Halloween

It's Halloween.........And I'm on call. My beeper is on my collar. 11:33 PM. So far so good. It's silent. Crossing my fingers............

Raw Hide & Bloody Bones

When I was a boy, around the campfires, ghost stories would be told. One, that was spoken of in hushed whispers was that of Raw Hide & Bloody Bones. I was always to young to hear this tale, or so I was told. Then, one night, I was old enough.....

Connectivity

Just a quick note in case you didn't know.........Comcast sucks. Of course AOL is always worse.

Perfect Me

Self Defense in New Jersey

Notice Brazwell firing on the run, one handed. Three shots, two hits, one dead criminal. There is no two handed Isoceles stance here. There is no time spent aligning sights. This is pure threat focused life preserving shooting.

Notice too, that Eugene Brazwell, even though shot in the ankle, persevered and lived. He survived this attempt on his life because he had a gun and he was not hesitant in using it, not because he had 911 on speed dial in his cellphone.

Wheelchair Self Defense

Dallas---When three men tried to force their way into a Dallas apartment, the partially disabled resident refused to be a target. According to reports, the man and his fiancée were sleeping when the woman heard a noise at the front door about 1:30 a.m. She went to investigate and was greeted by an armed man who forced his way into the apartment. She told police two other men stood just outside the door.

The man wheeled his way into the living room and wrestled with the armed intruder, police say. "This is a perfect case of somebody fighting for their own survival," Lt. Rick Rivas with the Dallas Police Department said. Detectives said during the scuffle, the gun went off and the intruder was shot. He was taken to Baylor Medical Center, where he later died.

"This is someone partially disabled in a wheelchair -- nothing should be taken for granted," Rivas said. Police said they are looking for the two other men, who ran away. Authorities believe the apartment was targeted because the man is disabled. No charges have been filed. Under the new Castle Law, homeowners have the legal right to defend their property and lives with deadly force.

Beth Wagner---CBS 11 News

Looks like it's time for someone else to buy a shotgun. I guess Rebecca Aguilar is out of luck in locating this victim.

A Shot in the Dark

Arthur Williams is 75 years old and blind, but still managed to shoot an intruder who broke into his southeast Gainesville home early Friday. Cevaughn Curtis Jr., 28, of Gainesville allegedly forced his way into Williams' home before being shot in the neck. Curtis was taken to Shands at the University of Florida and was listed in stable condition Friday afternoon.

Curtis came to Williams' door about 3 a.m. and asked to be let in, according to Gainesville police. When Williams refused, Curtis allegedly pushed his way into the house. Williams then fell back into a table, shattering a glass vase. "I don't know what he had in mind to do," Williams said when reached at his home Friday afternoon. "I had to stop him."

Williams said he keeps a .32-caliber revolver to protect himself. After warning the intruder, Williams shot in the man's direction. "I can hear - I backed up and I shot him," he said. "I knew I hit him when he fell." Williams, who had called 911 during the incident, then reported that he had shot the man.

Gainesville Police Lt. Anthony Ferrara said the first officers to arrive at the house found Curtis on the porch. "It appeared he tried to leave the house and collapsed on the porch," Ferrara said. "He had been shot in the left side of the neck." Ferrara said surgeons were trying to determine whether to attempt to remove the bullet or leave it in place because it was so close to Curtis' spine. An update on his status was unavailable late Friday.

Curtis was charged with burglary of an occupied residence and battery on a person over the age of 65, according to police. Florida Department of Corrections records show Curtis was released from state prison in January after serving time for battery. He was on probation for multiple counts of battery and for intimidating a witness.

Williams said he worries about criminal activity in the area, so he keeps his gun close at hand. "I keep my gun on me," he said. "That's my protection - I can't see."

By Nathan Crabbe and Karen Voyles---The Gainsville Sun

Gun Free Zones

Memorable Quotes

"Let’s keep this civil. Don’t call me Petey. Or I’ll have to shoot you."---Peter Hamm, spokesman for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence

Nursing Students

Nursing professionals often proclaim that nurses eat their own. Often this statement is said with such resignation that one would think nurses helpless in the advancement of their profession. Many people outside of the profession do not know how a nurse becomes a nurse. Yes, they attend classes, lots of difficult fast paced classes where the attrition rate is enormous. They also go to hospitals for "clinicals" to learn how to work with patients and view disease and healing first hand.

Inside the hospitals students are often treated like cheap labor by the staff nurses. They are frequently given the dirty, the foul and most nauseating work that must be done. Then the staff nurse goes on a long smoke break or gossips on the telephone. Nothing pisses me off more.

Every nurse, no matter how old and grey was once a nursing student. Nobody left the womb knowing this stuff, and they damned sure didn't learn it in kindergarten. When I am finished with my cases, I will sometimes cruise the floors looking for students. When I find one wondering what to do with a bedpan full of bloody crap, I show them. Then I locate their preceptor. I have absolutely no patience for this kind of abuse.

Nursing students are the future of nursing, and we all will be cared for by them if we last long enough. If we are to teach students to care, then we must first care for the students we teach. This is a simple notion totally lost on some of the asshats on the hospital floors. In medicine and nursing there is an idiom; See one, Do one, Teach one. This is not the same as Do one, Do another one, Watch your preceptor abandon you.

I will, about twice a year, have a class of students rotate through, to observe me work. Regardless of my case load and pace of operations, I take the time to educate. I try to involve the student in the process as much as possible, depending of course, on their level of learning.

I let students know it's OK to be queasy. We all were at one time. I let students know it's OK to want to run away, as long as you do not. I let students know it's OK to feel fear, to believe you are totally inadequate to the task at hand, as long as you step forward and learn how to accomplish the task. I let students know that nurses are not special, that we are not superhuman, that we have to learn and reaffirm our knowledge.....every day. It never stops.......Unless, of course, you are a know-it-all asshat who will never learn again.

We are all teachers. As nurses, we educate our patients whether we like it or not. We might educate them on taking charge of their health, or we might educate them that some nurses are rude, obnoxious and uncaring asses. When we have students on our units, we educate them as well. We teach them not only about our profession, but also how to teach others. If we do not teach them with our words and deeds, we will surely teach them with our attitudes of indifference.

So, if you are a nursing student, I apologize for the indifference and abuse you sometimes suffer from arrogant asses strutting around in scrubs. They may have a few letters behind their names and an ID tag on their shirt, but they are not what you have to become. They are not my colleagues, and they do not have to be yours. You are in charge of your destiny and the future of nursing. Learn all you can, and realize that the letters do not give you special powers. The knowledge and skills you acquire do. Those who would abuse you in clinicals are simply to insecure to teach you. They are the ones who retreated in their own clinicals, and they are retreating still.

If you are already a nurse, and if you have students aboard, make time for them. They are there for the same reasons you once were, because they give a damn about other people and they want to help them. I know you are busy. I know everything is late and falling apart. Teach them how to cope while making it better. Teach them how to be professional in the face of lunacy. Teach them how to teach. Teach them how to care. One day they will be caring for you, or someone you love.

My wife-mate had a surprise for me this morning........If you like great coffee, and are sick of Starbucks (what is that overpriced crap anyway?) talk to your grocer. It's been thirty years, but a Cajun classic is back.

Tank Additions

To Reef Tank:
Niger Trigger (Odonus Niger)

The Niger is one of the least aggressive triggerfishes, with beautiful wing-like dorsal and anal fins. It's profile is that of a shovel, and it's texture appears as though it's armored with rivets on it's scales. Their eyes move independently, and they grunt when excited, moving about the aquarium spitting small stones at other fish. To sleep, triggerfish lock themselves into empty barnacles and holes, using the first spines on their dorsal and anal fins.

Triggerfish are some of my favorite fish. They are naturally aggressive, and will quickly devastate a coral tank. It is precarious to keep more than one triggerfish in the same aquarium. Most cannot be kept with crustaceans, but I am hoping the Niger will leave my Coral Banded Shrimp alone. The aggressive nature of triggerfish, and my affinity for them is one of the primary reasons I maintain more than one saltwater aquarium.

Save Those Maks!

I understand the price of Makarovs may be on the rise.............

Of course, the TT33 is going up too......

Argument Clinic

Pawn Shop Circuit: Remington

I went by Neil's pawn shop this afternoon to check out his ordnance stock. There was nothing that interested me......He had a Taurus Raging Bull of some sort (I didn't even check the price), A HK USPc for $549, and a couple of S&W semi-automatic handguns. Neil also had an array of muzzle loader rifles and a few shotguns. It was disappointing to say the least. We talked a bit, and I ambled over to take a look at the tools. Standing in the corner was something I had thought about buying new. It was an electric pole saw.

A few years back, I was having a tree service cut a live oak in the back yard. Huge limbs were overhanging the roof, and after the last ice storm, i did not want to take any chances. It was my intent to be rid of the thing and grow grass. My wife, teary eyed and distraught convinced me to transform the old oak into a poodle tree. Over the past few years, limbs have been creeping ever closer to my roof again.

Realizing my folly in letting my wife keep the tree, but being unwilling to hire out a tree service again, i started shopping for something to keep the monster trimmed back annually. Here, in Neil's corner stood the answer for $49. To top it off, it was a Remington pole saw.

It looked to be pretty decent for the money, and Neil offered me his standard "If ya don't like it, bring it back" guarantee. Good enough for me. Fifty bucks later, I was loading it in the back of the Cherokee. Now, if I only have time to fire it up and try it out this weekend..........

Aguilar Speaks

Rebecca Aguilar, suspended Fox4 reporter and Broadcast Journalist of the Year award recipient of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists is telling her version of the ambush she executed on a private citizen who was twice forced to defend his life and property. If you would like to read endure her whining in it's entirety, you can find it here.

If you would like a few excerpts here goes..........

Her first brush with Walton came Monday morning (Oct. 15), but not on camera. Aguilar had covered the West Dallas salvage business owner's fatal shooting of a would-be burglar the previous night. He had sent another intruder to the hereafter just three weeks earlier. In each case, police confiscated his weapons but Walton likely won't be charged with any crimes. Texas law allows him to protect his property. That he did, although some might argue that his measures were unusually extreme.

Aguilar's story prompted a mild complaint from Walton, the reporter says. He called her at the station, but was mollified when she told him that her story said he had the legal right to literally take the law into his own hands. They talked further, Aguilar says, after Walton deemed the rest of her story "OK." Aguilar says he then added, "But "I'm mad at Channel 11. Those idiots had it all wrong."

"He was rather pleasant on the phone," she recalls, but also profane at times. They hooked up again the same day. Aguilar says that Walton again told her, "I don't have time for you. I've got a full plate."

She in turn told him, "You know I'm a reporter. I may catch up to you."

She eventually caught up with him as he headed to his car with the new shotgun. During much of their on-camera exchange, Aguilar stood inside the driver's seat door with a microphone plainly in view. "Can we talk to you briefly?" she had asked.

"Either you shut the damn camera off or I'm not talkin' to ya," he replied.

But the camera kept rolling and Walton kept talking. What most viewers remember is Aguilar asking him, "Are you a trigger happy kind of person? Is that what you wanted to do -- shoot to kill?" Aguilar asked this in a non-confrontational tone that she maintained throughout the interview.

"The way I asked him was not in a harsh manner," she says. "I'm very careful about my tone. Because since I am a woman, I don't want to be called the b-word."

She also loves the thrill of an "exclusive," as does any reporter worth anything at all. But not at any price, she insists, noting that countless people on the receiving ends of her stories have described her as "one of the fairest people in the world."

"I'm a role model for other journalists in the market," says Aguilar, who is the oldest on-camera female reporter at Fox4. "I show that it doesn't matter that you're close to 50 years old. And it doesn't matter how many awards you get. The big thing in TV news is what have you done for me lately. How can I teach others to be motivated and go out there and kick ass every day if I myself am not doing it?"

Yeah. OK. Obviously she doesn't "get" it. Rebecca Aguilar fails to understand that a person who has just shot three people, killing two, in two separate lethal encounters does not want to be judged by a media jury of one in a blue tailored suit as they are leaving a sporting goods store with a private purchase.

"Whacha get? What's in the box?" She intruded. "Are those tears of......Of what.....Of remorse?" Aguilar asked, feigning surprise and putting not only words into an old man's mouth, but a label on his character.

Mr. Walton replied "I'm not satisfied with the situation right now," as Mrs. Aguilar looks away studying her umbrella. Mr. Walton was obviously referring to being accosted by a relentless reporter in a parking lot. Mr. Walton obviously wanted to be left alone. Hell, Mrs. Aguilar states in her sanctimonious version of events that he had previously told her his "plate was full," meaning he had no time for her that day. He tries to finish his statement, continuing, "With you coming out here," before Mrs. Aguilar cuts him off and attempts to twist his objections into a story.

Aguilar immediately tried to cover Mr. Walton's objection over by saying "About killing two people?" in a judgemental tone as she looked down her nose at a trembling victim of crime.

Her report goes on to say that Mr. Walton was tired of "burglars stealing his tools, cameras, anything they could carry away." She says nothing of the fact Mr. Walton lives at his place of business, and that he killed because he feared for his life. Instead she says "Are you a trigger happy kind of person? Is that what you wanted to do....To shoot?.....To kill?"

Finally, she said "So basically, you were scared, for your own life?"

Mr. Walton responded "What do you think? Do you think I welcomed them guys into my building when they climb up eight foot outside and then they gotta climb down inside?"

At the conclusion of her story, Mrs. Aguilar states what she thinks. She says, "Even though the police say Walton did not break any laws, the case will be turned over to a Grand Jury. It will decide whether Walton will be booked on any criminal charges."

Below is Mrs. Aguilar's news story. Apparently, she does not see what she did wrong. Apparently, she does not appreciate the scorn she heaped on an innocent man who simply defended himself and his property according to the laws of the state he resides in. Mrs. Aguilar does not understand the problem. And that is the problem.

Medal of Honor

Lieutenant Michael Murphy, USN was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor today.

Summary of Action
Operation Redwing
June 28, 2005

On June 28, 2005, deep behind enemy lines east of Asadabad in the Hindu Kush of Afghanistan, a very committed four-man Navy SEAL team was conducting a reconnaissance mission at the unforgiving altitude of approximately 10,000 feet. The SEALs, Lt. Michael Murphy, Gunner’s Mate 2nd Class (SEAL) Danny Dietz, Sonar Technician 2nd Class (SEAL) Matthew Axelson and Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class (SEAL) Marcus Luttrell had a vital task. The four SEALs were scouting Ahmad Shah – a terrorist in his mid-30s who grew up in the adjacent mountains just to the south.

Under the assumed name Muhammad Ismail, Shah led a guerrilla group known to locals as the "Mountain Tigers" that had aligned with the Taliban and other militant groups close to the Pakistani border. The SEAL mission was compromised when the team was spotted by local nationals, who presumably reported its presence and location to the Taliban.

A fierce firefight erupted between the four SEALs and a much larger enemy force of more than 50 anti-coalition militia. The enemy had the SEALs outnumbered. They also had terrain advantage. They launched a well-organized, three-sided attack on the SEALs. The firefight continued relentlessly as the overwhelming militia forced the team deeper into a ravine.

Trying to reach safety, the four men, now each wounded, began bounding down the mountain's steep sides, making leaps of 20 to 30 feet. Approximately 45 minutes into the fight, pinned down by overwhelming forces, Dietz, the communications petty officer, sought open air to place a distress call back to the base. But before he could, he was shot in the hand, the blast shattering his thumb.

Despite the intensity of the firefight and suffering grave gunshot wounds himself, Murphy is credited with risking his own life to save the lives of his teammates. Murphy, intent on making contact with headquarters, but realizing this would be impossible in the extreme terrain where they were fighting, unhesitatingly and with complete disregard for his own life moved into the open, where he could gain a better position to transmit a call to get help for his men.

Moving away from the protective mountain rocks, he knowingly exposed himself to increased enemy gunfire. This deliberate and heroic act deprived him of cover and made him a target for the enemy. While continuing to be fired upon, Murphy made contact with the SOF Quick Reaction Force at Bagram Air Base and requested assistance. He calmly provided his unit’s location and the size of the enemy force while requesting immediate support for his team. At one point he was shot in the back causing him to drop the transmitter. Murphy picked it back up, completed the call and continued firing at the enemy who was closing in. Severely wounded, Lt. Murphy returned to his cover position with his men and continued the battle.

An MH-47 Chinook helicopter, with eight additional SEALs and eight Army Night Stalkers aboard, was sent is as part of an extraction mission to pull out the four embattled SEALs. The MH-47 was escorted by heavily-armored, Army attack helicopters. Entering a hot combat zone, attack helicopters are used initially to neutralize the enemy and make it safer for the lightly-armored, personnel-transport helicopter to insert.

The heavy weight of the attack helicopters slowed the formation’s advance prompting the MH-47 to outrun their armored escort. They knew the tremendous risk going into an active enemy area in daylight, without their attack support, and without the cover of night. Risk would, of course, be minimized if they put the helicopter down in a safe zone. But knowing that their warrior brothers were shot, surrounded and severely wounded, the rescue team opted to directly enter the oncoming battle in hopes of landing on brutally hazardous terrain.

As the Chinook raced to the battle, a rocket-propelled grenade struck the helicopter, killing all 16 men aboard.

On the ground and nearly out of ammunition, the four SEALs, Murphy, Luttrell, Dietz and Axelson, continued the fight. By the end of the two-hour gunfight that careened through the hills and over cliffs, Murphy, Axelson and Dietz had been killed. An estimated 35 Taliban were also dead.

The fourth SEAL, Luttrell, was blasted over a ridge by a rocket propelled grenade and was knocked unconscious. Regaining consciousness some time later, Luttrell managed to escape – badly injured – and slowly crawl away down the side of a cliff. Dehydrated, with a bullet wound to one leg, shrapnel embedded in both legs, three vertebrae cracked; the situation for Luttrell was grim. Rescue helicopters were sent in, but he was too weak and injured to make contact. Traveling seven miles on foot he evaded the enemy for nearly a day. Gratefully, local nationals came to his aid, carrying him to a nearby village where they kept him for three days. The Taliban came to the village several times demanding that Luttrell be turned over to them. The villagers refused. One of the villagers made his way to a Marine outpost with a note from Luttrell, and U.S. forces launched a massive operation that rescued him from enemy territory on July 2.

By his undaunted courage, intrepid fighting spirit and inspirational devotion to his men in the face of certain death, Lt. Murphy was able to relay the position of his unit, an act that ultimately led to the rescue of Luttrell and the recovery of the remains of the three who were killed in the battle.

This was the worst single-day U.S. Forces death toll since Operation Enduring Freedom began nearly six years ago. It was the single largest loss of life for Naval Special Warfare since World War II.

The Naval Special Warfare (NSW) community will forever remember June 28, 2005 and the heroic efforts and sacrifices of our special operators. We hold with reverence the ultimate sacrifice that they made while engaged in that fierce fire fight on the front lines of the global war on terrorism (GWOT).

-NSW-

US Navy SEAL Team ~Operation Red Wing

Lt. (SEAL) Michael P. Murphy, 29, of Patchogue, N.Y.
Gunner’s Mate 2nd Class (SEAL) Danny P. Dietz, 25, of Littleton, Colo.
Sonar Technician (Surface) 2nd Class (SEAL) Matthew G. Axelson, 29, of Cupertino, Calif.
Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class (SEAL) Marcus Luttrell ~ survivor

US Army Rangers ~ Rescue Team

Staff Sgt. Shamus O. Goare, 29, of Danville, Ohio.
Chief Warrant Officer Corey J. Goodnature, 35, of Clarks Grove, Minn.
Sgt. Kip A. Jacoby, 21, of Pompano Beach, Fla.
Sgt. 1st Class Marcus V. Muralles, 33, of Shelbyville, Ind.
Master Sgt. James W. Ponder III, 36, of Franklin, Tenn.
Maj. Stephen C. Reich, 34, of Washington Depot, Conn.
Sgt. 1st Class Michael L. Russell, 31, of Stafford, Va.
Chief Warrant Officer Chris J. Scherkenbach, 40, of Jacksonville, Fla.

US Navy SEALs ~ Rescue Team

Chief Fire Controlman (SEAL) Jacques J. Fontan, 36, of New Orleans, La.
Senior Chief Information Systems Technician (SEAL) Daniel R. Healy, 36, of Exeter, N.H.
Lt. Cmdr. (SEAL) Erik S. Kristensen, 33, of San Diego, Calif.
Electronics Technician 1st Class (SEAL) Jeffery A. Lucas, 33, of Corbett, Ore.
Lt. (SEAL) Michael M. McGreevy Jr., 30, of Portville, N.Y.
Quartermaster 2nd Class (SEAL) James Suh, 28, of Deerfield Beach, Fla.
Machinist Mate 2nd Class (SEAL) Eric S. Patton, 22, of Boulder City, Nev.
Hospital Corpsman 1st Class (SEAL) Jeffrey S. Taylor, 30, of Midway, W.Va.

Better men this world will never know.
Rest in peace.

From the Wife's Collection

My wife-mate enjoys collecting and shooting curio and relic firearms, primarily rifles. She enjoys the rifles most because they have more wood to bear the scars of use. Yes, she seeks out the battle scarred Mausers. Several times I have intercepted a sale in which she was forking over $150 for a Turk that would cause a Khyber Pass pawnbroker to blush with shame. I don't get angry when sellers do this, I just explain to her that the same rifle is available for $80 less elsewhere. She might like battle beaten wood, but she likes a bargain better. As we walk away from the table or counter, the price usually quickly drops to acceptable limits.

Many are surprised at what these old war horses can accomplish. I remember a couple of years back when she took the old Lee Enfield to the range and out shot the good ol' boys scoping in their deer rifles. Carteach0 had a similar experience over the weekend. How sweet it is!

Concealed Carry on College Campus

Nationwide, Students for Concealed Carry on Campus will be engaging in an Empty Holster Protest during the entire week of 10/22/2007.

Click the banner below to learn more.

Meanwhile, Down Under........

An Australian who went for a drunken dip in the sea got more than he bargained for when he dived into the jaws of a large crocodile. Matt Martin was camping alone near a beach in northern Queensland when he decided to go for a dusk swim, despite having drunk what he later admitted was "half a slab", or 12 cans of beer.

When the 35-year-old construction worker dived into a wave, he butted heads with a submerged saltwater crocodile. "I thought I was dead. It was sort of like when you hit rocks but the rocks had give and movement in them," he told The Cairns Post. "The next moment, I’m standing up and something in my head was screaming 'it's a croc' and I just started to back-pedal."

The giant reptile, apparently as surprised as he was by the encounter, lashed out with its formidable jaws, inflicting deep gashes to Mr. Martin's face. He managed to scramble out of the water but instead of seeking immediate medical help, decided to sleep off his drinking binge.

Rested after a night’s sleep, he then drove himself to a hospital in the town of Mossman but had to hold a blanket to staunch the bleeding to his face, which was "pretty messed up".

"I had to drive with my left hand on my face and my right hand changing gears," he said. The deep cuts to his face required more than 40 stitches.

More.

Hat tip to Catfish

Thinking about CCW?

Head over to MattG's blog to gather a few tips.......

Bye Bye Foti

Charles Foti Jr. is out. That'll teach 'em.

Rat Rod Saturday Night

1936 Dodge Brothers Altered Wheelbase Truck

The S&W K-38 Combat Masterpiece

One of my favorite revolvers is a weathered .38 special handgun that I found on a pawn shop shelf years ago. It possessed incredible balance, and one of the smoothest double action triggers I had ever pulled. I suspect it received a professional trigger job at some point. The .400" wide serrated target trigger cranked back a matching 0.5" wide target hammer with ease, releasing it with no stacking or grittiness. I negotiated the price down to $179 from a tag reading $200. The old gun bears an exterior that has seen better days. If it were not for the cold blue painted on, it would likely have more metal than bluing glistening in the sunshine. Never the less, the appearance of the revolver belies it's performance.

The time worn revolver wore incorrect 1970's style magna grips when I purchased it. I took it to the range with a bucket of .38s, and I was amazed at it's inherent "handiness" and accuracy. When I finally found a Colt Python in my price range, the old Smith & Wesson was my standard of comparison in a range report. In my hands, wearing a Hogue Monogrip, the old Smith beat the snake. It is still the standard by which I judge other wheelguns.

The weathered old war horse I speak of is the venerable Smith & Wesson K-38 Combat Masterpiece. Now, wearing proper diamond magna grips, my K-38 is still the sweetest wheelgun in my collection. The K-38 Combat Masterpiece was a beautifully blued revolver, with a four inch ribbed barrel and a Baughman Quick Draw front sight paired with an adjustable rear sight. It has serrations fore and aft on the metal portion of the grip frame. The package included the short fast action and an anti-backlash trigger. My revolver, serial number K2208XX, was produced in 1954, just in time to still be a five screw revolver. In 1957, the K-38 Combat Masterpiece evolved into the Model 15 with the introduction of model numbers.

My K-38 Combat Masterpiece had obviously spent a life in a holster when I purchased it. I suppose it was the sidearm of a peace officer at some time. I have to believe that this peace officer knew his stuff when he armed himself with this fine piece of sweet triggered ordnance.

Shattered Glass

October 8, 2007- Venezuelan Vice President Jorge Rodriguez and Cuba's ambassador to Venezuela unviel a glass monument to revolutionary icon Ernesto “Che” Guevara near the top of El Aguila Peak, a popular tourist spot, and one of the highest points in Venezuela at 13,143 feet above sea level.

October 19, 2007- The glass lies shattered by gunfire. Police say they have yet to identify those responsible. The El Nacional newspaper published a copy of what it said was a flier discovered beside the destroyed monument, and signed by the previously unknown “Paramo Patriotic Front.”

“We don't want any monument to Che, he isn't an example for our children,” the flyer read. It called Guevara a “cold-blooded killer” and said the government should raise a monument in Chavez's hometown of Sabaneta, in the nearby lowland plains, if it wants to commemorate the Argentine revolutionary.

Meanwhile, wannabe Che disciples in the United States continue to display his mug on T-shirts.......

Gas Station Robbery

NAHJ Urges Aguilar Reinstatement

The National Association of Hispanic Journalists is attempting to persuade KDFW-TV Fox 4 to reinstate reporter Rebecca Aguilar. They state:

"Aguilar was suspended after interviewing a 70-year-old man who shot and killed two burglars at his business. She was suspended after a deluge of calls and criticism by bloggers. NAHJ affirms that journalistic principles, not special-interest driven community response, should determine if a reporter stays on the air."

Yes, a "special-interest driven community response" is happening. It's called the "fed up to here with biased bullshit as news" special-interest group. An astute observer will note there was no blogswarm concerning previous stories by Ms. Aguilar, or about Mr. Walton, just this particular one.

The NAHJ fails to mention that Aguilar stood in Mr. Walton's car door, preventing him from closing it and backing out of his parking place. They fail to mention the accusatory tone and bias in her voice as she reduced a WWII veteran to tears. Mr. Walton was forced to defend his integrity within days of twice defending his life. The National Association of Hispanic Journalists does not mention that the journalistic principles they speak of are available for all to review.

To wit:
1. Journalism's first obligation is to the truth.
2. It's first loyalty is to citizens.
3. It's essence is a discipline of verification.
4. It's practitioners must maintain an independence from those they cover.
5. It must serve as an independent monitor of power.
6. It must provide a forum for public criticism and compromise.
7. It must strive to make the significant interesting and relevant.
8. It must keep the news comprehensive and proportional.
9. It's practitioners must be allowed to exercise their personal conscience.

It appears the NAHJ is more interested in their posterchild for journalistic integrity, not in the journalistic principles they claim to uphold. What do you think? Go here to tell 'em!

More Misperceptions?

KDFW-Channel 4's Rebecca Aguilar's interview with James Walton is available in segments, and discussed here.

Thanks Rabbit!

It is also available at Live Leak.........for now.



You can't unring a bell.
Thanks Existing Thing

Rebecca Aguilar's response recorded here.

Hello!

Dennis Baker's home security system includes three cameras that feed video to 42-inch screens in his living room and bedroom. But it was his pet parrot, he says, that alerted him to a burglar he shot and killed early Tuesday. "Hello, hello," the parrot said, waking Mr. Baker from what he says was a deep sleep.

The 59-year-old locksmith keeps several pet birds in his northwest Dallas home, including a Mexican Red-headed parrot named Salvador. The bird says "hello" whenever he sees someone. When someone passed by a window about 2 a.m., Salvador squawked the greeting. "It woke me up," Mr. Baker said. "I guess you could call him a stool pigeon."

Police say it appears that Mr. Baker was within his rights to shoot the burglar, but as is routine in such cases, they will turn the facts to a grand jury for review. Mr. Baker killed 46-year-old John Woodson, whose criminal record includes charges of burglary, theft and possession of a controlled substance.

Tuesday's burglary, police say, was the fourth on Mr. Baker's property within a month. Investigators say preliminary information indicates Mr. Woodson may have been responsible for some or all of them. Mr. Baker puts the number at five. "I got hit five times this month. I have tools in my garage, my house and my van," Mr. Baker said. "They were coming here like they owned the place. I hate what happened, but somebody has to do what's necessary."

Mr. Baker runs a locksmith shop at the home in the 3600 block of Cortez Drive. A large safe sits on the porch. The door of the detached garage is off its hinges. He plans to fix the doors soon but has to replace some of the wood first. Mr. Baker said he installed a video surveillance system after burglars targeted his home repeatedly. Thieves have taken $20,000 worth of locksmith equipment, saws and lawn gear, he said.

After the parrot woke him, Mr. Baker said, he got up and walked to the garage. "He was in the very back of the garage," Mr. Baker said of Mr. Woodson. "There were no lights on. The only thing I could do was see a silhouette, and as you saw in the video, he had his hands in his pockets when he came through here. I had no idea what he had." The security video shows a man – presumably Mr. Woodson – with his hands in his pant pockets, casually walking around the perimeter of the garage and then inside.

Neither police nor Mr. Baker would give a detailed account of the confrontation that followed, and the cameras don't capture it. But police said Mr. Woodson didn't try to flee and that Mr. Baker shot him in his midsection. The case is one of several in recent weeks in which a home or business owner has shot an intruder. A West Dallas business owner fatally shot a suspected burglar on Sunday, the second time in three weeks that he has killed a prowler, police say. Last week, the owner of Joe's Cleaners in Far East Dallas shot a man who tried to rob him at gunpoint. Last month, a Mesquite business owner shot and wounded a suspected burglar after finding him with bolt cutters and copper cable taken from the building. Musician Carter Albrecht was shot to death Sept. 3 after he tried to kick in a neighbor's back door during a drunken rage. The neighbor reportedly thought Mr. Albrecht was a burglar and fired a pistol high through the door as a warning, but struck 6-foot-4 Mr. Albrecht in the head.

Earlier this year, Texas lawmakers approved the Castle Law, which removes any obligation for a crime victim to retreat before responding with deadly force when faced with an intruder in his or her home, vehicle or business. Despite the new law and the recent series of intruder shootings, Dallas police homicide Sgt. Larry Lewis said he would not describe them as a growing trend. "We get them over the year from time to time," Sgt. Lewis said.

When police officers arrived at his home after the shooting, Mr. Baker said, Salvador began greeting them with his signature 'hello.' "Sometimes he says 'hi,' but you can't get him to speak on cue," Mr. Baker said. "He has a mind of his own."

Mr. Baker said police officers are doing their jobs, but are overworked and understaffed. Dallas police recorded more than 14,400 residential burglaries last year. "I will protect my property and my life," Mr. Baker said. "The fifth time is enough. It's not something you want to do, but you have to do."

Kimberly Durnan and Steve Thompson / The Dallas Morning News

Video

Dime Box Bound

KDFW-Channel 4's Rebecca Aguilar has been indefinitely suspended based on a groundswell of criticism about how Aguilar ambushed James Walton in a parking lot.

As for the YouTube video below.......

This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by KDFW FOX 4 TV

Looks like the TV station is trying to cover their tracks.......
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Update: Video up at Live Leak......replaced in my original post. Taken down, but replaced again at You Tube. Post updated.

You can't unring a bell KDFW! Tell your award winning yellow journalist to clean out her desk.

Thanks Existing Thing!

Ambush in Mesquite Texas

James Walton was ambushed by an ignorant reporter from KDFW News recently. She asked what he had in his box, asked if he was trigger happy, and violated Mr. Walton's privacy with a lot of other asinine assumptions.

Here is where the video story once was. This URL no longer has active video. Shown below is the video that KDFW published before acquiring a cerebral cortex.





Video partially available with discussion here, at Breitbart.com

Here is where you can click and make your opinion known to KDFW. Rebecca Aguilar has been suspended. She should be fired. The newsroom editor who allowed this crap to escape the toilet bowl without an ass chewing must be held accountable as well. If you agree, go for it!

KDFW's phone number is (214)720-4444

KDFW's address is 400 N Griffin Street, Dallas TX 75202

Let 'em know you care!

Hat tip to Phglemfatale

I'm off to work.....More here later on this.

Later.....Back to blogging at 4:58 PM-------------------------------------------

OK, I'm back from work. Ms. Aguilar, you have no damned idea what you are talking about. You are a prying, ratings hungry yellow journalist, and not a very good one at that. You are dishonest with events, and you are ignorant of the law.

You imply the police took Mr. Walton's two previous shotguns to stop him from shooting the next intruder. No. The police commended Mr. Walton. He was defending his property, and quite possibly his life, both of which are legal in the great state of Texas......your own state. Mr. Walton's two previous shotguns were taken into evidence. He is not prohibited from purchasing another one to defend himself with again. Get your facts straight.

Mr. Walton obviously did not want to be photographed and he obviously did not want to answer your questions. That is not because "someone will come after him" as you state; that is because he does not want to speak with an ignorant, disrespectful news reporter like yourself. He made that clear in his first sentence to you. Why did you continue to impose yourself on this law abiding citizen who did not desire your company? Clearly, anyone who "might come after" Mr. Walton can obtain his address from previous news reports and the public record at the police station. Obviously someone who "might come after him" is not the police. So.....Someone who "might come after him" would be seeking retribution in the way of physical harm. Mr. Walton is wise to arm himself if that is the case. Wise, prudent, and legal.

You jammed yourself into his automobile door and continued to badger this elderly man with your questions and insinuations, even when he told you plainly and clearly he did not want to talk to you. He could not close his car door and back out of his parking place because of your actions. You forced him to stay against his will. Consider your actions Ms. Aguilar, consider them closely. Yes, this gentleman was upset. He had every right to be.

You asked "Are you a trigger happy kind of person? Is that what you wanted to do? To shoot?....To kill?" Who the hell do you think you are Ms. Aguilar? Do you have any idea, any idea at all in your sweet little head what a person goes through when they are forced to take another person's life to defend their own? No, you do not. Not an inkling. You self righteously declare "That's what I wanted the viewers to know." Know what? They don't have a right to know! It isn't their damned business. Your "viewers" simply need to refrain from climbing over Mr. Walton's fence at night, and they have nothing to worry about! The Grand Jury will decide this case Ms. Aguilar, not you.

I hope you enjoy your new job reporting on cake sales in Dime Box Texas........If they hire you.

Oh.....
Rebecca Aguilar
(214)720-3261
rebecca.aguilar@foxtv.com

Feel free to contact Aguilar's superiors.
News director: Maria.Barrs@foxtv.com
Vice President and General Manager: Kathy.Saunders@foxtv.com

The Pre-Model 10

The Smith & Wesson Pre-Model 10 M&P was produced just after WWII. It has the best qualities of the Pre-War M&P, as well as the later improvements. For many Smith & Wesson shooters, it is a zenith of revolver design. These revolvers have the half moon front sight, the silky smooth long throw hammer action, and an effective hammer block safety. They are stocked with the transitional diamond magna grips. The blued finish on the Pre-Model 10 revolver is more understated than previous or subsequent variations.

Serial number S811120 began in 1945. Some aficionados say the S prefix began as early as December 27, 1944 around serial number S769000. Almost certainly, at serial number S990184, on April 7, 1948, the short throw hammer was introduced. On March 22, 1948, the serial number prefix was changed to a letter C and began anew with C1. The Pre-Model 10 officially became the Model 10 in 1957 with the assignment of model designations by Smith & Wesson. This example, S8419XX sports an uncommon five inch barrel and it's original diamond magna grips. I purchased it off a pawn shop shelf along with it's holster for $89. It is an excellent shooter.

Pawn Shop Circuit:Winchester Defender

I went into Kenny's pawn shop this afternoon. Among Kenny's shotguns I spied a Winchester with an extended magazine. It was a 1300 Defender. I squinted my eyes as Kenny was approaching,and read the $179 price tag. The shotgun appeared immaculate.

When Kenny arrived in front of me at the counter, I was peering through the glass at handguns.Kenny still had the Beretta 92FS, but he had sold the S&W Model 64. Nothing elsein the case interested me. I moved on to the electronics and I found a 4 GB iPod for $89. Good price, I supposed. I asked Kenny to open the case and let me have a look. He did, and I removed an aquamarine device from the case. My iPod had been stolen last week at work, so I was in the market for a replacement. I decided to buy it.

As Kenny was taking my money, I told him "You really oughta buy that shotgun Kenny."

"You mean that Winchester Xav?"

"Yeah, it would make a heck of a house gun for you."

"How did you know I was wanting it?" Kenny asked.

"It's a good gun," I said.

"Another two days and I can buy it," replied Kenny.

I hope nobody buys it out from under Kenny while he waits. It must be a quiet hell to see items purchased from under you as you are forced to wait to purchase because you are an employee.

Court TV Bullshit

Disgusting. So the pretentious "expert" doesn't advise convenience store owners to keep weapons on the premises? Chances are, he doesn't work the night shift at a Stop N Save. Know what Prentiss X. Pert? The violence is already happening, and the only thing between the clerk's life and the morgue is the good graces of a sociopath........or a gun. You think the clerk's adrenaline wasn't "running high" you boob?

Somehow this clerk has survived, and killed her assailant in the process? It could have been the other way around? You're damned skippy it could Prentiss! That's why she kept a damned gun!

The video a "vital eyewitness"? Give me a break. A criminal enters a liquor store in Dallas with a gun and he gets his ass waxed. Any jury in Texas would find no cause for prosecution.

Oh, and you Gotta love the theatrical single action revolver click inserted into the soundtrack at 00:16!

This clerk followed the "expert's advice". Not for the faint of heart, but then, neither is self defense.



Note in this video, the clerk failed to recognize the threat positioning his cap and hood outside the door, and then immediately flanking him on entrance to the store. The clerk was distracted by the accomplice. Once in this predicament, the clerk has essentially lost the fight. A gun would have helped, but enough awareness and understanding to recognize the threat and evade it would have saved his life.

The Red Navy Victory

Some Smith & Wesson Victory revolvers bear a US Navy stamp below the thumb piece. Often, this stamp is filled with red paint by the Navy to enhance visibility. Sailors have a habit of painting everything.......

This type of marking has been faked with some regularity by a nefarious west coast seller, claiming they are producing "representative" examples. Such a property mark increases the revolvers market value by double to triple. The only way to be certain such a revolver is actually "Navy" is to get a letter from Roy Jinks.

Tank Additions

To Aggressive Tank:

Clown Triggerfish (Balistoides conspicillum)

The Clown Triggerfish, along with the "Nemo" Percula and the Yellow Tang, is probably among the most recognized of marine fish. With it's spotted belly, yellow lips and leopard skin print back, it looks like a 70's pimp swimming along in the sea. Like most triggerfish, it is futile to try to keep a Clown Trigger with crunchy critters (crustaceans). They know those creatures as lunch, and they ain't gonna change.

A Clown Trigger is one of the more aggressive triggerfish. They are solitary fish, and prefer to take bits of shrimp into the rocks prior to eating it. They grunt when excited, and have voracious appetites.

Today, I moved the Clown Triggerfish from isolation and into my large Aggressive tank. Clown Triggers are known for Jekyll and Hyde behavior. They may peacefully swim in an aquarium for months among other fish. Then in the middle of the night..........They snap. The aquarist awakes in the morning to find blood and scales in the water along with a smug triggerfish bearing a "Who me?" look on it's face. Thus, it is best to keep a Clown Triggerfish alone, or with fish that are not too expensive, in a large tank with plenty of hiding places. Mine will live with a variety of Damselfishes.

Notch Two

DALLAS (WBAP) - A West Dallas business owner shot and killed an intruder in his machine shop Sunday morning, the second time in less than three weeks that a prowler has been killed at the same location.

James Walton, owner of Able Walton Machine & Welding on Chalk Hill Road just north of Interstate 30, told police he was alerted to the prowler by a motion detector in his shop. Walton took a shotgun downstairs and fired at the man he found standing there. 37-year-old Jimmy Gannon of Ferris was later pronounced dead at Methodist Dallas Medical Center.

On Sept. 22, Walton shot and killed a man he found climbing through a window of the same business. Police have said both shootings appeared to have been justifiable uses of force to protect private property. Both cases are expected to be reviewed by a grand jury.

Jim Ryan, 24/7 News

A Ledbetter-area business owner fatally shot a suspected burglar Sunday morning – the second time in three weeks that he killed an intruder, Dallas police said. James Walton, owner of Able Walton Machine & Welding in the 2000 block of Chalk Hill Road in West Dallas, was alerted to the intruder when his motion sensor system activated about 9 a.m. Sunday, police said.

Mr. Walton, who also lives at his business, went downstairs with a shotgun and fired at a man who had broken in. The intruder was later identified by police as Jimmy Gannon of Ferris. Police said Mr. Walton also noticed another man outside Sunday. Mr. Walton shot and wounded that man. He escaped, but a witness eventually led police to him. The man, whom police did not immediately identify, was questioned by officers Sunday afternoon. Mr. Gannon, 37, was taken to Methodist Dallas Medical Center, where he died.

Police said Mr. Walton is allowed to protect his property. No charges were filed against him Sunday, though the case will be referred to a grand jury, police said. "He's got a right to defend his property. What gives a stranger the right to go in and vandalize or burglarize his business?" said Dallas police Sgt. Gene Reyes. "He's within every legal right to do this." Mr. Walton could not be reached for comment Sunday. Dallas police Sgt. Andrew Harvey said he doesn't believe anything was stolen from Mr. Walton's business on Sunday.

On Sept. 22, Mr. Walton shot and killed a man he saw climbing through a pried-open window of his business, police said. The intruder was later identified as Raul Laureles. That incident also was referred to a grand jury.

By Marissa Alanis / The Dallas Morning News

Maybe the guy needs to put a sign on the gate with tally marks.........

The first shooting........



Part of the aftermath.

I'm Your Huckleberry

(CBS 11 News) Dallas--- North Texas police detectives say there's no new information about a serial rapist who has terrorized 19 victims. One of the women attacked is making sure her attacker knows she's taking steps to make sure it never happens again. Kathy Smith knows she's not a typical rape victim. She's soft-spoken, but she has a bold message. "I don't want to ever let myself be in that position again," said Smith. "The only one who can really protect me, is me." Smith was one of the first victims of a serial rapist who has not yet been caught. "I feel like I came close to dieing that night," Smith said. "If it's me or him, it's going to be him."

In August, Frisco police started distributing a composite of the man who has robbed, beaten, stabbed and even killed one of his victims. In November of 2005, Smith said the rapist burst into her apartment in Plano. He terrorized her, ransacked the apartment and held a gun to her head, she said. "I thought he was about to spread my brains all over my bedroom wall, and I just did what I could to get out of there alive," Smith said.

Since then, she's experience nightmares, post traumatic stress and she has been angry at the man who raped her. But Smith has not been silent. She's now applying for her license to carry a concealed handgun, and she encourages others do the same. "If someone were to break into my home again, they wouldn't find someone pulling the covers up and screaming. They would find a gun pointed at them," said Smith.

Smith says she knows the serial rapist could strike again. She wants to warn other women not to let their guard down. "You think locking your doors is going to keep someone like that out? No. If they want in, they're coming in," she said. After the attack, Smith moved to another apartment. She got a dog for protection and had crime prevention officers analyze her home. She warns other women that it's still not enough. "Even if you have to put bars on your windows to keep people like that out, do it," she said.

Stephanie Lucero, CBS News

Video Story

Chicks With Guns

Breda hooks another one!

Great shooting Nicole!

Fill'er Up Safety

1. Remove gas cans from your vehicle prior to filling them. Place them directly on the concrete pavement. This grounds them, preventing static electricity.

2. When putting out a fire on a person, do not fan them with your shirt as this Air Farce officer did. Smother the flames instead.

Torn From ebay.......

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Rat Rod Saturday Night

Greg Baum's 1919 Willy's T

Warning Shot to the Head

A motorist who shot and wounded a belligerent hitchhiker Wednesday at a highway rest area acted in self-defense, police say. The shooting happened just before 7:30 p.m. at the Nason Creek rest area on U.S. Route 2 near Lake Wenatchee and just west of Leavenworth.

The man who was shot, Jay Anthony Kneer, 45, was taken to Harborview Medical Center, where he was in the intensive care unit in serious condition Thursday. He is listed as a Renton resident, but Chelan County Sheriff Michael Harum said Kneer spent much of his time in Eastern Washington.

Kneer has a criminal record going back 20 years, with more than 50 arrests in that time and multiple convictions for theft, trespassing, drug violations and robbery in King, Snohomish and Chelan counties. He was released last month from the Chelan County Regional Justice Center, where he had been since his arrest in January on suspicion of second-degree robbery. He was well-known to Chelan County deputies, Harum said, and was typically combative with them. He said that when deputies had to handle a call involving Kneer, "you made sure you had a second person there."

Before the shooting, Kneer had been hanging around the rest area. Harum said volunteers who handed out coffee and cookies to passing motorists told deputies that Kneer had been harassing them. The volunteers left at about 7 p.m., shortly before the shooting, so Kneer was the only person around when Dennis Shaw, 66, of Lynnwood, and his wife pulled into the rest area.

In the restroom, Kneer asked Shaw for a ride, but Shaw refused. Kneer followed him, yelling at him and demanding a ride, police said. Kneer's demeanor and aggression began to scare the motorist, Harum said, adding that Kneer had a reputation for aggression and, at 6-foot-2, could be intimidating.

Once he was back at his pickup truck, Shaw retrieved a 9 mm handgun. This only made Kneer angrier, Harum said, and he pulled out a quart-size bottle of whisky and swung it, missing Shaw, who was able to duck behind his truck's door.

Shaw told deputies he pointed the gun at Kneer and fired when Kneer did not back off, telling them he meant it as a warning shot. But the shot struck Kneer in the head. Harum said it appeared to be a clear case of self-defense and he does not expect the motorist to be charged with any crime. "He was pretty upset, and from what the deputies tell me, remorseful," Harum said. "It's pretty sad."

By Hector Castro
Seattle PI.com

It's my belief that warning shots are usually not a good idea. They deplete ammunition reserves, and often serve to escalate conflict. The shot you wasted may be shot you needed to save your life. This is one example where they stopped the threat, however. Whether Mr. Shaw will suffer civil proceedings as a result is yet to be determined.

This encounter could also be cited as an example of raw, instinctive point shooting with a focus on the threat. Godspeed Mr. Shaw.

Ker-Chunk!

Houston TX. October 11, 2007
Nathaniel Brooks stole a line from an old Western movie to capture a pair of burglars. A Fort Bend County homeowner fought back when he found burglars in his home. “You know there's something about when you hear a pump shotgun click,” said Nathaniel Brooks. “It makes everybody think twice.”

And the two burglars did think twice. “You are trying to steal something out of my garage,” Brooks recalled telling the robbers. “You in my garage so you have no rights now. This is my house.”

He saw them through his back door rummaging through his garage. “And I walked out of the house and I went around and confronted those guys on the side of the house,” he said. “So, I aimed at him and said, ‘You sneeze, you're dead man.’ And I called the other guy out of the garage. "I watch a lot of movies it sounded like a good thing to say. It got his attention."

Brooks held them at attention until deputies got there two minutes later. “I feel like I reacted like every homeowner should react,” said Brooks.

Deputies have praised Nathaniel for what he did, said he is well within his rights to do what he did. But they also say he helped them catch someone who has done this many, many times before. The suspects are Brian Bostic and Richard Holly. Deputies say this isn't Bostic's first time to be arrested for a break in.

Meanwhile, Brooks has the praise of his neighbors. "I think it's fabulous I wish more people would do it,” said neighbor Charlotte Priest. "I don't blame him. I'd do the same thing myself."

Even Brooks own wife said in 20 years of marriage she had never heard this tough talking guy before. "And I have never seen that side of him. It’s like I'm a newlywed now,” said Vanessa Brooks.

Yes, life is good again on Cinco Park Place where burglars are reminded to listen, and think twice. “Don't go to my house. I wouldn't come to my house if I were you,” said Brooks

There are a lot of people who subscribe to the idea of the ominous sound of a pump shotgun chambering a round as an attention getter. I happen to be one of them.

True, the chambering of a round gives your position away as it announces your presence. That is the idea, however. It announces your armed presence. I keep my home defense shotguns in "cruiser ready" condition. That means a full magazine, chamber empty, and safety off. In this condition, my Mossbergs operate exactly like my Winchesters. That is important to me. I must chamber a round prior to armed intervention, and the possibility of confusing the operation of the different makes of firearms is eliminated.

I have learned a bit about myself through armed conflict. I may not necessarily realize which shotgun I am holding. I want them to operate the same, so that I train one way, the way I will fight. My focus on the intruder takes precedence over my recognition of the brand of shotgun I hold. More importantly, I have learned at that time of immense adrenaline dump, when the knees are weak and fine motor movements lacking, the mind rushes ahead, and people fumble otherwise simple tasks. The reassuring gross motor movement of a 12 gauge chambering a round can be sobering for the miscreant offender in my presence, as well as for myself.

Furthermore, I know from past experience that my mouth will go dry. Speech will be difficult. I may emit a raspy growl if anything at all. The sound of 00 buckshot chambering in my shotgun is the indisputable warning I give. Nathaniel Brooks was able to say a few words, but the adrenaline rush of armed conflict affects people differently. A rational person wants to avoid taking a life, even while protecting their own. If the clacking of a pump shotgun preparing for conflict can bring about a halt to the criminal's activities, I will take that route. If the "indisputable warning" fails to bring a halt to the activities, or if it escalates the encounter, I am prepared to respond with force.

Others may hold a differing opinion..........

Good catch Mr. Brooks. I would be proud to have you as a neighbor!

The Nickel M&P

Between 1927 and 1930, a small number of Smith & Wesson M&P revolvers were purchased by the Texas State Prison system. These revolvers were chambered in .38 special, nickel plated and they had five inch barrels. They are marked "Texas State Prison", and are known to be between serial numbers 500000 and 630000.

This Smith & Wesson M&P revolver is serial 5446XX. I purchased it at a pawn shop for $125.

An Air Soft Case

For the benefit of Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce L. Castor Jr, what is the legal definition of a gun or a firearm in Pennsylvania?

A gun or firearm is defined by federal and Pennsylvania law to mean any weapon that is designed to fire a bullet or other projectile by means of an explosive. A firearm silencer or muffler is also included in the definition of a firearm, as is a destructive device and ammunition.

Federal and Pennsylvania definitions of a firearm do not apply to antique firearms, which include any firearm manufactured in or before 1898. Pennsylvania and federal definitions of a firearm do not include toys that fire plastic balls by means of compressed air or springs. A Hi Point carbine makes the cut, but thirty airsoft toys and a collection of blades do not. Super Soakers don't make the cut. Water hoses do not make the cut. Blenders do not make the cut. Two whole beef patties special sauce lettuce cheese pickles onions on a sesame seed bun doesn't make the cut either. So why are three law enforcement officials doing photo ops behind a table filled with toys guns and toy ninja swords? Could it be that they are trying to legitimize a faux pas with a sensationalized song and dance?

"I do not think an attack was imminent and I am not certain that an attack was going to occur at all," Bruce Castor stated. "It could have simply been big talking by a kid who thought that he was bullied previously and he was going to exact his revenge." Police found about 30 air powered guns, swords, knives, videos of the 1999 Columbine attack, books such as The Anarchist Cookbook, a U.S. Army counterinsurgency operation handbook, and notebooks filled with violent missives, Castor claimed. Also found was a Hi Point carbine, now known in the mainstream media as a "9mm assault rifle." No 9mm ammunition was found for the Hi Point carbine. Police also discovered several explosive devices described as homemade grenades: plastic containers filled with pellets to which gunpowder could be added at any time. Authorities said one grenade was operable and the others had been in the process of being assembled. I guess gunpowder could be added to the chicken salad in the tupperware beside the milk in the old Frigidare too. That would make a hell of a mess.

The boy's mother was charged today with unlawful transfer of a firearm, possession of a firearm by a minor, corruption of a minor, endangering the welfare of a child and two counts of reckless endangerment. She was later released on bail. Oh, by the way Bruce, it is not illegal for a parent to purchase their child a firearm.

So look Bruce, no doubt the boy had problems. Address the real issues. Don't try to manufacture a case where there is no substance. That only makes you look silly.



To read the exact legal definition of a firearm, go to 18 USC § 921- Definitions.

Information for Pennsylvania Firearms Purchasers & Basic Public Safety

Montgomery County District Attorney Bruce L. Castor Jr.

Pennsylvania Firearms Law