means Using Two Hands

The Associated Press is reporting that the town of Geuda Springs, Kansas has passed an ordinance requiring most households to be equipped with guns and ammunition.

Kennesaw, Georgia passed a similar ordinance in 1981. How has Kennesaw fared since? In 1982, the first year the ordinance took effect, crime against persons fell 74%, followed by another 45% drop the next year. Kennesaw, a town of 13,000, has a murder rate of 0.19 per year, an armed robbery rate of 1.69/year, while rapes average 2.00/year.

Naked Liberal Watch - II

I previously posted on the disturbing tendency of liberal activists to take off their clothes as a means of drawing attention to their cause du jour. While it may draw attention to them, standing around nekkid does very little to advance an intellectual discussion.

The trend continues: About two dozen people stripped down outside the Gap on Collins Avenue to protest big corporate labor practices. The group said they'd rather go "naked" than wear Gap clothes (I would use my new image power to post a picture, but I would like to keep this Blog family-oriented - follow the link if you are so inclined).

Dry Eyes?

Next time you see Wesley Clark on television, watch his eyes. He almost never blinks.
Once you become aware of how long he is staring, it becomes uncomfortable to watch him. I find myself trying to keep my eyes open as long as Wesley, and they dry out and start to feel uncomfortable. Weird.

This new-found image posting technique is fun. Like a kid with a new toy, I will over-use it until it annoys everbody.

German Ingenuity

The Germans, always on the cutting edge of technology, have invented Talking Garbage Cans. The intent is to demonstrate that Berlin is "a modern city with high-tech services"

Ever mindful of the sensibilities of the tourist industry, the wastebaskets will be programmed to say not just "Danke" upon use, but also "Merci" and "Thank You." No word on whether the English speaking cans will speak in an American or British accent. Way to go, Germany!

Republican or Democrat?

Remember during the 2000 presidential election when Democratic operatives in Florida were fighting to have military absentee ballots tossed out, while Republicans were fighting equally hard (and thankfully successfully) to allow them? A new article in the Indianapolis Star suggests why:

"Relatively few liberals and Democrats now serve in the military. This was my anecdotal observation when I was in the Army in the late 1980s, and according to Lehman, nearly 80 percent of those in the military today identify themselves as Republicans."

The Democrats, meanwhile, have identified their next big voting block: ex-convicts and convicted felons. As this blogger at TalkLeft.com points out:

"...if [Florida's] 613,000 former felons had been permitted to vote — and even if you factor in a far-lower-than-expected turnout rate than the general population — Al Gore would have defeated George W. Bush by about 60,000 votes and would have been elected president. What's more, if all U.S. felons — in and out of prison — had been allowed to vote, Gore might have carried the nation by more than 1 million votes."

I will leave it to you to decide the group with which you would like to identify, and which one you trust to elect your next congressman.

American Casualties

This past weekend, we were breathlessly informed that the number of US casualties in Iraq (397) had surpassed the number incurred during the first three years (1962-1964) of the Vietnam conflict. At the time, 17,000 soldiers were stationed in Vietnam, while 130,000 are currently in Iraq.

Not noted was the casualty count of September 11. There were about 50,000 workers stationed in the World Trade Center, and 2801 people perished. It is worth following this link and remembering why we must win this conflict.

"Neanderthals"

Ted Kennedy (D-Mass), reflecting on George Bush's judicial nominees, promised that the Democrats would continue to filibuster any "Neanderthals" the President sends up for nomination. Note that two of the nominees are minority candidates.

A Democrat internal memo reveals the party's intentions:

Miguel Estrada is described as "especially dangerous because he has a minimal paper trial, he is Latino, and the White House seems to be grooming him for a Supreme Court appointment."

He is Latino?? That makes him "especially dangerous"?? What a disgrace.

Thought Police

Scientists have developed a brain scan they claim can detect racism.

Is it possible that someday people accused so-called "hate crimes" will given these scans and punished for the results? How would this be different than a thought crime? Is it possible that someday children will be scanned after a taunting or bullying accusation, and the results used to initiate some sort of "re-education" or thought modification regime?

I know it's paranoid sounding, but I just wanted to ask the questions. It would have sounded paranoid four years ago if someone had suggested that someday our shoes would have to be inspected by federal government security "experts" at airports.

Decadent Saturday

After antiqueing (we never actually buy anything) in downtown Portsmouth on Saturday afternoon, Suzy and I stopped by The Bier Garden for a brief respite. The place is an intimate little German pub, located down a tree-lined alley, with a back-door type entrance. Just the ticket for our tired legs.

The last keg of Oktoberfest was still online, so we enjoyed some real Bavarian beer. Suzy had a big soft pretzel with hot mustard, and I had a knockwurst on a roll with sauerkraut. The owner also let us try a little "Ayinger Celebrator," a Bavarian doppelbock. It was strong and delicious.

To the owner's dismay, both toilets backed up and a plumber had to be called. That was enough to tell us it was time to head home for a late afternoon nap.

Sunday, after completing our yard and house work, we enjoyed a time-honored tradition: "The Rich Man's Walk" through Target. It's fun, because we agree that if we see anything - anything - that looks good we will buy it. Since we are in Target, we never end up blowing the budget. This weekend we ended up with The Sopranos 4th season on DVD.

Which Founding Father are You?

Take the quiz and find out! My results?

Which Founding Father Are You?

A Religion of Peace (Again!)

Excerpted from WorldNetDaily:

Copies of the Quran were booby trapped by Muslim terrorists seeking to kill and maim pilgrims to Islam's holiest city, Mecca, according to a Saudi newspaper.

A raid last week on terrorist safe houses uncovered tons of explosives and rocket-propelled grenade launchers believed to have been intended for Muslim pilgrims, according to Saudi Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz. Five Islamists were killed in the clashes.

Police also discovered the terrorists had water bottles stuffed with explosives that could have been smuggled into shrines during a pilgrimage. Wigs and traditional loose-fitting Muslim women's garments apparently were on hand to help them not draw attention in public.

The Saudi paper said police also discovered a substantial inventory of meat cleavers and swords, indicating the terrorists were prepared to hack their victims to death in the same manner as Islamists in Algeria.

A Religion of Peace

After the horrific bombing in Riyadh over the weekend, The Associated Press notes the subsequent condemnation of Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi:

"Killing of innocent women and children in the fasting month of Ramadan runs counter to the Islamic values and the human ethics."

Why does he have to qualify this statement as applicable during Ramadan?

Book of the Month

This weekend, I was asked my thoughts on The Da Vinci Code. Having not yet read the book, I can't say what I would think of it, but I can say that the book has garnered a fair share of critical acclaim.

Apparently, the book is exhaustively researched and well-written, and is based on the Priory of Sion hoax concerning the bloodline of Christ. It is, too every indication, a great page-turner, and a thrilling piece of fiction.

Hi Daddy

Sgt Hook, a blogger stationed in Iraq has posted a touching farewell letter to her father, who was killed defending us all. Grab some tissues before you read.

Howard Dean

In the recent Democrat debate in Boston, Howard Dean said the following in defense of his wish to be the candidate for "guys with Confederate flags on their pickup trucks."

"I think we need to talk to white Southern workers about how they vote, because when white people and black people and brown people vote together in this country, that's the only time that we make social progress, and they need to come back to the Democratic Party. "

Notice Dr. Dean makes no mention of actually providing Southern workers with a reason to vote for him. Rather, he feels a need to talk to them "about how they vote." He even followed up on his pledge:

Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean told a Tallahassee audience today that southerners have to quit basing their votes on "race, guns, God and gays."

Maybe Southern workers don't like the Democrat's ideas for how to "make social progress." Maybe guns and God are important to some people. Dean's suggestion that all the South needs is a good talking to, followed by his actually telling Southerners to ignore certain issues that he is unable to address adequately is an example of the Northern elite condecension that drives this transplanted Northerner nuts. Call me a curmudgeon if you like.

Dispatch from Another Planet

Bolinas, California is a small town in Marin County, north of San Francisco. Yesterday, a ballot initiative dubbed "Measure G" passed in Bolinas by more than 2-1. Measure G reads as follows:

"Shall the following language constitute a policy of the Bolinas Community Public Utility District? Vote for Bolinas to be a socially acknowledged nature-loving town because to like to drink the water out of the lakes to like to eat the blueberries to like the bears is not hatred to hotels and motor boats. Dakar. Temporary and way to save life, skunks and foxes (airplanes to go over the ocean) and to make it beautiful."

Huh?? How could anyone vote in favor of anything as badly written as that? That verbage is so twisted any meaning it ever had has been wrung from it. And if that represents the thinking of the author, he or she is a muddy headed individual indeed.