I'd say that ratio is a bit skewed

From Say Uncle, I see the email campaign to show support for Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden, the sheriff that refused to book CCW carriers for carrying on campus has been very successful. Uncle got a form response that is wonderful to read but I'd like to highlight this point I have received 170 e-mails from all corners and coasts of the United States supporting my position. I haven’t had such a response since my Third Annual Politically Incorrect Christmas tree Decorating Party or the...

posted @ 2/26/2010 9:36:28 AM | Feedback (1)

Death by Instapundit

There's no doubt Glenn Reynolds can drive some major traffic to a web site. Not ever being the recipient of an Instalanche (ahem… LOOK! NANOBOTS!), I can't say exactly how much traffic it is, but from word of mouth it can be 10,000 hits in a day, which honestly, while impressive as far as eyeballs go, isn't really a lot of effort for even the most anemic of web servers. Which puzzles me to why so many of the sites he links to seem to be dead. My most famous post ever pulled in a few 10,000...

posted @ 2/25/2010 2:50:19 PM | Feedback (12)

Sharp as a Marble EXCLUSIVE – A first look at the new Taurus Pistol

Comes with optional heated seats and ambidextrous magazine release. Nice!

posted @ 2/25/2010 11:37:50 AM | Feedback (8)

Quote of the day

John Bergstrom (who I hate because he can draw well) you're all familiar with the broken clock that is right twice a day. ron paul is like a strange broken clock that is right 23 hours a day. then you get to some foreign policy midnight, and in stead of chiming, it barks and smears itself with poo. That's my issue with RP – I agree with the vast majority of his views, but then he goes off on near-truther level 9/11 stuff, speaks in isolationist foreign policy terms, and ruins the...

posted @ 2/25/2010 8:23:22 AM | Feedback (13)

You know what the difference is between a sniper rifle and a high powered hunting rifle is?

The target JEFFERSON COUNTY - Two students were shot at a middle school on Tuesday afternoon before teachers tackled a man with a high-powered rifle outside of the school. Authorities say the man is in custody, and one of the students is now in critical condition. Now, that must have been one of those high powered, semi-automatic assault rifles the Bradys collectively wet themselves over all the time, right? Authorities say Eastwood used a bolt-action, high-powered rifle. Ooh. Guess...

posted @ 2/24/2010 10:22:44 AM | Feedback (5)

More officers like this please

Colorado State University votes to make guns on campus illegal, even if you're a CCW holder The Colorado State University Board of Governors voted unanimously Tuesday to place students at both of its campuses in harm’s way with a sweeping weapons ban law-abiding citizens will obey and criminals will ignore. Larimer County Sheriff James Alderden, outraged by the ban, told The Gazette’s opinion department he will undermine it in the interest of student safety. … “I have told the CSU...

posted @ 2/24/2010 9:29:13 AM | Feedback (4)

Jeeeeeaaaaalous

Yes… Yes I am I wonder if this is anyone we know. If not, I'd like to friend them. Hat Tip Random Nuclear Strikes

posted @ 2/22/2010 7:28:42 PM | Feedback (6)

Allegedly

You know what really burns my ass? A 3' tall tiki-torch. You know what else burns my ass? The use of the word 'allegedly' used to describe piles of shit like the Ft. Hood Micro-Jihadist WASHINGTON - Army superiors were warned about the radicalization of Major Nidal Malik Hasan years before he allegedly massacred 13 soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas, but did not act in part because they valued the rare diversity of having a Muslim psychiatrist, military investigators wrote in previously...

posted @ 2/22/2010 12:35:17 PM | Feedback (15)

Hear that?

It's the sounds of billions of people shooting their way through National Parks today. Blood will run in the pine needles, Yogi Bear will be riddled full of holes while searching for picanick baskets, and Old Faithful will be used for target practice. At least, that's what some of the screeching from the anti-rights bigots sounds like. Update Apparently, it's a PSH holiday! Then that calls for one of these

posted @ 2/22/2010 9:50:21 AM | Feedback (2)

You want to see reasoned discourse?

THIS is reasoned discourse Hi Readers — Here’s another question that arrived in th email. It began, ”Can we talk about gunplay for a few minutes?” Happily, by “gunplay” they writer didn’t mean, “What’s the upside of random shootings?” But rather, “Is it okay for kids to play around, pretending to shoot each other?” While it drives me crazy when one of my sons puts his hand up to his brother’s temple and pantomimes “Pow!”, I totally love it when they get out their Nerf guns and run...

posted @ 2/20/2010 12:44:40 PM | Feedback (2)

Is this thing on?

No… Apparently not.

posted @ 2/19/2010 1:55:23 PM | Feedback (9)

Open Carry prevents a robbery

Anecdotal, true, but a powerful one at that Matt Brannan and J.P. Mitchell were dining in the Wafflehouse on Barrett Parkway at I-575 in Kennesaw at 4:45 in the morning recently when a scout for an armed robbery crew entered the restaurant to case it. At the time, Matt and J.P. thought he looked a little suspicious, as he was wandering around the small restaurant like he was looking for someone. Unknown to Matt and J.P., two cars full of armed robbers where parked behind the...

posted @ 2/18/2010 7:12:38 PM | Feedback (12)

It's a disease that can strike anyone

It's called "The Crazies" and it doesn't limit itself to men, women, blacks, whites, Conservatives or Progressives (it does, however seem to affect a larger percentage of Greens than normal). Symptoms of "The Crazies" can be as mild as talking to your shoes for companionship to a more severe case that can include shooting up a school where you didn't get tenured, or turning yourself and a lightweight airplane into ballistic revenge against the IRS. Side effects include...

posted @ 2/18/2010 2:14:41 PM | Feedback (5)

Carol Bambery for NRA Board of Directors

Dave Hardy sent me this in an email I just got my ballot issue of the Amer. Rifleman. I’d greatly appreciate if you could mention the candidacy of Carol Bambery, of Michigan, and her webpage at http://www.carolbamberynra.com/ . There is much to be said for a director who carries twice the committee assignments of the average director, hunts whenever she can, and loves to shoot NFA weapons! Sounds like my kind of lady! Joe has oft quoted her, and she sounds like someone who deserves...

posted @ 2/18/2010 10:44:35 AM | Feedback (1)

A work in progress

My hair is a strange beast. On top of my head it's so thick, it gives scissors trouble, yet I'm not hairy at all. Growing facial hair is a slow, arduous process that involves weeks of looking scruffy. There are certain areas on my face that refuse to grow hair, and therefore my beard has been trimmed over the years to deal with this phenomena. I tried growing a moustache over a decade ago and gave up when I had my driver's license picture taken with it – and I looked like I would have a hard...

posted @ 2/16/2010 1:17:00 PM | Feedback (16)

Not a Gun Free Zone

Rather a Free Gun Zone Dayton police are looking for an officer-issued rifle missing that might have fallen off the roof of an officer’s car Sunday, Feb. 14, police said. … “The officer recalled placing it on the roof of his cruiser as he inspected and prepared his cruiser/equipment for his tour of duty,” Hess said. “We are looking into whether he drove off with it still on the roof or if it was taken from atop the roof.” An interesting thought – It was a patrol rifle, but when it...

posted @ 2/16/2010 9:46:38 AM | Feedback (7)

Some good news, some bad news

The good news is the GOP is looking at picking up even more seats as the Democrats abandon ship. The bad new is the GOP is looking at picking up even more seats as the Democrats abandon ship.

posted @ 2/16/2010 9:41:27 AM | Feedback (2)

Stick a fork in it

Anthropomorphic Global Warming is done. The science is unsettling, not settled. Even Phil 'hockey stick' Jones is saying that for the past 15 years there has been no ‘statistically significant’ warming. None. The sad thing is, while I'm not a climate scientist by any stretch of the imagination, this revelation has nothing new in it from my perspective. Ever since AGW has been a buzzword, I've realized we didn't have the right data, that there were too many stations near parking lots and air...

posted @ 2/14/2010 7:02:00 PM | Feedback (34)

An admission

I see things like this Up for sale is a Colt 1911 made in 1916. All original and in excellant condition. This is a piece of American history and only going up in value every year. And I feel nothing. Now, I'm not 1911 savvy enough to know if that's the real deal or not, but when it comes to collectibles or rare firearms, I couldn't give two shakes of your ass. I feel bad when I'm on #Gunblogger_Conspiracy IRC and people are discussing a great historical find at the gun show or...

posted @ 2/14/2010 6:54:19 PM | Feedback (16)

Quote of the day

From Jeff Soyer over the revelation from the lead AGW scientist that…well… there's probably not really any AGW Al Gore must be spinning in his private jet. That's Tam quality snark right there.

posted @ 2/14/2010 10:29:21 AM | Feedback (2)

That excuse didn't fly with the Germans

It doesn't fly here either SEATTLE - Three unarmed security guards were following orders last month when they stood by without intervening as a 15-year-old girl was badly beaten in a downtown Seattle bus tunnel. Emphasis mine. Just following orders? Excuse me? There is a 15 year old girl being beaten half to death and you're just going to stand there because you're afraid of getting reprimanded? Cowards. The standard meme applies here Police arrived minutes after the attack, and...

posted @ 2/13/2010 10:35:01 AM | Feedback (16)

Forget the Green police

I'm getting one of these Hat Tip Say Uncle, who apparently started the meme here.

posted @ 2/12/2010 3:25:37 PM | Feedback (24)

Sorry I've not posted anything today yet

I'm still shaken up over yesterday afternoon. For one reason or another, work had to cut me a physical check rather than direct deposit. Being that I now work within walking distance to my bank, the Mrs. requested that I simply drop by on my way home and deposit it. It was a very, very difficult time for me. I had to walk inside a bank. Me. Armed to the teeth in a place we're told where there's no need to carry weaponry. It took every last ounce of self control to override the Glock's...

posted @ 2/12/2010 1:46:53 PM | Feedback (5)

Doing the right thing

Reading about that horrible accident with a 50 BMG upper, I was reminded that Zel Custom Manufacturing recently had to recall some of the 50 BMG uppers they make. I emailed Michael Brendzel about them because I was curious to know more about the issue they were having. Michael was kind enough to respond We discovered that ours, too, could bind when (1) the bolt handle is threaded longer than nominal, (2) the bolt is narrower than nominal and (3) the operator overtightens the bolt handle...

posted @ 2/11/2010 8:16:36 PM | Feedback (0)

An amazing story from a gunshot survivor

Carteach has the full story, and it is a must read I was shot point blank in the chest Friday the 13th of July 2007, the bullet entered near the front edge of my left armpit about 4 in. to the left of my left nipple and about 2 in above it. The bullet traveled through my left lung destroying about 30% of it then the bullet nicked my aorta and heart sack it then ricocheted of of the inside front of my ribcage. It then tore through my diaphragm leaving a 3 in by 2 in hole in my diaphragm....

posted @ 2/11/2010 9:58:22 AM | Feedback (0)

An interesting look inside Berry's bullet making process

Not only do they make bullets, but they make prosthetic limbs and medical supplies. I love capitalism! Hat Tip The Firearm Blog

posted @ 2/11/2010 8:25:35 AM | Feedback (0)

Quote of the Day

Crazy homeless guy attacks lady. Cops show up and use a taser to no effect. Crazy guy charges cops. Cops decide to shoot. Breda makes a very, very salient point Clevelander Rita Ciofani's friends say she had dedicated her life to helping the poor and vulnerable. But as she lay dying, those sworn to protect and to serve used deadly force only to defend themselves. Tasers, pepper spray, and all other non-lethal weaponry may sound good on paper. Often enough, they're not effective. If we...

posted @ 2/10/2010 7:07:16 PM | Feedback (1)

Watch the splatter zone

Police: Man with weapons cache was preparing for 'Armageddon' Gregory D. Girard, 45, was arrested Tuesday night for allegedly storing approximately 20 weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunition. Sounds like the guy could be a bit on the loony side, but the report indicates he was arrested for simply having the weaponry. When I buy .22LR in bulk, $25 will net me around 1100 rounds. I still have 3/4 of a crate full of 7.62x54R sitting around. Thousands of rounds is child's play. ...

posted @ 2/10/2010 4:05:19 PM | Feedback (17)

Gays and guns

And why my support for the Second Amendment is so strong. Jeff Soyer writes It’s rare that I even bring up “gay issues” here, mostly because — and this might surprise you — I’m not all that interested in them. I have a gun. If someone wants to take issue with my being gay, I can present my own argument. You can swap out "gay" with practically any other description and it works the same If someone wants to take issue with my being a woman If someone wants to take issue...

posted @ 2/10/2010 10:58:48 AM | Feedback (4)

More on why we win

Remember that not too long ago I took a young college student to the range for her first trip? I just got this on my Facebook page I'm trying to get more information on this to blog about it, but think about it. Do you think UCF has a "Gun Banning Week", or a "Violate Constitutional Rights" week?

posted @ 2/10/2010 9:46:28 AM | Feedback (5)

Maths are HARD

Cheaper than Dirt explains Ballistic Coefficients. For many shooters, figuring out the ballistics of their rounds is akin to some arcane form of black magic. There are so many variables involved, and some of these variables have a much greater effect than others. Everyone is basically familiar with the effects of bullet weight and muzzle velocity, and a basic computation of your external ballistics and bullet trajectory can be computed using simple physics formulas that disregard...

posted @ 2/10/2010 9:34:36 AM | Feedback (0)

Obama news conference cancelled [Sharp as a Marble Exclusive]

Apparently Obama was supposed to give a conference condemning Sarah Palin's use of "Crib Notes" but was unable to attend when it was discovered that the teleprompter was not working properly.

posted @ 2/9/2010 4:02:27 PM | Feedback (6)

Dissent is the highest form of Terrorism

Over at Ace of Spades, I see this lovely gem from the White House In an oped in USA Today, John Brennan -- Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism -- responds to critics of the Obama administration's counterterrorism policies by saying "Politically motivated criticism and unfounded fear-mongering only serve the goals of al-Qaeda." Donning my tinfoil beanie, I go and read this The director of national...

posted @ 2/9/2010 1:03:19 PM | Feedback (6)

Ultra concealable weaponry

Scary that this stuff could easily be carried around on the street and nobody would be the wiser. Personally, I'm digging the shotgun / Kleenex combo. Hat tip Say Uncle

posted @ 2/9/2010 9:16:01 AM | Feedback (1)

Blog changes

I've been working out some legacy code from the Subtext days, trying to remove stuff that was cluttering up the code. I also made my feed standardized RSS 2.0 instead of the bastardized approach I had originally taken. If you're using an RSS reader, the feed location is http://blog.robballen.com/feed.rss and no longer http://blog.robballen.com/Rss.aspx. Please update your bookmarks appropriately. If you're having any issues, please let me know.

posted @ 2/9/2010 8:56:54 AM | Feedback (1)

Tactilite recall

From the Zel Custom website ... If you have a Tactilite T1 .50 BMG that has a bell-shaped handle with 3/16" threading and a roller (as shown below), there is the potential for an out of battery detonation and very serious injury, up to and including death. Do not fire your weapon and contact us immediately. We have found that some of these handles can be over-tightened so as to bind the firing pin. If you have a unit that fits this description, regardless of whether you have fired...

posted @ 2/9/2010 8:36:14 AM | Feedback (0)

A not so subtle jab?

I've always considered XKCD to be apolitical. The alt text to this comic though appears to be a jab at the Teleprompter Jesus. Maybe it's just my politics coloring my judgment though. Update – After reading it again, it's my political preferences coloring what I see. Knowing the author, he's more concerned about the failures of the process than Obama getting a shiny medal.

posted @ 2/8/2010 9:05:16 AM | Feedback (3)

DADT – Views from a socially conservative, politically liberal former Marine

This is always something that's hard for me to discuss in public because so many people are unable to segregate my personal feelings from my political views. I'm not gay. Never have been, don't think I'll ever really develop a hankerin' for trouser sausage. Many years ago, I was fairly homophobic. Didn't want to be around gays, didn't want them sashaying their gayness all over the place, didn't want them serving along side me in the Marine Corps (dear President Obama. It's pronounced mah-REEN...

posted @ 2/5/2010 9:48:07 AM | Feedback (12)

It's a good system, fundamental to freedom

There is no justice in breaking the law to ensure a conviction. Gene Weingarten tells his tale of police misconduct in the courtroom Last week I was a juror in the trial of a man accused of selling a $10 bag of heroin to an undercover police officer. At the end of the two days of testimony, I concluded that the defendant was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. I also concluded that he should be acquitted. Read the whole thing for all the details, but rest assured I would have been right...

posted @ 2/3/2010 8:01:01 PM | Feedback (14)

Most pathetic

Before I hurt my neck, I was on the treadmill on a fairly regular basis. I had managed to get a 3 mile run (with 1/4 mile warm up walk and a 1/4 mile cool down walk added on) without thinking I was going to keel over and die. Stopped doing it after my shoulder started hurting out of fear of damaging it. Then I found out it was my neck, and never got back on the damned thing. I did tonight. And a mile just about killed me. I'm also starting simple exercises like push ups and crunches. I don't...

posted @ 2/2/2010 8:59:40 PM | Feedback (13)

Talking trash and selling it like treasure

I can't get to the link over at GunPundit, so I'm going to have to base my perception on what Murdoc has posted. This is a comment about Open Carry in Michigan bewise wrote: I think only police, FBI, CIA, and whoever has to deal with secret documents or big amount of money, should be armed, and no body else. The reason I say that is based on a personal experience in Europe. I could have killed someone who kept half of the money from my job that he liked a lot, but saying that he was...

posted @ 2/1/2010 2:02:29 PM | Feedback (7)

Mass transit murder

If you really want to kill a lot of people you'll find a way A BUS dispatcher in northern China killed nine people and injured 11 others when he hijacked a company vehicle after a feud with his boss. The man, surnamed Zhang, got into a fight with his boss and injured him with a dagger before stealing the bus and driving away into the streets of the city of Tianjin, the official Xinhua news agency said. The 40-year-old motored through the streets, ramming into people and killing nine...

posted @ 2/1/2010 8:34:49 AM | Feedback (2)

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