Article on Fox News this morning regarding their new express lane entry into the state capitol. Just show your CHL permit and walk right in. This is how it should be!

Ruling on McDonald v. Chicago, SCOTUS incorporated the Second amendment under the 14th. Good news for gunnies! Full opinion is here.

There's was a story in the news yesterday about a religious militia in Michigan getting raided. It sounds like they were going to do some bad things, and got caught. Great, I'm all for locking them away.

The part of this that has me somewhat concerned are the multiple videos of them training posted all over the internet, which were picked up by the media. The good citizens of the United States were bludgeoned with scary video of armed and camouflaged men, who were not Soldiers, practicing things that Should Only Be Practiced by Soldiers.

Clearly, I'm a believer in civilian training. My concern stems from similar videos posted on the internet by reputable trainers. While you and I know that these are Good Guys, many will not be able to make the delineation. Guns have been largely off limit to politicians for a while, but civilian training would make a sweet target for the gun grabbers. It has me concerned.

aka, The 2010 Census.

Don't get me wrong - I'm completely on board with the Census for it's Constitutionally mandated purpose, and when my form arrives, I will cheerfully and willingly mark it "3", and return it.

Sorting through the mail today, I found an envelope boldly marked CENSUS, and I thought, "Great, it's here." Imagine my surprise when I opened said envelope, and found a letter reading "About one week from now, you will receive a 2010 Census form in the mail."

Really, Robert M. Groves, Director US Census Bureau? Wouldn't it have made more sense just to send me the form in the tax-payer funded first class envelope now relegated to my trash can? Wasn't the point of spending 2.5 Million dollars for 30 seconds of air time during that big football game so that I would know that you'd be sending me said form? And really, isn't the point of spending umpteen millions in tax dollars to fund public schools for the purpose of having children read the Constitution of the United States, so that they already know that the government is going to count them every 10 years?

Unbelievable.

I knew this case was being argued, but was not following closely. This quote is being passed around the web, and deserves it.

"Justice Sotomayor, States may have grown accustomed to violating the rights of American citizens, but that does not bootstrap those violations into something that is constitutional".

Alan Gura, Arguing before the Supreme Court on McDonald V. Chicago (pg 5)

It's probably because Barry-O has shut it down for your protection.

Happy August, folks. Finally got around to addressing the blog, publishing some long lost comments and such. It seems like a few folks have hung up their keyboards lately. (JR, Hermit? You guys out there?) I'm trying not to be one of them. I still want to keep this a topical blog, rather than a baby blog. No surprise, but that's where the bulk of my time has gone of late.

I realize I'm coming late to the discussion on folks open carrying their guns to town hall meetings & Obamacare protests, but since Bill Maher had his panties in a twist about it as recently as last night, I guess I'm not too far behind the curve. Y'all did catch the MSNBC hatchet job about racist guns owners, right? Anyway, I think armed protest is a good thing - that whole government fearing the people concept is a winner in my book.

Speaking of, how about Obamacare? If we socialize medicine here, where with the Canadians go for healthcare?

A neighbor recently acquired an M35, which looks pretty bad-ass. I've got absolutely no use for one, let alone any place to park it, but it does make me yearn slightly for a 10-ton truck. Maybe one day if I buy the dream ranch.

Lastly, I hope to start a tax stamp collection in the near future. I've got an unused AR-15 lower sitting around that is going to be my first SBR, and I'm trying to decide on caliber. I saw an 11" AR57 upper on sale recently that got me thinking that was a pretty slick setup. However, the more I read about the caliber, the less impressed I am. My thinking now is that I'd rather start with a 10.5" upper in 5.56, since that won't require any additional magazine or ammo stockpiling on my part. Any thoughts?

Breaking news, PA senator Arlen Specter to "become" a (D). No one is really that surprised.

... Only, not.

Remember the shock from earlier this week that His Royal Barryness treated the Queen of England as an equal?

Well check this out - Barry BOWS DOWN to the Saudi King. Unacceptable. I've changed my mind, this man is not my president. He does not represent ME on the world stage.

(H/T to Breda.)

Interesting, a bill to allow POTUS to "declare a cyber-security emergency and order the limitation or shutdown of Internet traffic to and from" the designated or private-sector system or network.

Bill Would Grant President Unprecedented Cyber-security Powers

The bill is reportedly vague as to what constitutes a critical for national security network, but I don't see it as a far stretch that "someone" would decide that "domestic terrorists" are communicating via sites like AR15.com or Zombie Squad, and orders them shutdown. Sounds like way too much un-Constitutional power to me. (I know, living document, founding fathers never envisioned, blah blah blah... Bullshit excuses.)

(H/T to Oleg)