A Nice Clean DGU

The L.A. Times reports on a nice clean DGU which took place in Coeur d'Alene Idaho.

A teen trying to rob an espresso stand in northern Idaho met his match in a gun toting barista.

Police say the 17-year-old confronted Sunshine Espresso owner Michelle Cornelson with a gun Wednesday morning, demanding all her money.

Cornelson has been hunting since she was a girl and says she remained calm as a customer pulled up to the other side of her kiosk in Coeur d'Alene (kohr duh-LAYN'), distracting the teen.

Cornelson quickly whipped out her 9 mm Kel-Tec pistol, which was a Christmas present from her husband. That scared off the teen so Cornelson could call police.

A sheriff's deputy was nearby after picking up a beverage at the stand and caught the suspect. The teen was later taken to a juvenile detention center.

Now, that was a very timely Christmas present. And, apparently, Michelle Cornelson knows how to use it and how not to use it, know what I mean?

Please leave a comment.

Police Shoot Man with Toy Gun

The San Francisco Chronicle's SF Gate reports on another case of police shooting someone with a toy gun.

The man shot by Vallejo police on Wednesday while allegedly brandishing a handgun turns out not to have been involved in the robbery that brought officers to the scene in the first place, Vallejo police said.

A Vallejo police statement released Thursday also said Dennis James Merrida, 37, was carrying a replica firearm rather than a live weapon when a squad car pulled up near him at the corner of Lemon and Sheridan streets in response to a robbery call.

Merrida was shot in the upper body and transported to John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek, where he remains in stable condition. He is in custody for a parole violation and will be charged with brandishing a weapon and "resisting an executive officer in performance of their duties," according to the statement.

The officer who shot Merrida will be on paid administrative leave while the incident is investigated.

Now I have to say it's become official. The number of these incidents, cops shooting toy-gun holders has surpassed reports of DGUs. I realize we're talking about the main stream media, and they generally like only DGUs by octogenarians, but still, numbers don't lie.

In all fairness, I must admit this phenomenon is probably more prevalent around Christmas when so many people receive their toy guns as gifts from Santa.

By the way is there a difference between a "replica firearm" and a toy gun? Either way, the cops are a bit out of control, don't you think?

Please leave a comment.

Possible Asteroid Attack

MyStateLine.com reports on how seriously the Russians are taking the possibility of an asteroid strike.

The country's top space researchers have set their sights on an asteroid called 99942 Apophis, named for the Egyptian god of destruction.

Apophis has a slim but real chance of colliding with Earth this century and that's all the incentive the Russians need to swing into action.

I think I'm starting to like these comparisons. Doesn't the above story sound exactly like the gun enthusiast who insists he needs weapons for self protection?

Apophis was discovered in 2004.

According to "The New York Times," scientists say it'll swing past Earth three times in the coming decades.

It's surest shot at impact is its second pass in 2032, when it'll have a one-in-45-thousand chance of hitting Earth.

Since it's three times the size of a 1908 meteorite that took out 80-million trees in Siberia, the Russians are understandably nervous.

The space agency says the goal is to deflect the asteroid instead of blowing it up, and there won't be any nuclear weapons used.

What this means of course is it's not only meteorites (murder) but also asteroids (rape and robbery) that must be protected against. Only a fool would fail to take the necessary precautions against these dangers, not that they're so likely to occur, but because if the do the results are so devastating.

What's your opinion? Are you worried about meteorites and asteroids? Are you doing everything you can to responsibly protect yourself and your family from these terrible disasters?

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

Virginia Moving Backwards on Capital Punishment

GoDanRiver.com reports on the future of Virginia.

Death penalty expansion bills that were blocked in recent years likely will become law in Virginia under a new administration, making more people eligible for what is already the nation’s second-busiest death chamber.

Since he took office in 2006, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine has vetoed 15 bills making everyone from murder accomplices to killers of on-duty auxiliary police or fire marshals eligible for the death penalty. Legislators have overridden some of Kaine’s vetoes, and currently there are 15 crimes that are punishable by death in Virginia.

Republican Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell has said he will sign legislation to expand the death penalty, even though other states are restricting capital punishment or repealing it altogether.

This is a sad story. It marks the beginning of the end of Virginia's hopes to be considered a modern functioning state that plans to move ahead into the 21st century. Instead this, and you can only imagine what other backward ideas the new governor will push, will clearly place Virginia in alliance with southern and south-central neighbors.

What's your opinion? Is Governor-elect McDonnell already displaying cave-man tendencies in this matter? Do you think he and those like-minded legislators simply deny the concerns of other states, which, more enlightened, are moving away from the death penalty? Or do you think it's not necessary for them to deny anything to take this approach? Perhaps they feel like a lot of people that the death penalty cleans up the gene pool and an occasional wrongful execution is usually exacted upon someone guilty of other crimes anyway?

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

Fox News Network is Number One

Capital Hill Blue reports on the year in cable news.

Fox News Channel may drive blood pressures to record highs among liberals but the right-wing cable channel just finished its best ratings year ever and easily tops CNN and MSNBC with viewers.

The only cable channels that do better than Fox News are entertainment ones. MSNBC and CNN aren't even in the top 10.

In fact, ratings are falling for more liberal-oriented MSNBC and CNN. Even the darlings of the "progressive" community -- Keith Olbermann and Rachael Maddow -- face erosion of viewers while their favorite targets -- Bill O'Reilly and Glenn Beck -- watch their numbers rise.

Does this surprise you? It doesn't me. I think it supports those accusations that Fox isn't so much a news channel as an entertainment one. The only other way I can explain it, it to liken the widespread interest in Fox News to slowly driving past a terrible highway wreck where bloody bodies are strewn across the pavement. It's hard to turn away from something like that.

What's your opinion? Is the success of Fox News a proper gauge as to its quality? Liberal Viewer has produced over 100 videos documenting their bias. Is that what people like so much?

Please leave a comment.

Detroit Man Executes Trespasser

Freep.com reports on the vigilante style killing that took place in Detroit. Tigh Croff was the frustrated homeowner who took the law into his own hands.

Croff, a licensed gun owner, is accused of chasing Herbert Silas and fatally shooting him after finding Silas in his backyard. Croff reportedly told police that his home had been broken into three times before the shooting early Monday.

The article reads like an apology for vigilante behavior. Several neighbors testify to the ever-increasing crime problem, how the real estate market is in the pits, and to the general frustration of everyone who lives there.

Police said Silas, who was unarmed, stopped running in the 9800 block of Philip as Croff chased him. Silas turned around, put his hands up and, according to a police source, told Croff: "What are you going to do? Shoot me?"

"Absolutely," Croff told investigators he responded. Silas was hit once in the chest.

I don't suppose any of the law-and-order, stand-up-for-your-rights folks would have the nerve to condone this, but I wonder how many of them secretly cheer. Wasn't that the appeal of Charles Bronson's movies and the Clint Eastwood attitude of "make my day?" These petty criminals are barely more than insects anyway, right?

Of course, I couldn't help notice how perfectly this story supports the theory that says there are too many unfit gun owners. I don't care how frustrated or frightened you are, what this guy did is worse than what the criminals do. It's worse because up until last week he was an upstanding citizen enjoying his god-given rights protected by the 2nd Amendment. And I'm afraid he's not the only one.

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

Murder / Suicide in Finland - 5 Dead

The BBC reports on the tragedy which struck the Finnish city of Espoo. On the video, the Finnish spokesman described the terrible action. One of the victims, presumably the main target, was the girfriend. Dare I say it? Guns are bad news for women, even in Finland.

The Brooklyn Body Count

YourNabe.com reports on the 2009 murder statistics for the Borough of Brooklyn.

While the city is touting the lowest homicide rate in over four decades, nearly half of the 461 killings that did occur took place right here in the borough of churches.

As this paper went to press, cops from the Patrol Borough Brooklyn South logged in 92 homicides. Patrol Borough Brooklyn North had 108 homicides for a grand total of 200 --— far outpacing their NYPD counterparts in the Bronx (who will round out the year with 108 killings), Queens (79 slayings) and Manhattan, where 58 homicides were investigated. Staten Island had the lowest number of homicides at 16.

Yet despite this high number, Brooklyn homicides were slightly less than in 2008, during which 207 people were murdered as of December 27, according to NYPD CompStat numbers.

So, even in Brooklyn, where they have murders almost every day, they're patting themselves on the back. It reminds me of what Fidel Castro said a few years ago to the World Food Summit here in Rome (I couldn't find a link to it). All the speakers, Heads of State and other big shots, were proclaiming what a wonderful program they were putting in place to cut world hunger in half by 2015 or something like that. So, by that date there would only be a half-a-billion people starving instead of a whole billion. When Castro spoke he shocked everybody by telling them they should be ashamed of themselves for bragging about such feeble progress when they had the means to do so much better.

You know I hate making comparisons, but couldn't the same thing be said about the gun violence. Just because there were 6 murders a day in New York in 1990, should we be happy that there are an average of only one-and-a-half today? I don't think so. I think it's disgraceful, just like Castro said to those food bureaucrats.

What's your opinion? Should we be happy with the drop in murders? Or should we recognize the more needs to be done? Do you think the increasing numbers of guns in American society is helping to keep those numbers as high as they are? Wouldn't reducing the number of guns go a long way towards seriously improving this situation?

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

Reefer Madness in L.A.

PJTV never fails to provide wonderful examples of the conservative mind set. In this video about the medical marijuana "problem" in Los Angeles, we have a fantastic example. Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley seems like a caricature of the stereotypical right wing character that we love to make fun of. There were times during the interview that I thought he was really a comedian poking fun.

Sadly, he was quite serious. What do you think? Is this something that law enforcement people should be concerned with? Did you hear how many times he used the word "cartels." I thought any minute there he was going to say "we estimate that 90% of the medical marijuana comes from Mexico."

No questions were asked about the taxes these dispensaries must pay to the State, but I imagine that's part of the deal. The big concern seemed to be the overwhelmingly high percentage of healthy customers. Is that a big problem, in your opinion? Isn't that a benefit, even though it wasn't the intention of the law, isn't it good if otherwise law abiding people get their pot from one of these legal outlets in stead of off the street?

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

I Like Guns

FishyJay sent me this with the simple remark "you might have fun with this." Well indeed I did. I loved it. It helped me to clarify something too. I really can't accept the 2nd Amendment justification which I think is a manipulation and a distortion. Nor can I accept the self-defense one, which I see as paranoia. But, "I like guns" works for me. Why can't the pro gun folks just say that?

The Compton Weapon Exchange

The Los Angeles Times reports on the surprise customer who turned up at their gun exchange this week.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies expected heavy business Tuesday during the department's "gift for guns" program in Compton.

And sure enough, scores of people lined up to turn in various weapons in exchange for supermarket gift certificates.

But they were surprised at the man who pulled up in an SUV with 58 guns -- mostly small handguns but also some assault weapons. Dressed in a sweatshirt and jeans, the mystery man offered his cache in a nonchalant fashion.

As is the policy for such events, the deputies asked no questions and eagerly took the guns. They don't know the man's name, and the donor declined to comment to The Times.

After unloading his weapons, the man received several thousands of dollars in supermarket coupons and drove away.

Sebastian once said he doesn't have a big problem with these exchange programs except for the fact that some valuable older guns might get collected and destroyed. That made me wonder if the cops in charge of the destruction sometimes take a thing or two out for themselves. That's what they do with the drugs and the cash they confiscate, isn't it?

The Compton exchange Tuesday garnered 232 guns, all of which will be destroyed. The Gift for Guns program has been a staple of the Sheriff's Department's crime reduction efforts in Compton, which has seen a drop in homicides in recent years.

Countywide, the program has taken 5,000 guns off the streets throughout L.A. County. At the Santa Clarita station earlier this year, one person dropped off a 20mm artillery shell and another person left 11 guns, including a Thompson .45-caliber submachine gun, an SKS assault rifle and an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle.

To me these are wonderful programs, which although only drops in the old proverbial bucket, actually save lives.

What do you think? Please leave a comment.

Texas Man Shoots 10-Year-Old Daughter

The Dallas Morning News reports on a terrible tragedy that took place on Christmas Eve.

The Oak Point man accused of fatally shooting his 10-year-old daughter on Christmas Eve had been investigated repeatedly by Child Protective Services, and police believe he was probably drunk when he fired the shot, according to officials and court records.

"I could smell ... [alcohol] on him, and his actions indicated to me that he was intoxicated," said Texas Ranger Tracy Murphree, who is investigating the shooting with Oak Point police. "There's nothing right now to indicate that it was an intentional homicide, but the investigation is still ongoing."

Duke Lawrence Watrous, 36, remained jailed Tuesday on charges of manslaughter, criminal negligence and tampering with evidence. Bail was set at $200,000.

He was not charged with illegal possession of a firearm, why? Do the lax gun laws in Texas allow a man with a history of problems with the Child Protective Services to have a gun? That doesn't sound right to me. Is this part of the general attitude towards guns in the Great State of Texas?

Police say Watrous was recklessly handling a revolver Thursday night at his Oak Point home when it discharged, hitting Ashley in the face and killing her.

Her 9-year-old brother and 1-year-old sister were present when the shooting occurred, authorities say.

Watrous then tampered with evidence by moving the gun from the crime scene and locking it in a gun safe, Murphree said. Police later secured a search warrant and removed guns from the home, he said.

Court records paint a disturbing picture of a family racked by conflict and allegations of abuse.

A judge limited Washburn-Rives' custody of the children after a 2003 investigation found she had abused them, CPS caseworker Hiza said in an affidavit filed Monday.

CPS investigators found that Washburn-Rives had emotionally abused Ashley and neglected Ashley and her brother, according to the affidavit.

The caseworker described Watrous and Washburn-Rives' relationship as turbulent and said each has accused the other of abusing the children.

This sad story illustrates the need for stricter standards in allowing people to own guns. Drunkenness and documented mental instability need to be screened and people like Duke Watrous need to be prohibited just like convicted felons and repeat violent offenders.

What's your opinion? Is this just the small price we must pay in order to enjoy our god-given 2nd Amendment rights? I don't think so, but I'd like to hear what you think.

Please leave a comment.

Cop Killings Up in 2009

CNN reports on an alarming statistic.

Six police officers or deputies shot to death in the Seattle, Washington, area since October 31 reflect a troubling trend highlighted by a report released Tuesday.

According to preliminary information compiled by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, the number of law enforcement officers killed by gunfire in 2009 increased to 49, compared with 39 in the previous year.

In light of the declining overall murder stats, this is particularly worrying. But what does it mean? Why would it be happening like this? Interestingly, the overall numbers of police officers dying in the line of duty has dropped.

"However, that bit of good news was overshadowed by an alarming surge in the number of officers killed by gunfire."

In 15 of the shooting deaths, which occurred during five incidents, a single assailant killed more than one officer, according to the report. The multiple-fatality shootings included the killings of four officers in Lakewood, Washington, on November 29.

"Multiple-fatality shootings" sure makes me think of assault weapons. Too bad we can't find a way to define them.

What's your opinion? The article goes on the say that the major killer of cops is the automobile. Do you think that has anything to do with the discussion about guns? Why do gun apologists keep bringing cars into it?

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

New York Marks Fewest Murders Ever

That's the headline on CNN, New York Marks Fewest Murders Ever.

Calling a sharp drop in overall violence throughout America's most populous city "one for the record books," New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced this week that 2009 saw historic crime-rate declines across the city's five boroughs.

The declines occurred in nearly every crime category, including the "lowest number of murders ever," Bloomberg said Monday.

According to the mayor's office, there have been 461 homicides to date on Monday in 2009. That number is down nearly 11 percent from the same time a year ago, with 516 murders recorded in 2008. Bloomberg said 2009 is on track to have the fewest murders in New York City's history since reliable recordkeeping began in 1963.

This is certainly a wonderful achievement, one which derives from several factors.

The mayor said the drop in New York's crime rate can be attributed to a combination of using new technologies and strong management, using statistics in police planning and responses, adequately funding the department and focusing resources to address problem areas.

Along with stringent gun laws, regulations and enforcement mechanisms, the combination of all these strategies "have helped to substantially reduce the level of violence on our streets," Bloomberg said.

"Along with stringent gun laws," is the way Bloomberg puts it. The gun bloggers on the other hand seem to think it has only to do with improved policing techniques and general trends.

What's your opinion? Do the strict gun laws in New York contribute to the decreasing violence? If some of the "feeder" states had similar restrictions and the ciminal importing of weapons were curtailed, do you think the crime rate in NYC would go even lower?

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

Act Like a Man

H/T Bluegal

"You can act like a man! (slap) What's the matter with you?!"

You can act like a man! sound bite Marlon Brando sound bites

Teaching the Boy a Lesson

Fox News reports on the Florida man who decided to teach a boy a lesson.

According to a St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office arrest report, 39-year-old Christopher Fred Cady shot the boy in the chest with the pellet gun, a Christmas gift, after the child shot an autistic cousin with the gun.

Cady reportedly was trying to show the boy that getting shot with a pellet gun can hurt.

According to online records, Cady was booked into St. Lucie County jail Friday. He was charged with cruelty toward child without great harm and was being held on $500 bond. It's unclear if he already has an attorney.

Cady was also charged with violating sex offender laws by failing to report a name or residence change.

What is it with these guns? What is it with this gun mentality, kids shooting each other, adult shooting the kid? It's sick. Of course, because the guy was a sex offender the pro-gun apologists will disavow any association with him. According to them, there are no bad guys among gun owners. But I say gun ownership and gun mentality pervades all strata of society, the responsible and the irresponsible, the honest and the dishonest, the law abiding and the criminal. I was extremely generous when I suggested that only 10% of the lawful gun owners should not have guns. The guy in this story shouldn't even have a toy gun.

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

Street Named After Sean Bell

The Daily News reports on the ceremony in which Mayor Bloomfield named a street after Sean Bell, an unarmed man shot and killed by the police in 2006.

Without mentioning how Sean Bell died, Mayor Bloomberg signed a bill Monday designating the site of one of the city's most shocking police shootings as "Sean Bell Way."

Bell, 23, was killed in a fusillade of 50 police bullets Nov. 25, 2006, just hours before his scheduled wedding. The shooting erupted on Liverpool St., near the Kalua Cabaret in Jamaica, where Bell's bachelor party was held.

Police said Bell was armed, but no weapon was ever found. Three detectives were acquitted of state charges last year, but a federal civil rights investigation is continuing. Also still pending is a civil damage suit against the city.

Can you believe the three "detectives were acquitted of state charges last year?" Can you believe how the friends and relatives of Sean Bell appear in that picture with the mayor? I can't.

Wikipedia links the Sean Bell killing with another famous one, Amadou Bailo Diallo, which took place a few years earlier.

[He was]a 23-year-old Guinean immigrant in New York City who was shot and killed on February 4, 1999 by four New York City Police Department plain-clothed officers: Sean Carroll, Richard Murphy, Edward McMellon and Kenneth Boss. The four officers fired a total of 41 rounds. The shooting took place at 1157 Wheeler Avenue in the Soundview section of The Bronx. The four were part of the now-defunct Street Crimes Unit. All four officers were acquitted at trial in Albany, New York.

Diallo was unarmed at the time of the shooting, and a firestorm of controversy erupted subsequent to the event as the circumstances of the shooting prompted outrage both within and outside New York City. Issues such as police brutality, racial profiling, and contagious shooting were central to the ensuing controversy.

What's your opinion? Are these incidents infrequent enough that they should be considered the price we have to pay for a safer New York City? Do you think this is part of the deal, that the cops are asked to go out there and clean things up with the promise of immunity when things go wrong? Is this the Giuliani legacy being carried on by Bloomberg?

Do you think the fault for this extends beyond the officers themselves who are doing the shooting? Do you think the Mayor and the city and the judges and juries should share in the blame?

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

Detroit Shooting - 3 Dead, 1 Wounded

The Chicago Tribune reports on the terrible shooting that took place in Detroit.

Three people were fatally shot and another wounded when two men opened fire at a house on the city's east side.

Police haven't determined a motive, but Deputy Chief James Tolbert tells The Detroit News that Monday night's attack was planned.

Spokesman John Roach tells the Detroit Free Press that two men, ages 24 and 33, and a 35-year-old woman were shot fatally in the head. A 37-year-old man from Macomb County's Harrison Township was shot several times before reporting the shootings about 9 p.m. He is hospitalized in critical condition.

Police describe one suspect as a thin man with a goatee who was carrying two handguns. The second suspect is described as a man with a heavy build. Both fled in a white Dodge Charger with Florida license plates.

Do you think that man with the goatee was holding the gun sideways and that's why he didn't kill the third guy? What happens when these guys fire two handguns simultaneously, holding both of them sideways? Do you think the recoil causes the upper barrels of the guns to meet and thereby steadies the shots?

The Florida license plate is the real clue. Obviously, the guns and the shooters came from gun-happy Florida to do their business in slightly-less-gun-happy Michigan.

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

California Man Shoots Sea Lion

The NewYork Times reports on the fisherman who shot a sea lion.

YUBA CITY, Calif. (AP) -- A Sacramento fisherman accused of shooting a sea lion in the head has pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of cruelty to animals.

Larry Legans, 43, entered the plea Monday in a Sutter County courtroom.

Authorities say Legans fired his shotgun at the sea lion along the Sacramento River because he was tired of watching the protected animals take his fish.

The 300-to-500-pound animal was spotted with a gunshot wound on a dock in Sacramento on Nov. 11. Authorities say they arrested Legans after a fisherman reported seeing him shoot the sea lion.

The animal is recovering at the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, where officials say its condition has stabilized. It could eventually be released back into the wild.

In California, where they have the strictest gun control laws in the country, according to the Brady Campaign, are fishermen allowed to have shotguns with them at the river bank? Are shotguns exempted from all the rules and regulations?

More importantly, I wonder how common this kind of behavior is. He sounds like one of those guys who shouldn't have a gun in the first place. What do you think?

Please leave a comment.

Barack Obama Comes to Save the Day

I've recently become quite disillusioned and reverted back to my cynicism of old concerning the President, but I can admit when I'm wrong. This guy is fantastic.

Bayonetta Has Everything

She's got that body, that hair, and man does she have guns.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Andrew Madoff has a Gun Permit

The Gothamist reports on the latest news on young Andy Madoff.

The Post reports that Andrew Madoff, the 43-year-old son of Ponzi schemer Bernard Madoff, "applied for a license to keep a handgun in his swanky Upper East Side pad more than six months ago -- and his name appears on NYPD and state police lists of approved permit holders." Is he trying to keep up with those alleged Goldman Sachs employees who are packing heat these days?

The Post questions this decision, because Madoff got into an argument with a former employee of his father's firm and the two men ended up in an "entertaining" "bitch fight" on a Upper East Side street earlier this year. A Post source says, "I would think that if the license division knew about that, they would suspend his permit immediately"—because the NYPD "commonly gives them to those with clean records and no history of mental or substance problems"— but, hey, no one was arrested!

The NYPD claims Madoff's application wasn't approved, but the State Police, which gets its info from NYC, says that he appears on the "roster of license holders." Well, at any rate, he is being sued for taking $60 million in ill-gotten gains and can't find work, so this gun kerfuffle is the least of his worries.

What's your opinion? Are the strict gun laws in New York discriminatory against poorer people? That's the inference whenever they talk about the Goldman Sachs guys having gun permits isn't it?

Do you think the Madoff sons could have been innocent of the crimes their father was convicted of and yet have acquired so much of the money? Does that make sense? Maybe the old man made a deal that his family members not be charged criminally, what do you think?

What about that fight Andy Madoff had been involved in? Should something like that disqualify a person from having a gun? What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

The Meteor Man

Thespec.com has a report on a professional meteorite hunter from Portland Oregon.

Rob Wesel recently tracked down the Grimsby space rock, which he's now putting up for sale on the Internet. He says it's unlikely that he'll get back the money he spent on the cross-continent adventure he took to find the 14.5 gram stone.

He figures he'll be lucky to get $2,500 toward a trip that cost twice that for him and a buddy. He's more hoping to trade his gem for a type of meteorite he's missing in his collection of several hundred.

Meteorites frequently fall to the earth, but seldom with as much excitement as the one in Grimsby. It's rare to have video footage of one in the air. The Grimsby meteorite also gave a glimpse at the world of space rock chasers who will passionately fly off to places where meteorites have been reported.

"I liken it to the folks who go tornado chasing, only we get to keep the tornado at the end of the day," said Wesel.

I couldn't help thinking that some of our blog friends like Joe Huffman and Linoge might like to play their beloved word substitution game with this story. It could be fun.

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

2009 Murders in New York City

The New York Times reports on the declining number of murders and other violent crime in the city.

There were days upon days in New York City when not a single person was murdered in 2009. Two such stretches, in February and March, lasted nearly a week each.

There were some pockets of the city where homicide was a singular occurrence: 12 of the city’s 77 police precincts, in locations as varied as Hamilton Heights, in Upper Manhattan, and Park Slope, Brooklyn, had logged one each through Sunday.

The story line of murder in New York is one that has been undergoing constant revision since 1963, when the Police Department began tracking homicides in a way that officials now deem reliable. (Before then, homicides were not counted until they were solved.) There have been rises — the number peaked at 2,245 in 1990 — and subsequent falls. But there have never been as few homicides as this year.

The city is on track, for the second time in three years, to have the fewest homicides in a 12-month period since the current record keeping system began. As of Sunday, there had been 461; the record low was in 2007, when there were 496 for the entire year.

Just like there's shared responsibility when things go wrong, in cases like this where things improve, there's shared credit. Mayor Bloomfield certainly deserves his share. Of course there are many factors, but decreasing gun availability is one of them.

Curbing gun use is linked to lowering the homicide rate, officials said, and Mr. Kelly lauded the mayor’s effort to stop illegal guns from flowing into New York, saying 90 percent of the guns that are confiscated after they are used in crimes come from out of state. He also cited the department’s program of questioning and frisking some people on the streets as a “lifesaving” strategy that had led to the seizure of 7,000 weapons this year, including 800 guns.

“We have a policy of engagement, and I think it’s working,” Mr. Kelly said. “We believe young people who may have a gun think twice before they take it out on the street.”

What's your opinion? Is New York City becoming safer and safer? Is it now the safest big city in America, as we read in another report recently?

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

Shared Responsibility in the Delta Terror Attack

Crooks and Liars posted a fascinating video in which Rep. Pete Hoekstra told Fox News' Chris Wallace Sunday that it is "fair" to hold the Obama administration responsible for the a failure to detect an attempted terror attack. Friday, Hoekstra told the Detroit Free Press that the Obama administration needed to "connect the dots."

Now, I'm all for the idea of shared responsibility, but this doesn't seem to be a case of it. Hoekstra explained that the reason the Obama administration should be held responsible is because they've stopped using the work "terrorist." This has somehow allowed our collective guard to be lowered and a near tragedy resulted in Detroit.

Here's what John Amato has to say about it.

What depths will these conservative hacks sink to as they attack President Obama? For what I have no idea. Hoekstra hasn't even been briefed on the attacks, but he has his talking points ready. Does he also hold Bush and Cheney accountable for the 9/11 attacks, the anthrax attacks and the shoe bomber attack? That would have been a proper follow up question from Chris Wallace, but that would never happen. And since no one was hurt in the newest try unlike what happened under Bush, Hoekstra should be praising Obama.

What's your opinion? Do you think Representative Hoekstra would go for my theory about legitimate gun owners being partly responsible for the gun problems in America? Is it right for him to blame Obama?

Please leave a comment.

DGU by 81-Year-Old Man

The Sacramento Bee reported on this defensive gun use.

An 81-year-old man being robbed inside his Sacramento home Saturday evening scared off his assailants when he fired several shots, police said.

Sacramento police spokesman Sgt. Norm Leong said two black men in their 20s asked to use the phone at the victim's home in the 6000 block of Hollyhurst Way shortly before 6:40 p.m.

When they were inside the house, the robbers pulled a gun on the victim and proceeded to rob the place, Leong said.

However, at some point they left the victim in a room where he kept a gun. The victim fired a few rounds through a door, which caused the robbers to flee, Leong said.

Authorities said the victim, believed to be by himself during the robbery, was not hurt.

It was unclear if he hit either of the robbers, police said.

No other description of the suspects was provided.

That's a wonderful story of a very lucky senior citizen. But most remarkable is the rarity of this type of incident during the holidays. I've read literally scores of headlines about Christmas Eve and Christmas Day shootings. Every major city was represented as well as many smaller ones.

Some say it's disproportionate because of the bias of the main stream media. Others say it's simply that violent misuse of guns makes for more sensational headlines. I don't believe either one of those explanations.

Some people rightly point out that many DGUs require only brandishing of the weapon and result in no reporting of the incident at all. This is offset by the violent misuse of weapons that don't result in shots fired but are nevertheless criminal.

For me it continually becomes clearer. True DGUs are rare in comparison to gun violence.

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

Gun Trafficking Prevention Act of 2009

On the web site of U.S. Senator from New York, Kristen Gillibrand, there's a wonderful explanation of the recently proposed Gun Trafficking Prevention Act of 2009.

A new measure aimed at eliminating the steady flow of illegal guns into New York is being advanced by U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Rep. Carolyn McCarthy who point out that nearly 90 percent of the guns used in gun crimes in New York City come from out of state, and approximately 90 percent of these guns are illegal.

Uh-oh, here we go with the 90% claims again. Do you think in this case the phrase "nearly 90% of the guns used in gun crimes in New York City come from out of state, and approximately 90 percent of these guns are illegal," will stand up to criticism? To me it doesn't seem couched in tricky language like the more famous claim that "90% of the guns traced in Mexico came from the U.S." What do you think?

By creating more options and providing flexibility for prosecutors and judges, we increase the tools that are available for prosecutors in the federal criminal justice system to appropriately crack down on individuals who are engaged in every aspect of gun trafficking.

I often hear the complaint that laws like this are unnecessary because the things they legislate are already illegal. This one, however does call for longer prison sentences for gun trafficking as well as increasing the focus on criminal gun dealers.

What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.

Gun Laws in India

Meri News ran a story about the history of gun laws in India. What I found fascinating besides the Indian-English style of writing is the similarity of the arguments to those in the United States.

After putting an end to mutiny of 1857, British viceroy Lord Lytton (1874 -1880), brought into existence the Indian Arms Act, 1878(11 of 1878);an act which, exempted Europeans and ensured that no Indian could possess a weapon of any description unless the British masters considered him a "LOYAL" subject of the British Empire. Father of Nation M.K.Gandhi referring to Arms Act of 1878 remarked "Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the act of depriving a whole nation of arms, as the blackest" (page 238, My Experiment with Truth, M K Gandhi).

After a lengthy description of modern laws which have left the Indian people disarmed still, the author presents these ideas.

Many may say,'What difference will possessing arms make?'. The right answer to this question could be perfectly answered by ones logical mind. On 26/11, even if 10% of the crowd at Taj Hotel beared arms, there wouldnt have been a human slaughter! The simple reason being atleast 50% of the 10% arms owner would have had the guts to shoot-down the terrorist. It has been one complete year for 26/11 event and still our Indian Government are busy requesting quotations from foreign arms manufacturers.

Although we have a few "well-known" shooters in India (on state/national level) only a few make it to the Internationals. Why? The reason being stringent gun laws. Today, if a professional shooter is to import a "air-gun" , he/she has to go through the whole officials hierarchy just to acquire the permission ! Believe it or not , Indian made "air-guns" are good for level 0-1 only , ammunition and shooting range charges excluded . If one decides to take the shooting sport professionally , he/she has to think it twice (from money/time aspect).

It has always been talked about guns affecting the crime rate of a country, but never ever has it been thought, to take an effective action on illegal arms trade, which in turn will reduce the crime rate itself. A fact never known to the law abiding comman man, is that, these criminals posses pistols/revolvers which are as sophisticated as a .44 magnum, whose one bullet is sufficient to take down a 85kg healthy man. Whereas our Indian police use the same old Service Revolvers/Pistols , which malfunction when they are needed the most!

Legally armed citizen, in fact can help government to curb the crime and fight militancy.There have been many instance in country where citizens snatched weapons from criminals/terrorists and foiled their designs thus preventing loss of life and property. In one such incident,reported from Jammu and Kashmir, a girl not only killed one militant commander but also scared others to run for their life without doing any harm to her family.These results can be optimized by helping these citizens getting armed with adequate knowledge and arms as they have full right to protect their life and property,after all they are law abiding citizens of this country.

Fascinating, isn't it? What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.