rhaig

You're right. I heartily disagree with them. The next time someone gets busted for trying to buy drugs or prostitutes, they should just say that they were engaging in speech, and are protected by the 1st Amendment. And that will make for either a very interesting judicial decision, or a very humorous one. -- Rob

while some of these situations might be questionable as to how they got the fines racked up, the arrests and jailings for non-payment don't sound anything like slavery to me (I only read the first few cases... if there is something more like slavery towards the bottom, I may recant later). I've been offered fine or a scheduled weekend in the county lockup (time vs money would have totaled about $9/hr). I paid the fine, but strongly considered the weekend. "Slavery" is a nice negative headline word. I still don't see how it applies. -- Rob

It really changes nothing. The house intel committee's proposal (which appears to be the one discussed in the first link) pushes the responsibility (and cost) of record retention to the phone companies, wouldn't require a warrant when they do request the records be transferred, and based on the analysis in the article from the guardian, actually allows the NSA to analyze more data. There aren't enough details on the administration's proposal to really know what it's impact is going to be, but it looks better (doesn't expand analysis scope, doesn't remove judicial approval, doesn't require data retention by the phone companies). -- Rob

And how can you legally buy a gun today without a background check? Through a face to face transaction, between two people who are not licensed firearms dealers. Some states require a background check for this, but it's nigh on impossible to enforce. The "internet sales should require a background check" comes from ignorance. A licensed firearms dealer will only send an online purchased firearm to another licensed firearms dealer who will then (as required by current law) execute a background check before transferring (with the appropriate ATF paperwork) to the purchaser. well... no. It's not. But that's not the discussion here. I've said it several times and heard it many times. Mental health and drug addiction are two of the problems behind violent crime. I find it humorous that the founder of MADD broke from the organization when it became filled with abolitionists and she ended up working for the liquor lobby. Both of which were supported by (at the time) "the VAST majority of people in the country" (to use your phrasing). We're a democracy right? Those two examples are perfect examples of how doing what the majority supports can be bad for civil liberties. -- Rob

So why bother with half measures? Instead of limitations on ownership, carry and capacity, why not just amend to counter the 2nd? I know my answer to that question, but I'm interested in yours. -- Rob

I'll save you a seat. Bring more cookies! -- Rob

yummy yummy fattening Satan crackers. -- Rob

Like? google is your friend http://www.examiner.com/article/1996-records-obama-supported-banning-all-guns-illinois The answer to that question was type written, and the rest of the questionnaire was filled out by hand in Obama's handwriting. Whether or not this was a staff error, it still sets down on paper that the campaign was for banning manufacture, sale, and possession of handguns. -- Rob

lighten up francis -- Rob

He's just changing the topic. Much like you do when you're wrong. -- Rob

so you teach physics and you didn't notice this was referring to rate of change? -- Rob

If I were a cop, this would be the perfect example of why I would hate serving no-knock warrants. http://www.kbtx.com/home/headlines/Man-Charged-With-Killing-Burleson-County-Deputy-No-Billed-by-Grand-Jury-243993261.html -- Rob

Bottom line is that homosexuality isn't considered a federally protected minority class (maybe it should be, that's a different discussion... though it would shut up a lot of stupid people if it were) so these laws really just reiterate that. -- Rob

this writeup has some summary, but also quotes (with links to originals) court documents that aren't dispited. http://minx.cc/?post=341684 I know there have been many versions of this reported in media. I don't know what was reported. This page: http://mediatrackers.org/florida/2013/07/16/no-marissa-alexanders-conviction-was-not-a-reverse-trayvon-martin-case-in-florida has a more detailed description, but fewer source links. -- Rob

In that case, today you learned why Marissa Alexander was found guilty once, and likely will be again. -- Rob

what would you say about someone who left the scene of an argument in a house, went into the garage, got a gun from their car, walked back into the house (past two unlocked doors) and fired a shot at (near?) their spouse (with children nearby), that shot striking the wall, going through the wall and lodging into the ceiling of the next room? All of this while violating a restraining order. -- Rob

Agreed. Revisionist history is bad in all cases. http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/09/18/School-Textbook-Changes-Constitution Textbooks should present facts, not opinions. -- Rob

you seem to know a lot about these prostitution ads... but anyway... I'm sure there are some that do face to face transactions with firearms that don't use a background check (these are perfectly legal transactions). There may even be some that ship firearms across state lines without using an FFL. I won't hazard a guess because I don't have enough information. My point is that there are already laws that make those transactions illegal. I don't care what FB does policy wise. That's their call. -- Rob

you don't believe transfers by licensed firearms dealers are "on the up and up"? And what would you change about the system to prevent that? (aside from not having the ATF tell them to sell to people that are suspected of trafficking weapons to Mexican drug lords) Or were you just not clear on what an FFL-sponsored transfer meant? -- Rob

Except maybe, you know, an enormous loophole in the laws requiring background checks. did you read the whole post or just the last line and then kneejerk reply? did you read the part about "FFL-sponsored transfers"? -- Rob

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psGFPRpWZ3w yup... all hype. -- Rob

The primary cause of death from handgun wound is blood loss. Major bleeding happens through there being a large wound channel. I don't see that this makes any larger a wound channel. It makes several small wound channels, so once again, it all comes down to shot placement. I'm with you. Gimmick marketing. Likely overpriced, under-reliable, and certainly unproven. -- Rob

right here. It's too easy to convert EBT benefits into cash. There was a dust-up here in Austin about EBT cards paying for strippers. While I'll applaud ingenuity, if they have money for strippers (or ammunition), they shouldn't need the EBT card. -- Rob

both reliable pistols. Slightly different grip angles. That's a point of preference. I shot a glock and loved it. Then I shot a 1911 and got used to that grip angle. Then my glock wasn't as comfortable. The XD series (in my opinion) is a better fit for me. I've got through this discussion several times. Really it comes down to capacity, recoil management, and penetration. With modern expanding ammo, over-penetration isn't as much an issue (which is the argument you hear from 9mm detractors). Penetration numbers I've seen for 9mm, .40 and .45ACP put .40 in last place at 10-11 inches (where many consider 12" to be the 'magic number'). The one-shot-stop discussion between the 3 calibers gives .45ACP the advantage, but only by about 2%. This difference can be cast out when you come to capacity discussion where .45ACP loses. 9mm actually beat out .40 in one shot stops by a negligible number. Pistol rounds cause damage to a body almost exclusively in the wound channel. For this reason, expanding ammo is a must for a defensive purpose. The difference in this aspect between 9mm and .40 is 0.02". Don't go with .40 for power or penetration. The difference isn't there in the numbers. It comes down to shot placement, recoil management, and capacity. You WILL have to unload multiple shots if you ever have to use your weapon in self defense. Expect that. Train that way. Control is as much a training issue as it is a weapon design issue. All of the above said, I carry a 1911 in .45ACP. It's what I've trained with and what I'm comfortable with. I am shopping for a 9mm though. I'm looking hard at the springfields. -- Rob

Well if we're talking about violating laws, sure. You could do that. Even fairly easy to construct one at home. -- Rob