Those Evil Capitalists Demand Profit

LexisNexis News - Doomed GM plant is nation's most productive. Gloom and despair about a company that loses money on every item they manufacture closing plants. With a loss of more than a 1000 bucks on every car built, GM has to do something. (You're not going to make it up in volume. Especially not if you're Ford.)

You wonder where the money is going...

Ford lost an average of $5,234 on every North American-produced vehicle, according to the Harbour study, while GM lost $1,436 and Chrysler lost $1,072. Meanwhile, Japanese automaker Nissan earned a pretax profit of $1,575 for each North American vehicle, while Honda earned $1,368 and Toyota, $1,266.

It isn't enough to be productive, you have to be profitable. This is apparently something that the US automotive industry (the home-grown portion anyway) hasn't learned since the 1970s.

Green? No, it's about logistics

The Army Goes Green - Popular Mechanics The Army isn't interested in being green. They are interested in reducing their need for fuel, and still get the job done.A 20% reduction in fuel needs is not to be sneezed at. Not when it works

But a heavy-duty, military grade truck needs something beefier than an upscaled Prius drive train, so Oshkosh developed what it calls ProPulse technology: A diesel engine powers an electric generator, which then powers motors mounted directly to the wheels, powering the vehicle in much the same way as a diesel-electric locomotive.

No batteries, but ultra-capacitors, for storing energy during breaking.

And when you get to your destination, you have the ability to generate power (for hospitals, air control, whatever.) The A3 still hauls 13 tons, as its predecessors did, and can get to 65 MPH on gravel roads. Not to trashy.

The Army may not be interested in green, but eventually the trucking companies will come looking for that 20% savings. Not sure why they haven't already.

Don't Follow the Rules, Tragedy Results

New Haven Register - Cop shoots daughter, thinking she's a burglar The numbers of the rules change, depending on who is counting, but with the NRA it is rule 4.

Know your target and what is beyond.
Be absolutely sure you have identified your target beyond any doubt. Equally important, be aware of the area beyond your target. This means observing your prospective area of fire before you shoot. Never fire in a direction in which there are people or any other potential for mishap. Think first. Shoot second.

You never shoot into the shadows, you never shoot at a noise. It is a good way to shoot a family member. New Haven police Officer Eric Scott found that out the hard way.

He heard a noise and saw something in the shadows, and shot.

The cop in question shot his own 18-year-old daughter. She had snuck out of the house to meet her boyfriend.

If you ignore the rules-of-the-road while driving, bad things will happen. If you ignore the rules-of-gun-safety while handling firearms, bad things will happen. In both cases it is the fault of the individual, not the machine, if and when bad things happen.

The daughter had surgery, and is in critical but stable condition. [KABA]

You might think a government closing an independent media outlet is a bad thing

Hugo Chavez versus RCTV - Los Angeles Times Not if you work for the Los Angles Times. To read their story, it is a testament to Chavez's generosity that he didn't act sooner.

VENEZUELAN President Hugo Chavez's refusal to renew the license of Radio Caracas Television might seem to justify fears that Chavez is crushing free speech and eliminating any voices critical of him. [My emphasis - ZDeb]

You might think that way, but you would be wrong. (At least according to the LA Slimes, who apparently never met a Communist they didn't like.)

But the case of RCTV — like most things involving Chavez — has been caught up in a web of misinformation. While one side of the story is getting headlines around the world, the other is barely heard.

Now Chavez isn't done. He is targeting another independent media outlet. He has, "has opened an investigation into the remaining opposition station, Globovision." No doubt the folks at the LA Slimes believe that is justified as well.

The naked truth is that Hugo Chavez has had himself appointed dictator (excuse me he can create law by "decree"), but the tender sensibilities of the staff at the LA Times (and I am sure at many of its sister papers) can't admit that he is a died-in-the-wool dictator. After all, Cindy Sheehan, Jimmy Carter, and a few other patron saints of the Left have all spent time praising this idiot. To attack him now would be to cast aspersions on the character and sanity of these folks.

Rule one of dictatorship - silence the opposition. Chavez is doing exactly that.

Oleg Volk and 1000 words

A response to the "uncovered meat" statement. Just go look at the image.

Good Guys 2, Bad Guys 0

Clerk at store kills teen armed robber - The Clarion-Ledger Well, two bad guys are still on the run, but even so....

A 17-year-old Jackson resident was killed and a 16-year-old wounded in the armed robbery of a convenience store early Sunday.
...
The two were among four males who entered the Super 7 Gas convenience store at 4564 Bullard St., armed with handguns and shotguns, and tried to rob the business, according to the Jackson Police Department.

The Brady Bunch will call this "two teens tragically shot" because they don't care that the teens in question were committing armed robbery and were shot in lawful self-defense.

According to JPD, the four entered the store, located on the northeast corner of Boling and Bullard streets about 1:15 a.m. Two were carrying pistols, and two were carrying shotguns. There were two clerks and no customers in the store at the time.

There was a struggle between one of the clerks and two of the suspects, according to police, and the clerk was able to wrest the pistol away from one of the robbers. The suspects tried to flee. One of the clerks then fired a large-caliber handgun, hitting [the two robbers.]

The clerk has not been charged.

One was declared dead at the scene. One has been hospitalized. Two are on the run.

Self-defense in Tennessee

TriCities.com - News - UPDATE: Police give details in justifiable shooting Self-defense works against an armed (and trained) intruder.

Local and state investigators said this weekend’s shooting death of a Tennessee National Guardsman was done in self defense.

The shooting happened early Sunday morning at a home on Dexter Gouge Road in the Limestone Cove area of Unicoi County. They say the homeowner was defending himself when a man pushed himself into the home holding a gun.

Self-defense is not only a human right, in Tennessee it is your legal right as well.

Things Did Not Go Entirely According to Plan...

The plan included turning the key, hitting the starter, and having the engine on the boat turn over. Nada, zilch, nothing.

After much swearing and a few replaced electrical connections, the solenoid would click, but the starter was toast.

So after a day of feeling sorry for myself, the starter came off with relative ease, and the first thing in the morning I will be taking the starter and the alternator (had to take it off to even see the starter) to be tested/rebuilt.

Boat = a hole in the water that you pour money into.... (At least it doesn't look like this will invoke BOAT = Break Out Another Thousand.)

Hope everybody had a happy Memorial Day!

A Smack-down on the UN

How could I resist? This disaster exposes the myth of the UN's moral authority | St Opinion | Opinion | Telegraph While aid is being delivered to countries hit by tsunami, United Nations' officials are frustrated.

The Daily Telegraph last week described the frustration of in-country UN officials who found they had nothing to do as the Americans, Australians, Indonesians, and Malaysians flew missions.

This is a good review of the problems of the UN, why the Left loves it, and what really needs to be done to make it work (or what it should be replaced with.) Go take a look. [via NRA-ILA]

Defend Yourself in South Africa, Face Charges

Elderly couple hit back: South Africa: News: News24 In South Africa, the authorities apparently don't believe that you have the right to defend yourself.

Cape Town - An elderly couple overpowered a burglar in their house in Proteaville, shot him in the stomach and hit him over the head with a set of exercise weights.

He was hit once with the weights. Once he was down and not a threat, they called for help. And he was a threat, the elderly man had to be treated at the hospital for his injuries.

All of this notwithstanding, the tyranny government of South Africa is hoping to put this old man in jail.

Police spokesperson captain Fienie Nimb confirmed the incident.

She said a "case of attempted murder was also being investigated against the elderly man".

Restraining Order Did Not Stop Attack

Crash into ex's car brings trip to jail - NJ.com Thankfully no one was killed or severely injured, but it was no thanks to a restraining order.

BRIDGETON -- A Taylor Street man is behind bars after he crashed his pickup truck into his ex-girlfriend's car on North Laurel Street Wednesday afternoon, then approached her and a police officer with a knife.

He is charged with many things, including contempt for violation of the restraining order.

While no one died, it is important to note that the restraining order did not restrain the attacker. If you believe that you need a restraining order, you also need a plan for your personal safety and your families' safety.

Armed Citizen Stops Home Invasion

FayObserver.com - Soldier kills home intruder

A Fort Bragg soldier shot a 16-year-old intruder to death in his apartment early Wednesday, stopping an apparent home invasion.

The soldier and his wife were asleep when the dead guy kicked in the back door. The soldier "grabbed a gun from the nightstand."

One home invader is dead - a teenager that the Brady Bunch will only call "a child shot." That the child was involved in a home invasion is not important to the anti-gun crowd.

Three accomplices are in custody. (Though bail has been set.)

The father of the dead guy has surprising response.

[The father] said Wednesday afternoon that he hoped his son’s death would have a life-changing effect on others.

“We have choices, and those we hang with have choices,” he said. “It’s sad that tragedy has to strike in such a way for our youth to see that running around and hanging out with the hip people doesn’t amount to anything.”

The article ends with the obligatory "teary-eyed students." I hope the counseling that will take place a the local high school will include a simple warning. If you break into enough homes, you will meet an armed homeowner. "Enough" may be only 1.

Tennessee Gets "Stand Your Ground"

Hawkins County Online: Bredesen signs Castle Doctrine bill

NASHVILLE - Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen has signed into law “Castle Doctrine” bill (HB 1907), legislation supporters say brings common sense self-defense protections to law-abiding Tennesseans.

The law "allows an individual to use force to protect him or herself wherever they have a legal right to be." It passed the Tennessee legislature with unanimous support in both houses.

Robber Ran When Confronted

wltx.com | Suspect Pulls Gun on Clerk, Clerk Pulls Gun on Suspect One sight of an armed citizen sends would-be robber heading for the exits.

On the surveillance video, the suspect can be heard asking for cigarettes, then demanding the clerk to "give me the (expletive) money." The clerk responded, in part, by saying, "I'll shoot your (expletive)."

He ran like the a rabbit - or a gutless coward. They don't expect to face problems and don't want to face problems.

Self-defense is a human right.

Mary Cheney Has a Son

The Swamp - Chicago Tribune - For the Cheneys: It's a boy

Samuel David Cheney was born yesterday at eight pounds and six ounces. He is the sixth grandchild of Vice President Dick Cheney. And he is the firstborn son of Mary Cheney, an AOL executive, who plans to raise the boy with her longtime partner, Heather Poe.

That should really be the end of the story, but of course it isn't. Vice President Cheney believes that marriage should be regulated by the states, but the administration does not. (It is funny how Republicans clamor for limited government, except when they don't like the directions certain states take.)

When Wolf Blitzer tried to get the VP to bring his family into a political discussion about what families "should" look like, he said,

I'm delighted I'm about to have a sixth grandchild, Wolf, and obviously think the world of both of my daughters and all of my grandchildren. And I think, frankly, you're out of line with that question.

Good for him.

It points up the fact that in America today we seem to think that if you support one candidate (or one President) you necessarily support ALL of that candidate's (or President's) position on everything. That is naive at best. I held my noise and voted for Clinton twice - not because I liked him, but because the Republican choices were awful - both times. I think most voters are selecting the lesser of evils in the polling place, unless they just out and out hate one candidate.

Anyway, I applaud the Vice President for keeping his family as much out of the maelstrom as possible, and a wish Ms Cheney and Ms. Poe the best of luck raising their son.

Good Guys 5, Bad Guys 0

What would you do if faced with one goblin with a baseball bat and another with a gun? DETROIT: Man with unloaded gun killed by victim The goblin with the unloaded gun met a citizen with a loaded gun.

A robbery and crime spree aided by an unloaded gun came to a halt late Thursday when the gunman met more than his match: a gun with bullets.

After several robberies and one failed car-jacking the gang of miscreants tried to car-jack the wrong person.

Later, police said, the robbers saw a man at a Detroit car wash and tried to carjack him. The one approached with the unloaded gun and the other wielded a baseball bat, police said.

The guy with the unloaded gun was pronounced dead a local hospital. His friends were detained at the hospital and face armed robbery charges. The group arrested includes a "17-year-old Detroit female, 16-year-old Southfield boy, a 19-year-old Southfield man, and a 20-year-old Detroit man."

The Brady Bunch will count this as a child shot. They count everyone under the age of 21 as a child. The fact that most people consider 18-years to be an adult doesn't interest them. (If he had survived the injury, he would have been charged as an adult.) They also don't care that he was shot while committing felony robbery, and probably assault as well. They don't like to clutter the issue with facts.

As far as the man who shot the goblin goes,

Detroit police are calling it self-defense.

The police merely noted that he had a valid permit for carrying a concealed weapon, and gave his gun back to him.

Self-defense is a human right. [Hat tip to Keep and Bear Arms.]

Smoked Goblin? Aisle 5

WREG-TV Memphis - Pharmacist Shoots Would-be Robber I love a story with a happy ending.

Police say around 3pm, the suspect, 26-year-old Jeremy Johnson, walked in with a gun. Police say Johnson then told a pharmacist behind the counter to get down on the ground, and ordered another to get him drugs.

But pharmacist Susan Burns was having none of that.

Somehow, Burns pulled a gun from behind the counter and fired. Police say the last time a robber came in, that robber had stuck a gun to her head. This robber didn't get far.

Some are calling Burns a hero. The goblin? Recovering from a gunshot wound in a local hospital.

Good Guys 1, Bad Guys 0. Self-defense is a human right.

Dr. Condoleezza Rice

Rice resists Pakistani PM's "gigolo charm": report - Yahoo! News She is just great.

This is a wonderful story (via the Capt'n) that has Dr Rice putting a stupid-f&%k in his place. Pakistan's Prime Minister thought he could seduce any woman. He was wrong.

By the end of the meeting, he was babbling. The Pakistanis were shifting uncomfortably. And his voice visibly changed.

And as Captain Ed points out, aside from being funny as hell....

It did serve one purpose -- to remind Pakistan that we consider women as equals, not as chattel to be deceived and seduced. It also added an amusing anecdote to an already-impressive career. At least this Secretary of State knows better than to dance with megalomaniacs and self-important twits.

Condi in 2012!

Cops Behaving Badly

Armed police swoop on fancy dress cowgirls with toy guns | the Daily Mail Clearly these are desperate criminals are warrant a response by police - including helicopters and K-9 units. (Click the image for better view of these desperadoes.)

Not surprisingly, 19-year-olds Fatima Rupp and Holly Spedding surrendered without a fight in the stand-off outside a Tesco supermarket.

I don't know who is a bigger bunch of idiots.... the people who called the police or the police themselves. Of course this was in the UK, where everyone is insane I think... at least where guns are concerned. [Thanks to Bitter]

A Crisis in a Teapot

What an exercise in media bias! Foreclosure crisis looms: South Florida Sun-Sentinel After a few paragraphs about cancer patients losing their homes over medical bills - they aren't as they declared bankruptcy and will keep their homes - and a treasure trove of those horrible evil bankers, we finally get to the meat of the problem.

People who secured adjustable loans found out that they couldn't afford the monthly payments once interest rates rose.

Oh, so you didn't understand the contract you signed. Why did you sign it? Real Estate and the associated lending are two of the most heavily regulated industries in America. I guarantee those mortgage documents spelled out how the rates would change, what index would be used, how much the rate could change in a given year and whether or not negative amortization was possible under the loan. I know because I have had adjustable mortgages.

I have said it before, and I will say it again. If you cannot afford a given home with a 15-year standard mortgage, you can't afford the home and need to look at something more modest. Given that, there are reasons to not take the 15-year loan. It should still remain the yardstick you use. (And I'm not sure you should sign an adjustable rate mortgage when EVERYONE is saying that interest rates have to rise.)

Oh, I realize there are people in homes today that couldn't afford them without going to a 30-year loan. That just means you can't afford your house, not really. You bought the absolutely most expensive house you could qualify for. Why? It means you are probably not saving for you kids' college education, your retirement, a rainy day, etc. You probably have no investments outside of an under-funded 401K plan - heavily weighted toward your employer's stock. I will also guess that you have too much car insurance, and not enough life insurance. (Especially if you have kids.) That describes most Americans today.

If you signed up for loans that you don't understand, that isn't my fault and it isn't the real estate agents fault and it isn't the bankers' fault. It is your fault. NEVER sign a contract you don't understand. If you don't understand that kind of thing, hire a lawyer to explain for you. If you still don't understand don't sign.

But don't claim that the banks cheated you - or got you to sign things you didn't understand. It isn't their job to make you understand. It is YOUR responsibility to understand. Have you ever heard the phrase, "responsible adult?" No, I didn't think so.

I expect to see legislation later this year asking me to bail out these "poor unsuspecting" dolts who signed up for loans that they can't afford. Why else have a crisis, if you aren't going to have a government funded solution?

Here are some other clues. Pay cash for everything except real estate. Yes, you can pay cash for a car. Start today, by paying yourself 350 dollars a month - or whatever you think is reasonable. In 5 years, you will be able to pay cash - this will let you get the car for less money. Continue to make payments to yourself - you might want another car in 5 years time. (Don't even ask me about the insanity of buying new cars... do you really want to pay 5000 bucks for being the first person to drive it off the lot?)

You really want to pay cash for furniture, electronics, (toys in general) etc. Just about everything. These things are not assets. When they are tied to credit they are liabilities (this is true of your house as well). Lose your job, and they will bury you.

The bleeding hearts - like the author of this story - don't believe that anyone except the evil bankers are responsible for this "crisis." Get over it. Banks made bad loans, and they will pay for it. Don't expect me to pay for it.

Good Guys 1, Bad Guys 0

Democrat & Chronicle: City shop owner wounds intruder Robber gets shot when he "came at" the store owner.

The story recounts three similar self-defense shootings where the person defending themselves was not charged. Police of course are still investigating.

The goblin in this case is in the hospital with a bullet lodged in his hip.

A Conspiracy of Silence

The racial killings that were ignored by the press - Media Criticized Over Tenn. Slayings: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance It was impossible to get good information about the brutal murder of Channon Christian, a 21-year-old University of Tennessee student, and her 23-year-old boyfriend Christopher Newsom until just recently. Rumors were everywhere, but apparently some of the officials are dispelling the worst of them.

But the simple facts are bad enough. Two young white people were murdered by five young black people. This story wasn't interesting enough to the mainstream media to even get a bit of coverage. Compare this to the media rush to judgment over the Duke lacrosse case. Why was this not reported?

Christian and Newsom were last seen Jan. 6. They were carjacked as they were leaving a friend's apartment. Newsom's shot and burned body was found the next day along the railroad tracks, and Christian's corpse was discovered two days later in a trash can at a house rented by one of the defendants. Both had been sexually assaulted. Household cleaner had been poured in her mouth to remove evidence, according to court records.

The authorities have no indication that this is a hate crime. I wonder if that would that have stopped them from calling this a hate crime if the races of the victims were black and the murders white.

But whatever determination is made there, it is sad that the media decided the American public didn't need to know about this case.

Fraternal Order of Police and Bloomberg

News Item Mr Bloomberg is engaging in a campaign of lies.

The campaign to repeal the "Tiahrt amendment" has enlisted police chiefs and organizations which represent them an used them to claim that the prohibitions on the use of the firearms trace data is hampering local and State efforts to combat illegal firearms and several have gone so far as to say that ATF refuses to share the firearms trace data with law enforcement agencies pursuing a criminal investigation. Neither of these claims are true, but chiefs have little choice but to support the political position of their mayors at whose pleasure they serve. [Emphasis in the original]

But who is surprised about the fact that politicians and anti-gun fanatics lie?

System Refuses to Protect, Refuses to Allow Self-defense

Protection Disorder | News | The Stranger, Seattle's Only Newspaper This is an interesting take on a recent tragedy at the University of Washington. Unfortunately, it is a story that is all too common - a woman killed by an ex-boyfriend who refused to get over it.

It actually deals with a woman - still alive - at the University of Washington, who is having similar problems to those that ended up killing Rebecca Griego. This woman has applied to the University of Washington Police Department for protection. Her request has been denied.

So the police have refused to protect her, and the State of Washington (and the University) refuse to allow her to protect herself. They deny her the means of an effective defense anyway, as possession of guns on campus is forbidden to staff and students.

Indeed, Wittmier—referring to this woman's request—told The Stranger, "to be able to make that happen, we'd have to be able to double or triple our workforce. The numbers aren't there." And this is exactly what UWPD told her. The woman, whom we're keeping anonymous for obvious reasons, says UWPD told her that her ex-boyfriend didn't present an immediate danger and that "they couldn't provide an escort" because "they [were] really understaffed."

So if you find yourself in a similar situation (at most university campuses nationwide and specifically at UW), you are on your own, without the means to defend yourself.

And as for the status of the "gun-free zone," Rebecca Griego was shot. Yeah, I can see how the gun-free zone helped.

Gay Man Killed for Existing

Anti-Gay Death Punch Killer Arrested / Queerty Are you a target just for existing? Some of us are.

A skin-head (he looks like one to me - judge for yourself there is a photo with the story) punches a gay man who falls backwards and hits his head on the pavement. He dies later in the hospital from head trauma.

Now I don't personally believe in the death penalty. Life in prison - I think - is a much worse penalty, especially for an 18-year-old. But whatever I think, South Carolina does believe in the death penalty, so this guy could face it. (Not sure if it rises to level of special circumstances....)

What SC doesn't have is a hate crimes law. What more could SC do aside from the death penalty or putting this monster away for a very long time? I don't know. But the usual suspects are going on about the lack of a hate crime provision.

Hate crimes are another thing I have a problem with. Punish the deed, the act.

Was this crime motivated by hate? Probably.

It sure sounds like a hate crime to us. But, who knows? Maybe Moller said something like, "Die, you fucking maggot!" Unlikely, but possible...

God that makes me angry!

Angry enough to come back - for a while.

The screaming liberal - who owns a shotgun - who claims he doesn't want to take my guns away. Who exactly wants to take my guns away. Who claims that because he has a shotgun he is a "friend to the second amendment" but claims that the 2A is all about militias and hunting.

I managed to stay in my seat until he got in my face. (I am tall, he is not.)

OK, so the insanity on the Right drives me crazy. The "I have nothing against gays, as long as they don't aspire to any kind of equality" crowd makes me want to blow chunks.

But the Left is still more of an immediate threat to rights. The Right will come around in time. (Moses and the Israelites had to wonder through the desert for 40 years before the could reach the Promised Land, because they had to wait for all the old farts to die off.)

Hated the Castle Doctrine - no reason, just believed it was subjective.

Didn't want to be bothered with FBI reports on the number of times someone could be shot and still present a threat. I mean, be fair, who wants to clutter the issue with facts?

The End of the First Amendment

cbs2chicago.com - Girls Charged With Hate Crime For Anti-Gay Fliers Think "Hate Speech" laws aren't a threat to Free Speech. Read this.

An Armed CItizen in the Right Place

Bessemer bank customer praised for helping halt gunman | TimesDaily.com | Times Daily | Florence, AL He didn't stop the guy - the police did that. But he stopped the guy from making a quick getaway. While the bank robber was deciding what to do about the armed citizen in the parking lot, the police showed up.

But Isn't Japan a "Gun-free Zone?"

Man 'shoots four and takes hostage' Apparently not....

A man allegedly shot and wounded four people and is holding a woman hostage at his home in central Japan, police said.

Wonder how he got a gun into a gun-free zone.

Fini

Tennessee to get Castle Doctrine (and then some)

Bill expands self-defense situations - Nashville, Tennessee - Friday, 05/04/07 - Tennessean.com Not quite the complete stand your ground package, but it is enough to make the Brady Bunch cringe.

Another bill will also make it illegal (at the state level - it already is at the national level) for state or local authorities to confiscate weapons - al la New Orleans and Katrina.

Way to go Volunteers!

Goblin Shot with Own Gun

Would-be robber shot with own gun - Nashville, Tennessee - Tennessean.com A 77-year-old man was not about to be a hostage in a robbery.

The man, in his 20s, walked into the Stop-N-Shop, 5100 Indiana Ave., around 6:30 p.m. with a pistol and aimed it at the elderly customer with the intent of robbing the market, Metro Capt. Richard Foley said.


The older man tried to take the gun away from the would-be robber, and during the struggle, the younger man was shot in the upper leg.

The young punk will face a "host of charges" when he gets out of the hospital. (He is in critical condition.) He will also have to explain how a 77-year-old did him in.

The older gentleman will face no charges. Self-defense is a human right. Good Guys 1, Bad Guys 0.

France Rejects Socialism, Leftists Turn To Violence

Sarkozy wins French vote, pledges change - Yahoo! News Well I almost wasn't ready to believe this was going to happen, but France has elected a "conservative."

I use quotes, because quite frankly I don't know how conservative Nicolas Sarkozy is. That he is conservative relative to Socialists - well, he does envision work more than handouts ruling the way society is organized. (When has anything by hard work amounted to anything?) It sounds like he has a good vision.

However, Sarkozy, the son of a Hungarian immigrant, has made clear he wants to be a more pro-active and radical leader than Chirac, promising to loosen rigid labor laws, trim fat from the public service, cut taxes and wage war on unemployment.

"The French people ... have chosen to break with the ideas and habits of the past. I will thus rehabilitate work, authority, morality, respect, merit," said Sarkozy.

We'll have to see if the labor unions manage to derail that vision.

How did the Left react?

Sporadic violence flared in a number of French cities after his emphatic victory was flashed on television screens.

Typical disregard for electoral politics (that don't go their way).

Can't wait to see the spin doctors go to work and tell us why this is really a win for the US Dems.

Oh, and that violence?

Thousands of extra police were drafted in to patrol sensitive suburbs on Sunday and there were skirmishes between leftist sympathizers and police in Paris, Toulouse and Lyon.

Police said a number of cars were also set alight in suburbs around Paris, but there were no exact figures.

Skirmishes with police because your candidate lost? That will surely convince the population you are the people to lead the country.

[Update - I like Beth's take on the Sarkozy win: Royal Flush.]

Somehow I Missed This

[Oregon] Senate approves domestic partnerships - OregonLive.com: Politics Updates So Oregon makes one more state that OKs domestic partnerships. (Can't call it marriage, that would offend the tender sensibilities of the tender sensibility crowd.)

Gee... 10 states plus DC, and a parcel of foreign countries.... I bet you can just feel the sanctity seeping out of your marriage. I mean, that is what everyone is always going on about, how gay marriage would destroy straight marriage....

If Fred Phelps was dead, he would be spinning in his grave.

75-year-old Versus 2 Thugs

Good thing she had a gun. KSWO, Lawton, OK- Wichita Falls, TX: News, Weather, Sports. ABC, 24/7, Telemundo - Pistol packin' grandma stops robbery attempt at her liquor store And of course the completely annoying headline.... journalists.

When 2 masked men approached her liquor store, she knew something was going to happen.

O'Keeffe says it happened very quick. She could see out of the window from her register, saw the two guys walk by, and by the time they got to the door, she had a surprise for them.

"I said, 'Oh my God he's going to rob me. What do I do?' I get up. I grab my gun and I point it at the door. He came in and I said, 'Get out or I'll shoot'."

She wasn't joking. That was all the two masked men needed to see. O'Keeffe says they immediately high-tailed it out the door and ran away through the alley.

No shots fired; no one injured. And best of all, no crime committed.

The Left Threatens Violence When It Can't Win on Merit

France's Sarkozy attacks Royal for "riot" warning - washingtonpost.com That is what the "warning" about riots is all about. The socialists are losing. So instead of making a rational argument, they warn of riots. Who would be rioting? The Left.

"This warlike language is the negation of basic democratic rules," [conservative candidate] Sarkozy said. "No doubt it's because she's demoralised," he added. Royal trailed by 10 points in the last polls published on Friday ahead of a pre-vote embargo.

Segolene Royal must wish she had a group of thugs to install her in office regardless of the outcome of the vote.

The Left is that part of the political spectrum that embraced "the end justifies the means." Some things haven't changed.

84-year-old versus 23-year-old: Good thing there was a gun

WRDW - CrimeTeam12 - Homeowner thankful for Stand Your Ground law Georgia has a Castle Doctrine law, so the homeowner, 84-year-old Frank Sams, a WWII veteran, will likely not be charged for shooting Lakashia Walker when she broke into his garage.

Ms. Walker is in critical condition at a local hospital.

Again, I wish someone on the Left would explain how the old or the infirm are to defend themselves against the young and the violent without access to firearms. (Maybe they are supposed to run away.)

Good Guys 1, Bad Guys 0. Self-defense is not only a human right, in Georgia it appears to be your legal right as well.

The Truth about Semi-automatic Weapons

Nicely done! Thanks to the Liberty Belles for pointing it out.

It's a Secret

And you get extra extra credit if you can guess (or you know) where this image came from originally (not Digg!)

Washington DC - Protecting the Criminals at the Expense of the Law-abiding

Gun Ownership Becoming a Capital Idea A nice look at what the District fails to do to protect the law-abiding and what it does to protect the criminals. [via NRA-ILA]

It isn't my SUV after all

Experts target rice as climate culprit - Boston.com I can't wait for the "No Blood for Rice" slogans... or whatever.

Methane emissions from flooded rice paddies contribute to global warming just as coal-fired power plants, automobile exhausts and other sources do with the carbon dioxide they spew into the atmosphere.

In fact, the report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change meeting this week in Bangkok concludes that rice production was a main cause of rising methane emissions in the 20th century. It calls for better controls.

And here I was going to have a burrito (with rice) for lunch. [via Bitter via Ken]

The Arrogance of Attorneys (and Judges)

Lawsuit aims to take couple to the cleaners | Chicago Tribune If a dry-cleaners lost a pair of your pants, you might ask them to pay the replacement cost. But not if you were a lawyer or a judge.

Pearson asked the cleaners for the full price of the suit: more than $1,000.

But a week later, the Chungs said the pants had been found and refused to pay. Pearson said those were not his pants, and decided to sue.

Manning said the cleaners have made three settlement offers to Pearson: $3,000, then $4,600, then $12,000.

Not happy with 12 times return ($12,000 for a $1000 suit) this judge, Roy Pearson Jr., sued for $65 million.

The arrogance of attorneys (and judges) is incredible.

Calls for him to be disbarred and removed from the bench are everywhere. No one has started calling for tar and feathers, but personally I think that would be a better lesson to people who file insane lawsuits (no pun intended).

The owners of the dry-cleaners, are a bit upset.

Jin Nam Chung, Ki Chung and their son, Soo Chung, are considering moving back to Seoul.

Good to see that the lawyers and judges in DC are looking out for the little guy. (Yes, this is more lunacy from Washington.)

DA Really Really Wanted to Prosecute Self-defense

Murder Charges Dropped Against Kings Mountain Woman - Charlotte News Story - WSOC Charlotte Feeling, no doubt that self-defense is bad, Cleveland's DA tried from November until today (yesterday?) to decide that a women beaten by her husband might have a need to defend herself.

Her attorney spoke with Eyewitness News in November and said his client was the victim of domestic abuse and was protecting herself. Photos taken the day after her arrest show Weaver with swollen eyes and bruised arms.

But the DA has to be "tough on crime," and it is much easier to prosecute a battered spouse than it is to fight against gangs.

Shouldn't this rate more than a warning?

US FDA urges young adult warning on antidepressants: Scientific American

Warnings on antidepressant drugs should be expanded to say the risks of suicidal thoughts and behavior extend to adults ages 18 to 24, U.S. health officials said on Wednesday.

I'm just asking.

Greenhouse Hillary

Hillary Wings West: Three Private Jets in 24 Hours I love the fact that she first sent an empty jet to wait for her, and then decided it wasn't good enough for her.

Someone will say that she has all of those Carbon Offsets.

A Reasonable Fear

“NBC Augusta - Suspected Intruder Dies After Being Shot By South Augusta Homeowner Several of the man's guns had been stolen, so when the burglar came back into the home, the homeowner believed he was armed.

Investigators say they believe he was acting in self-defense, but it's still early in the investigation.

The intruder was identified as Erroll Royal. Royal died at an Augusta hospital a shot time after the shooting.

Of course in a state that has a reasonable version of the Castle Doctrine, the fact that a home invader is in your home constitutes a threat. (Any criminal in my home is a threat.)

Good Guys 1, Bad Guys 0. [Hat tip Cramer's Civ. Gun Def. Blog]

Texas Might Debate Campus Gun Bans

Campus gun ban has some foes In the wake of the Virgina Tech massacre, Texas is starting to have the debate about self-defense.

The usual suspects are opposed.

Lynn Rudloff, assistant professor of English, writing and rhetoric at St. Edward's University in Austin, said that allowing students and faculty to carry firearms would increase tension on campus.

How would allowing people to defend themselves make them more tense than the knowledge they are disarmed if maniac shows up on campus? Well she's an expert on guns and tension - comes with the University Professor title - so the reporter saw no need to clarify her remarks. (Bias? I don't see any bias. Move along...)

More sensible heads are on the campus.

Stephen Sheftall, a 21-year-old junior at Texas State University-San Marcos who is in the process of obtaining a license to carry a concealed weapon, said he would carry his gun to class if it were legal.

"We already have laws in place that seem to fail to protect students," Sheftall said. "I would much rather stop a crazed gunman than watch students get gunned down."

Some politicians agree and expect to introduce legislation ... eventually.

Still the really interesting thing is this statement.

Texas is one of 16 states that ban concealed weapons on college and university campuses.

Does anyone know if this is correct, and if so which states allow it and which don't? I know Florida does NOT allow concealed carry on college campuses. [h/t NRA-ILA]

Amazing - a newspaper that CAN tell the criminals from the victims

Huntsville homeowner kills intruder - Breaking News from The Huntsville Times Usually anyone shot is called a victim - even when they were a criminal engaged in a violent crime. The Huntsville Times (Alabama) gets it right.

According to Huntsville police reports, a man was startled by a loud banging at his front door, and he and his roommate armed themselves and went to investigate. They discovered someone kicking in the front door, and one of the offenders was shot and killed as he entered the residence with a pistol in his hands.

One standard-issue urban goblin was shot and killed. The other ran away.

Good Guys 1, Bad Guys 0. Self-defense is a human right.

Pardon My Dust

OK it is time to do some long overdue housekeeping.... items will appear and disappear for a few days. Posts are below.

Please be patient.

If there is something wrong (or something your just can't stand) let me know by leaving a comment.

If Someone Was Being Kidnapped, What Would You Do?

York Dispatch - 17-year-old Dallastown student says he's proud he helped woman in attack If you're 17-year-old, Junior ROTC member Travis VanKuren, you go help.

"She looked over at me and started screaming for help," VanKuren said. The woman also screamed "help" at two other people in the parking lot who looked at her and walked away.

VanKuren didn't.

Instead, he decided to help, and police say what the 17-year-old did next saved a 42-year-old Manchester Township woman from a man who was impersonating a police officer and intended to kidnap and rape her.

He didn't tackle the guy, he just calmly walked over to him. When the goblin realized he had problems he tried to take the woman's SUV. VanKuren wasn't having any of that, either.

"I asked him: 'Sir, give me the lady's keys back,'" VanKuren said. "My heart was pounding a bit. I was scared because I didn't know what he'd do. But he looked just as scared as I was."

The goblin dropped the keys and walked away. Police caught up with him a little later.

The goblin is charged with attempted rape, attempted involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, attempted kidnapping, impersonating a public servant and then some.

The good guys came out on top this time, thanks to an honorable 17-year-old.

What were those other people - the ones who just ignored a woman's screams for help - thinking? They couldn't be bothered to call 911? Why they really had to get into to the Wal-Mart (or get home)? Kitty Genovese must be spinning in her grave. We have not learned what civilization demands of us. Or as Ben Franklin said, "We must all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately." You don't want to wish bad things on anyone, even those spineless wonders that ignored this situation, but I do hope they are haunted by thoughts of what might have happened if they were the ones screaming for help, while people just walked on by. The bad guys only win, when we let them.

[Hat tip to Something... and Half of Something. And no, he isn't saluting in the photo.]