Make Room, Make Room!

At 7:16 p.m. ET on Saturday, the population here on this good Earth hit 6.5 billion people, according to projections. Anyone for jello?

Standing with Denmark

To whom is an apology owed?

In my view, VP Cheney needs to apologize to;

1. Mr. Whittington and his immediate family.
2. His host, Ms. Armstrong, for the upset and publicity.
3. To GWB for the ruckus.
4. And to the Hunting-community at-large for his carelessness.

Beyond that, what is there to apologize publicly-for? You apologize to those "sinned against". The Public has not been betrayed nor affected. And the MSM Press be damned!


UPDATE:
..." A report by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department says there were 29 hunting accidents, four of them fatal, in Texas in 2004. Ten of the 29 were self-inflicted, so there were just 19 reported incidents in all of Texas in which a hunter accidentally shot someone else. According to the Department, there were 1,091,178 hunting licenses sold in Texas in 2004.

Measured another way, the report says there were 2.7 hunting accidents per 100,000 licenses in 2004. To give some perspective on that number, there were 12.6 accidents per 100,000 licenses in 1966, 6.0 in 1976, 5.8 in 1986, and 3.1 in 1996 -- a steady decline over the years. A press release accompanying the Texas report describes the typical accident as very much like the one involving Vice President Dick Cheney:

The primary reason for Texas hunting accidents remains swinging on game outside a safe zone of fire. This happens when a person points a firearm at another hunter while following a moving target, such as a flying game bird. Hunter education teaches people to set up safe zones of fire where a gun can be safely pointed whether the target is moving or stationary. "Some statistics seem to defy stereotypical expectations," the release continues: "Most accidents do not happen under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Most of the people involved had more than 10 years of hunting experience. Most were in light to open cover with clear visibility in good weather. "....

"Errr, next time. Duck!"

Available here.

To be unarmed is to be dispised."

I'm a firm believer in self-defense firearms, and the equivalent responsibility to know how and when to use them. Buy a handgun and a shotgun, and learn how to use them both. If your in a "shall issue"-state, get a CCW-permit...even if you never intend to carry concealed, just get one. If your in a moral-backwater where they restrict your handgun-ownership, definitely buy a shotgun. And not one of those fancy things...a 20-inch 12-gauge pump will do nicely...think "Linda Hamilton's biceps". Load with Forster slugs or self-defense rounds, you can't control where buckshot will fly indoors...or through a window.

If your not mechanically inclined; buy a 4-inch .357 revolver (Ruger or S&W) and load it with .38-special self-defense rounds. Your gun-store's saleman will know what you want, and ask him if you can use hollow-points for self-defense. If not, buy self-defense roundnose or "expanding full-metal jackets". You don't need anything bigger, and anything smaller will only annoy your attacker. If your a tech-geek, buy a .40mm or a .45ACP (Glock, Ruger, S&W, Para, Springfield Colt, or other reputable compact semi-auto pistol). Anything smaller than 9mm will only get you killed. Think small and pocketable...your not holding off an army...don't be seduced by big, shiny and heavy guns with 12-17 round magazines. By the point you actually need that 7th or 8th-shot; your in more trouble than you handle. Again, load 2-magazines with self-defensive rounds...one stays in the gun, the other stays in the drawer unless you've practiced re-loading in the dark. And have a nice, fully-charged metal flashlight handy at-home. Maglites are great, strong, and have a comforting "heft" to them.

My own opinion is that pocket derringers, hunting rifles and military-style rifles have no-role in self-defense...it's not what they're designed for. The only rifle that works for self defense is a cowboy-style 20-inch lever-action in a handgun-caliber, loaded with self-defense rounds.

...And always carry a good 3-inch pocket-knife. Everyone should carry a pocket-knife. Just a simple folding buck-knife with a quality locking-blade; mine's on my keyring. Even a knife might buy you the few seconds needed to safely flee.



UPDATE: I would only add three things;

“Fill your hand, you son of a bitch!”. - Rooster Cogburn.

“Well, punk. Do you feel lucky?” - Harry Callahan.

“From my cold, dead hands…” - Charlton Heston, Pres., NRA.

Boehner as GOP House Leader

I’m afraid this dooms any meaningful attempts at real Congressional-behavior reform; and paves the way for St. Hillarybeast’s candidacyin 2008. Not that she’s assured the Presidency, but I think she’s a lock on the Democratic-nomination. And the GOP is going to lose the House in either 2006 or 2008. The GOP’s elected-leadership is too compromised and forsworn at this point to have any reformist legitimacy, despite the incompentence of the DNC and the Democratic Party Leadership.

The retention of Roy Blount as GOP House Whip merely reinforces that it will be business as usual in tha Halls of Congress...no meaningful reforms on lobbyists, no public shamings of pork, and no accountability for earmarks. While I’m not “shocked”, I am saddened that the elected-leadership of my party could be so parochial and blind to reality.

It’s a sad day. It’s merely a return to the ol' bipartisan “…everyone’s a crook but my guy, and he brings home the bacon to the District.”