Respect for me but not for thee...

If one had to encapsulate the cognitive dissonance of the political left in one photo, this would probably be it. (Also file under "hypocrisy.")



Photo by Zombie of zombietime

Microstamping?

So California passed its microstamping bill. I wonder if adding a small patch of duct-tape or something similar to the primers of the rounds used in the gun would still allow the round to fire while obscuring the "microstamping"?

It doesn't really matter if it's illegal, on account of the only one who would care is the criminal, you know, who is already murdering someone. I can just see it now

The suspect was charged with two counts of second degree murder. In addition, he was charged with two counts of microstamp tampering, each of which carry minimum sentences of three weeks in a soup line, or having to clean the Governor's bathroom with one's tongue.

On the other hand, they might have plenty of range brass to test it out on, but possibly not, since gun makers might just stop selling to California. Let's hope. That, and criminals not already bent on their own destruction might start favoring revolvers. Or they might just pick up their brass. Or they might put something on their guns to catch the brass in the first place.

Can anyone think of less than 100 ways in which a criminal might easily defeat "microstamping"?

It Doesn't Mean What You Think It Means

As if we needed even more proof, but now there can be no doubt that the Nobel Peace Prize means nothing. Or at least it doesn't mean what you think it means. It is more rightly called the Nobel Political Prize, because rarely (if ever?) is it bestowed on anyone who has actually helped to confer peace in the world (scan the list of laureates): rather it is awarded to people who often provide the opposite -- endless rabble-rousing and dissent that never overthrows anything to bring a lasting peace. Even in the case of Mother Theresa (God rest her soul), I am not convinced that her efforts had anything to do with peace. Love and compassion, certainly, but world peace? No. But perhaps what is most perplexing is that the the award is always given for "effort" not for accomplishment.

Therein lies the difference between the Peace Prize and the Physics Prize.

I have met two Nobel laureates in physics, this one and this one. Both can boast enormous achievements that advanced human understanding of nature tremendously. Unlike the Peace Prize, the Physics Prize is awarded for achievement, not effort. This is why several years -- often decades -- pass between the initial scientific discovery and the awarding of the prize. When I asked Mather why it took so long to be chosen for the award he explained that, in addition to there being many, many deserving people in line for the prize, the committee needed that long to verify the results of his experiments and see if they amounted to anything.

Why doesn't the Peace Prize committee wait decades to see if Al Gore's efforts acheive any peace? Because it doesn't stand for peace. It stands mostly for leftist political activism. If the Peace Prize really lived up to its name, it would be conferred on military/political leaders and heroes who helped overthrow world threats like Hitler and the USSR -- you know, people who actually achieved peace.

500 Years Before Columbus...

As Carnaby and I enjoy a Scandinavian heritage, we'd like to wish you all a Happy Leif Erikson Day! When we were kids we'd celebrate our Viking heritage every year by sacking a neighboring subdivision -- ah, the glory! the spoils! -- then we'd return to quaff mead and recite poetry by firelight

Full they were of fighters
and flashing shield-boards,
western war-lances
and wound-blades Frankish;
cried then the bersarks,
carnage they had thoughts of,
wailed then the wolf-coated
and weapons brandished.

Mother would present us with an entire roasted pig, and the celebration would carry on all night. Sadly, Carnaby and I eventually outgrew this revelry of childhood, much like Halloween, but we still reminisce about it every year.

From the 2002 Presidential Proclamation of Leif Erikson Day: "More than 1,000 years ago, Leif Erikson and his crew journeyed across the Atlantic seeking unknown lands. Their pioneering spirit of courage, determination, and discovery helped to open the world to new exploration and unprecedented development. Each October, we join our friends in Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland in honoring this historic voyage and in celebrating the strong transatlantic bonds that exist between those countries and the United States."



As we of Scandinavian heritage never tire of pointing out, Leif got here 500 years before Columbus!

So on this day, join us in raising a glass (or two) to the intrepid spirit of these courageous men. Skål!

A New American

Mr. Stapers became an American citizen last Thursday. He participated in a moving ceremony in which 70+ different countries were represented. All of these people saying goodbye to their former homes and officially becoming part of the great melting pot. Only in America.

A few of the new citizens were asked to talk about what it meant to them to become American. The one everyone liked best was a very outspoken and genial man from South Africa, who clearly understood what America is all about and was overflowing with love for his new home. Reminded me a bit of this guy.

Hubby spent his first thirty-some years on this earth as a Finn, but never felt like one. Like many people who come to America from all over the world, he was born American, but just couldn't get here right away. After the ceremony, he said he felt like a weight had been lifted from him.

I've asked him to write something for this blog about his experiences and what it means to him to finally become an American, which he promised is forthcoming.

In the meantime, just know that America has imported another die-hard, freedom-loving, red-blooded fighting man.