by Light Blogging Through The Weekend
The Complementary Spouse’s daughter is getting married on Saturday. Because of this, there will be very little blogging from now through the weekend.
We really like her husband-to-be and think they are a good match. He has just finished his master’s degree in athletic training and has accepted a position working full-time as the athletic trainer for a large high school. Notice I said “accepted a job” and “working full-time”!
To make it even better, his dad is a gunnie who has been active in shooting high power rifle competitively. He and I have a great time talking guns when we get together.
So please join me in wishing the future Mr. and Mrs. Jeremy Miller a long, happy, and prosperous life together.
Tactical Is Cool But Damned Expensive
A company called Kitanica has these cool tactical shorts out. The model Xl.A is shown below.
The shorts also come in other colors such as olive, sage green, and black.
And how much do these cool Kitanica Xl.A pants cost? How about $107!!
By contrast, a nice pair of either Columbia or Carhartt cargo shorts costs about $25 at Cabelas. If you really want to be fancy you can get the UnderArmour Safari Cargo shorts for $55.
Jeez, for that price they must think you are some sort of government contracting officer to be able to spend that much.
H/T SoldierSystems.
Bob Morrison Of Taurus Responds To Felipe Calderon
Bob Morrison, like Ronnie Barrett, is none too thrilled by comments of Mexican President Felipe Calderon concerning the U.S. firearms industry. He was interviewed by Cam Edwards of NRA News about Calderon’s comments.
Ronnie Barrett Responds To Felipe Calderon
Cam Edwards interviewed Ronnie Barrett, NRA Board Member and head of Barrett Firearms, on the claims by Mexican President Felipe Calderon that the American gun industry is responsible for thousands of deaths in Mexico.
UPDATE: Welcome visitors from SteveQuayle.com. If you’d like to know more about Operation Fast and Furious or the ATF’s involvement in gun-running to Mexico, I have plenty of posts on it. Just do a search on “Project Gunwalker”.
NC: One Signature Away From Having The Castle Doctrine
With the State House voting 80 to 39 to concur with the State Senate version of HB 650, the State of North Carolina is just one signature away from being protected by the Castle Doctrine.
HB 650 has been ordered engrossed and sent to Gov. Bev Perdue for her signature. I have not heard any comments that would seem to indicate she plans to veto the bill. I hope she doesn’t forget she was endorsed by the NRA when she ran for Governor in 2008.
Sean at An NC Gun Blog has more on the bill and the vote. Thanks to him we have the vote which has not yet been reported on the General Assembly site.
UPDATE: WRAL is reporting that Perdue could well sign HB 650.
But other bills are likely to get a warmer reception, and Pearson said H650 Amend Various Gun Laws/Castle Doctrine might be among them. “As you know, the Governor is a lifetime NRA member,” Pearson said. “She understands and supports gun rights. She’ll have to read it carefully, of course, but she tends to be pretty moderate on guns.”
You sure wish that Perdue’s media person Chrissy Pearson would differentiate between “lifetime NRA member” and NRA Life Member.
UPDATE II: Below is how the State House voted on the motion to concur (that is, pass) with the Senate version of HB 650.
Ayes
Democrats: Alexander, K.; Brisson; Crawford; Earle; Faison; Graham; Hill; Lucas; McGuirt; McLawhorn; Spear; Wilkins; Wray
Republicans: Avila; Barnhart; Blackwell; Blust; Boles; Bradley; Brawley; Brown, L.; Brown, R.; Brubaker; Burr; Cleveland; Collins; Cook; Current; Daughtry; Dixon; Dockham; Dollar; Faircloth; Folwell; Frye; Gillespie; Guice; Hager; Hastings; Hilton; Hollo; Holloway; Horn; Howard; Hurley; Iler; Ingle; Johnson; Jones; Jordan; Justice; Killian; Langdon; LaRoque; Lewis; McCormick; McElraft; McGee; McGrady; Mills; Moffitt; Moore, T.; Murry; Pridgen; Randleman; Rhyne; Sager; Samuelson; Sanderson; Setzer; Shepard; Stam; Starnes; Steen; Stevens; Stone; Tillis (SPEAKER); Torbett; Warren, H.; West
Noes
Democrats: Adams; Alexander, M.; Bell; Bordsen; Brandon; Bryant; Carney; Cotham; Farmer-Butterfield; Fisher; Floyd; Gill; Glazier; Goodman; Hackney; Haire; Hall; Hamilton; Harrison; Insko; Jackson; Jeffus; Keever; Luebke; Martin; Michaux; Mobley; Moore, R.; Owens; Parfitt; Parmon; Pierce; Rapp; Ross; Tolson; Wainwright; Warren, E.; Weiss; Womble
Republicans: None
Excused: McComas (R)
The only thing that stands out about this vote is that Speaker Tom Tillis did vote on this bill. He has only voted 92 times out of a possible 1179 votes. This is not due to being a slacker but the tradition that the Speaker only votes on critical issues. I’m glad to see that he wanted to go on record as being for the amending the various firearms laws and, more importantly, the Castle Doctrine.
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer Is Not Pleased With ATF
Arizona Governor Jan Brewer (R-AZ) released a statement yesterday after listening to the Operation Fast and Furious hearings. She is not a happy camper – nor should she be given the impact of Project Gunwalker on her state.
Statement by Governor Jan Brewer
Federal Operation Fast and Furious placed Arizonans at risk
“I am outraged by findings in a new Congressional report that alleges federal agents were instructed to stand aside and do nothing as up to 2,000 weapons were illegally purchased in Arizona and resold. In many cases, the end result appears to have been the arming of violent drug cartels south of the border.
“During Operation Fast and Furious in 2010, according to this report, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms were ordered to simply track these „straw buyer‟ weapons sales but not intervene. Longtime federal agents have now testified before Congress that allowing these weapons to leave the premises, a practice generally known as „gun walking,‟ was a marked departure from accepted law enforcement practices.
“ATF agents lost track of many of these weapons, including assault weapons and .50 caliber sniper rifles. A significant number undoubtedly found their way to Mexican drug cartels. Tragically, two AK-47s traced back to Operation Fast and Furious later turned up at the crime scene near Rio Rico, Arizona, where Arizona Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry was murdered by bandits. Authorities are still looking for the murder weapon.
“If the allegations contained in this Congressional report are accurate, then Operation Fast and Furious endangered the lives of innocent people on both sides of the border. The people of Arizona deserve answers from the Department of Justice and ATF as to how this could have been sanctioned, let alone encouraged. We may never know how many weapons illegally sold as part of this operation later turned up at a crime scene. But the connection between this failed federal operation and the death of Border Patrol Agent Terry is clear. The Congressional report puts it best: „The death of Border Agent Brian Terry was likely a preventable tragedy.‟”
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