Observations...

- A anonymous fellow gave this quip this week when asked why he carried a gun:

"Because a policeman weighs too much."

- Driving to the Metroplex this week for business, I did, as usual, turn the AM dial to 820 to catch Mark Davis' show. Mark's particular topic that hour was Mitt Romney and the 2nd Amendment. Specifically, would Romney be the staunch defender of said amendment once elected as POTUS?

I did not know that Romney is a card carrying member of the NRA. Apparently, his earlier years in public office showed a different stripe when it came to his personal beliefs in an individual's legal right to gun ownership. Davis' point was and is that Romney has changed his mind- albeit 17 years after the fact. He went on to say that he was comfortable with Romney's current position and talking points about legal gun ownership and the importance thereof in the United States.

With finger poised over the cell phone keys, I dialed into the station thinking I would never get through to speak my piece. On the 1st ring, Mark's "handler" picked up and wanted to know what I wanted "to speak to Mr. Davis about?". I was momentarily stunned. This show is now nationally syndicated and I didn't think I would get through let alone come close to actual air time. I told "Mike" that I was a Life Member of the NRA and I was hoping to flesh out a couple of points with Mr. Davis about his last comments regarding Governor Romney. "Mike" liked that idea and put me on hold. My head was spinning, trying to get my mouth and brain to work in sync, I waited my turn- only to get cut off. Darn! I was so close....

Dialing the number again, once more "Mike" picked up. Told him again who I was, what I wanted to say, and he apologized for losing me and put me back in the que (sp?). Wow! Twice lucky in the same day! Only to be dropped- again.

Oh well, I look forward to the day when Mark and I can have a gentlemanly "chat" with a few hundred thousand of his listeners hanging on every word.


- Heard that OJ pleaded "not guilty" at his arraignment this week. Am I surprised? Well, yeah...the guy was caught red-handed. Sources say if convicted, he could go to prison for the rest of his days. Sounds good to me. Can I pick the place? Please?????


- Got within two feet of a first generation Colt SAA today. Grips were very definitely ivory and the screws were of the fire blue variety. AWESOME is the only word that comes to mind to give this fantastic piece of hardware due justice. The price tag? Well, that's another story...


- Micro brewery beer is just the best stuff. Unlike its domestic counterpart, one may partake of second and third helpings at one sitting and the last tastes as good as the first! Highly recommend BJ's restaurants and brewery. Wonderful concoctions.


- Turns out my brother's girlfriend can catch fish like Kevin Van Dam. Particularly the catfish variety. Doesn't matter what bait, reel or rod selection is at hand- the lady can fish like a pro. (I told him he should marry her...she's likely to keep him well fed in his advanced years.)


- Some have asked me privately about "Suzi" now. She and I are getting very well acquainted and it is definitely a love/love relationship. Here is a fetching photo of my new flame:





(Check out those boots!)

-TMS

Guns, Government & Crime

It is very easy for meaningful crime data to be inadvertently "lost" by the mainstream media.
Case-in-point, all the rage the last couple of news worthy days has been the focus of the High Court taking up the case of the District of Columbia's ban on concealed carry weapons by non law enforcement citizenry within the district's boundaries. We are not going to discuss this today, but rather some eye-popping statistics that the Federal Bureau of Investigation has just released concerning it's compilation of crime stats for 2006.

The FBI released the latest data last September and the numbers are in- total violent crime is LOWER by 37.5 percent than it was in 1991 (when violent crime peaked in the U.S.). Murder and robbery, the two types of violent crime most likely to involve firearms, decreased the most between 1991-2006, dropping 42 percent and 45 percent, respectively.

During the last 5 years, violent crime has been lower than any time since the mid-1970's. During the last 8 years, murder has fluctuated slightly, but remained lower than any time since the mid-1960's.

This is GREAT news for America. But the report has mainly been ignored by mainstream media since the release of this data has become available. Instead, the sensationalist media outlets ignored the long term trends and instead pointed out that violent crimes rose 1.9 percent between 2005-06. When adjusted for the nation's ever increasing population, the violent crime rate increased only 1 percent- and that, over a single year. The media, as usual, went with the higher figure.

The Fibbies report was very bad news for the anti-gun crowd in several ways. First, violent crime remains relatively low, while the numbers of guns, gun owners and Right-to-Carry states have risen to all-time highs, and gun control has been reduced significantly at the federal, state and local levels. Second, the FBI once again state that crime levels are determined by a variety of factors, ranging from economic conditions, to cultural, climate and citizens' attitude toward police - but not including gun control.

Third, in 2006 Right-to-Carry states had lower violent crime rates, on average, compared to the rest of the country. Total violent crime was 26 percent lower, murder 31 percent lower, robbery 50 percent lower and aggravated assault 15 percent lower. 13 of the 15 states with the lowest total violent crime rates and murder rates, and 14 of 15 states with the lowest robbery rates, were Right-to-Carry states.

Evidently, the high and mighty crowd in the marble and brass clad hallways of government have failed to grasp basic number trending. They are more caught up on whether a law passed in 1976 is still worth fighting for in preserving "the security of private citizens" within Washington, D.C. Yet, when the numbers are highlighted for them, they cannot explain why D.C. remains at the top of the list of most violent regions in the country per capita. You see, the average citizen in Washington, DC is not allowed to carry a firearm for protection. They can have one in the home if it is registered, locked up completely or otherwise made immediately "safe" by placing an after-market gun lock on the weapon. (But you cannot carry in public-even if licensed.)

Unfortunately, the blue bloods will continue to thumb their noses until a Virginia Tech tragedy takes place on their hallowed ground or the Supreme Court hands them a definitive decision in the next session. My pick is for the latter, but we know that governmental types only respond to crises and emotional duress brought about by either Mother Nature or psychotic citizenry.

These are the times we live in...are you armed?
If not, why?

What's In A Name?

Occasionally, one of my many neurotic tendencies comes to the surface and I have to deal with it the only way I know how- letting it play out. Hope you don't mind...


Her
Interests
Lie
Loosely
Around
Rediscovering
Yippie-hood

Clinton
Lies
Intimately
Notwithstanding
Typical
Obsessive
Neuroses

News from Iraq- Report #2

In one of my earlier posts, I forwarded some news from the front lines of Iraq via my friend, Coby, who is serving and working in some bad areas. Here is what Coby reports as of this morning when I asked about the current situation on the ground as it relates to our military personnel's perspective:

"The major gripe here now is just the media and the focus on entertainers in general. These people basically live a lie and make their money due to the freedoms they enjoy but yet forget who gives them that protection. Just basically cant listen to any news stories any more because of the politics. I cringe at the idea that we have a year ahead of us before the big elections and no telling how more divided the country will become and how many more have to die to get the support we all need. The only troop surge I see is at the chow hall and the PX lines because the Army has basically been so restricted in what they can do by limp politicians that were just running into each other like a kid's soccer game. But were all gonna stay as long as we can and I wont be the first one on that plane to leave, well save that for the wimpy democrats who want to glorify the failure, but yet what we all wanted by noon- September 11, 2001. Their next perfect day is coming and were too busy worrying about Brittney Spears and who has signed the newest knucklehead rap star to their label and/or basketball team.............until then my friend, we'll be here ready to jump."

Coby occasionally reads this blog. So you may want to convey your support of his activities in the comments section. I'm sure he and the rest of the team would be glad to hear that we have a few here at home who haven't forgotten about their service, sacrifice, and sense of duty.

Come home safe, my friend!!

-TMS