Whoa ... guts

Oh My

"Whoa sister! It's wonder yo guts ain't fall out."

Call Me Tex

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Getting a Concealed Handgun License in Texas WTF? I like Texas. Nice people, good state. But one thing that continues to puzzle me is why Texas handgun carry laws are so, well, pathetic. Here is a summary of the requirements for getting a concealed handgun permit: (IANAL so don't take this as legal advice): Fee: $140 for 5 yrs. Training: In person, at least 4-6 hours, with shooting exam, by TX certified instructor. Fingerprints: required. Photo: required. Open carry: prohibited. Let's contrast that with some "liberal" states: Pennsylvania: Fee: $19 Training: Not required. Fingerprints: None required. Photo: Passport photo required in some places. Open carry: legal, except you'll be harassed in Philly. Vermont: No permit required to carry openly or concealed. Wisconsin: Fee: $40 Training: Required, but can be obtained for free. Fingerprints: None required. Photo: Not required. Open carry: legal. So what's with Texas? Its laws for carry of firearms are becoming more comparable with those of Illinois. And it's not an idle question for those of us in VA, since the nonresident permit issued by VA is being used as an alternative to the TX resident permit.  [Free Republic Post] I know that Texas has some swollen lymph nodes that might be cancer (like Austin and San Antonio),  but still, this is way counter-intuitive for me.   I mean, WTFF?  Here's the  link to the Texas CHL site.   Sheesh.

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Second Amendment Win

Tails of the Gun   Why Second Amendment Supporters are Winning “ In The Atlantic, Molly Ball writes a thoughtful article about the recall elections in Colorado, and the effects of those elections on citizen disarmament efforts.  Titled  "The Death of Gun Control" it is a somber article with the clear assumption that those who push citizen disarmament are on the morally correct side:   “  I only wish that this one election was really 'the death' of the gun control industry. This failed and discredited, ex-hippy dogma needs to die. It has no rational basis, and it's legacy is one of needless death and suffering by innocents prevented from defending their own lives, and those of others. The gun control industry itself is funded and directed by a few elite billionaires like Bloomberg and Soros. It's staff is a bunch of highly paid lobbyists, lawyers and 'advocates' clustered around D.C. and various state capitals. ...  Spencer60 [...] Spencer60's comments destroy Molly Ball's assumptions about citizen disarmament.  Anyone who seriously looks at the data comes away with the same conclusion: citizen disarmament has no rational basis if you accept its stated purposes.   A rational basis for it can only be found if you accept unfounded, unstated assumptions about reality that have not stood the test of real world implementation. Here are some of those assumptions: The state is a beneficent entity that will never turn against its own citizens. Guns in the hands of ordinary people result in higher crime rates, particularly homicide rates. The only benefits that guns offer society can easily be achieved with high levels of regulation and control by the state, and significantly lower levels of gun ownership. Defense of self and home by armed citizens is such a rare and unusual event that it is overwhelmed by the increased crime resulting from more gun ownership. And, of course, the ultimate result of such assumptions: Any regulation or law that reduces the number of guns outside the control of the state, or which makes it more burdensome for citizens to acquire, own or use guns (which amounts to the same thing) is a public good. [Full Gun Watch Article- a good reead] Several years ago I posted a ca 1900 article I found (but cannot now)  in a NRA mag.  It was about gun control legislation groupies.  It will never end.  The "eternal vigilance" thing is key.  click click ”

Purty Moufs

Taking a break while rafting in Georgia? Is that Joe Biden?

Bobby Ross Era

http://tinyurl.com/80sterps This post will generate  limited interest, even more less than normal, but it made my morning,  I found this 30 minute film, made after Bobby Ross's first year as Maryland's football coach in 1986.  Ross, in my opinion, was the best coach Maryland ever had (save maybe for Jim Tatum and Curly Byrd).  Sadly, he left after just four years, a casualty of the Len Bias death fiasco that saw the despicable Chancellor  John Slaughter declare a jihad against the entire sports program.  After Lefty Driesell and AD Dick Dull were fired, Ross read the tea leaves and left for Georgia Tech (where he promptly won a share of the national championship by finishing first in the final Coaches' Poll).  His resignation was the final straw for me.  I dropped my Gold Terrapin Club membership. Anyway, I seem to be wallowing (a bit too much) in nostalgia lately, but this really made me feel good.  Oh yeah, Ronald Reagan was president, America was on the ascent after years of abuse from Liberal government, and life was good.  If you're a Tar Heel fan, there's some memorable shots of Kenan Memorial Stadium.   You can watch the video here.